St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-09
BULLDOzING DIDN'T GO.
Sir Edward Clarke Talked Right
Out in Meetin'"


Out in Meetin'."
LONDON, June SIN the queens
bench division to-day, when Sir Charles
Russell sat down, after having made a
most able speech for the defense, there
was murmer of surprise, counsel for
defense having closed his address rather
Unexpectedly. Hardly had Sir Charles
taken MS seat, and while he was still
receiving the congratulations of his
friends, Sir Edward Clarke. leading
counsel for the plaintiff, took the floor,
and, In few sentences, tersely invited
the attention of the jury, his whole
manner indicating that sensation was
coming. Sir Edward commenced
by saying that it had been ''the
common talk' that the Prince of
Wales continual presence in court
during the trial of this suit had been
for the purpose of restraining the
tongues of the lawyers engaged in the
case from commenting upon the Prince
of Wales connection with it. This re-
mark caused a sensation, but it was
nothing to what followed further utter
anceS of counsel for the plaintiff. Con-
tinuing, Sir Edward Clarke intimated
that the presence of the Prince of Wales
in court would not prevent him from
making any comment necessary. He
said he ha painful duty to perform,
and that he intended to perform it hon
estl! and falrl His opponents, he con-
tinueu. ndu always beer careful to al
LUCE to him as the solicitor general, and
he added: .'While l am proud of that
title, l must remind the jury that ap-
pear IN this case simply as an English
barrister, and L am obliged to disregard
friendships, ard even nv own in
terests, and comment on the conduct
and evidence of one OF the highest In
the land" AS he uttered these last
words, Sir Edward turned squarely
around until he faced the Prince of
Wales, upon whom every eye in court
was then fixed, and who nervously
crossed his legs. while the audience was
utterly aghast at what was considered
to be the audacity of the solicitor gen.
pered comment, ''Why, he is going to
attack the Prince of Wales," was dis
tinctly heard, and caused all attention
to be riVeted upon the PLAINTIFF counsel.
Continuing, the solicitor general re-
marked that Sir Charles Russell, for
the defendants, had said that "even if
the jury found for the plaintiff and dis
regarded the document the latter had
signed at Tranbycroft, the mill
tary authorities would take the
matter up, and Sir William
stricken from the army list. 81 wish
to say, in unmistakable terms" ex-
claimed Sir Edward. raising his voice
until it echoed tellingly through the
court, THAT it would be impossible for
the authorities to do any such thing,
and to leave on that list the names of
Field Marshal the Prince of Wales and
Gen. Owen Williams" Apparently sat
isfied with the effect which he had pro-
duced, counsel then directed his atten-
ton to the discrepancies between the
precis drawn up at Tranbycroft, which
accused Sir William Gordon Cumming
of withdrawing as we'll as adding count
ers to those he had previously staked at
baccarat, and the statement (which the
Wilson family now disclaim," that
watch 50 William Gordon Cum
ming on the second night of the
baccarat playing. The solicitor general
pointed out that the precis was written
when the events TO which it referred
should have been still fresh in every
body's memory, when the events first
occurred, and that they were indorsed
as correct by the Prince of Wales, by
Lord Coventry and by Gen. Owen Will
y
tant details as the agreement to watch
the plaintiff were repudiated by the
Wilson family. Sir Edward followed
with an arraignment of the Wilson's,
| which was most severe and cutting,and
| which demonstrated, from the smiles
| which pervaded the court room, that the
| spectators of this famous trial are not
much in sympathy with them. YES"
exclaimed the solicitor general, referring
to the Wilson's, 'they undoubtedly
have money''--putting cruel emphasis
| Sir William Gordon Cumming would
condescend to take it from such
source, shall not ask the jury to fix the
| damages beyond nominal sum-" The
| solicitor general also dwelt strongly
| upon the fact that the Prince of Wales,
| Gen. Williams and Lord Coventry all
| passed their opinions ON Arthur Stanley
| Wilson's statement, which the latter
had since modified, and upon the fact
that the Prince of Wales, Lord Coven-
try and Gen. Williams testified that they
had not seen single suspicious act
| upon the part of Sir William Gordon
Cumming. Old, experienced players
| were watching the game with keen
eyes, he said, and yet they saw nothing
suspicious in the plaintiffs play; but, on
the other hand, inexperienced players
blundered. and then, as result of this
blundering, attacked the character of
an honorable man. The speaker then
referred to the fact that Arthur Stanley
Wilson testified that the only period
when he saw the alleged cheating was
on the first night of the baccarat play
ing, and that it was without having been
| previously warned that something was
wrong. Sir Edward then dilated upon
the facility with which people imagine
things when they have been previously
advised of their possible existence. and
which never really happen. Counsel for
the plaintiff also created great amuse-
ment by recounting an instance of a
wag who stood in the Strand and de-
clared that he saw the lions tail on the
| Northumberland monument wag. A
| great crowd, said the speaker, soon
gathered around the wag, and before
long several people declared that they
also saw the lions tail wagging.
[Laughter.]
| SENSATIONAL WIND-UP.