New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-10
THE BACCARAT VERPICT.

The verdict in the baCcarat case is natural
one and in conformity with the evidence. Inc
iurv were forced to choose between believing
that Sir William was fool or that he was a
lxnave. and they favored his intelligence at the
e1nense of his morals. If he were innocent
he had acted like guilty man in signing the
discriminating document and leaving Tanby
Croft under a cloud, instead of facing his ac-
cusers and denying their imputatlons. lie was
the worst witness against himself, since he was
compelled to explain away conduct which COM
nromised his honor. Added to the documentary
evidence there was the adverse testimony OF
all his fellow-payers at the baccarat- table ii
the original presumption that wealthy army
officer would not cheat at cards was heavily IN
his favor, it was counteracted by one equally
strong that the other players at Tranby Croft
would not have united in accusing him of cheat
ing without having clear and unmlstakaole
proofs of his guilt The jury naturally pre-
ferred to believe his accusers rather than TO &C
cept belated assertion OF his innocence which
was discredited by his own conduct.
The weakness of Sir Edward Clarkes cause
Law in the fact which he burted out ab inc
outset that there was more In the case than APP
peared on the surface. In order to justify MS
clients eouivocal conduct he was forced to hint
at \ great many matters which could not be
brought out clearly in evidence. There was
nothing incredible in the assumption that there
was a social intrigue against Sir William Gum
ming it was highly probable that the baccarat-
nlayers on the second night watched him close
". and charged him with cheating when after
day at the races and more or less exhharauhe
tipple at dinner they were not In the best pos
sble form for accurate observation; and 1t was
more than barely possible that the Prince OF
Wales was under heavy financial obligations 70
the Wilson family and predisposed to take thelr
side: but not one of these allegations was on
the surface where it could be substantlated by
evidence. -,
Moreover, the explanation offered by sir
Edward Clarke of his clients strange conduct
in signing compromising paper was so lar
underneath the ordinary level Of human action
that it could not be readily dScerned' Inc
Jury were asked to believe that gallant soldier
and shrewd man of the world had sacnhoeu his
honor and clouded his reputation IN order 10
pr,tect his friend, the Prince OF Wales, from
an unpleasant scandal. The eloquent couhSels
sentences in which he referred to influences
compelling many knight to do an unknighuJ
and dishonoring deed in order to save KING
or 10 conceal the foibles of prince had tine
ring but there was the knight in court SUNG
his accusers for SANDER and bringing out all the
disagreeable facts, and there was his counsel
fieroely denouncing royalty in their presence
The Jury could not go so far below the surface
as to accept the theory of an unnatural and use
less sacrifice of private reputation. They had
| the evidence, and as it was seven against one
they decided the case on the facts which were
in plain sight As Lord COleridge remarked
they had nothing to do with things which were
not on the surface.
Sir William Cumming while the sympathles
of the audience and of the crowd outside were
plainly in his favor retired from the court
| room a ruined and disgraced man. His counsel
| had offered brilliant and ingenious plea Tor
| him. and had even gone to the length OF ar
raigning royalty for sacrificing one who had
| flung away his honor to save the Prince from
the inconvenience of being implicated in card
| scandal All had been in vain because the evil
dence was terribly against him, and his own
conduct incredible on any other assumption than
that of guilt. The jury dismissed from their
minds q poetic and fanciful rendering of the
old tradition of noblesse oblige, and decided the
case in cold blood, as the evidence forced them
to do. The plaintiffs reputation is irretrley-
ably ruined but he does not stand alone. His
accusers have been brought into contempt.
Royalty has been foued with scandal.