The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-03
THE LIBERTINE PRINCE OF WALES.
His Intrigue With Lady Mordaunt and
His Testimony In a Divorce Suit.
New York World

New YORK World
The suit which will go down to pos
terity as eThe Baccarat Case" or as
"The Tranbycroft Scandal" is not
the first one in which the Prince
of Wales has figured in q court
of law, and under circumstances in
furious to his name and royalty's prest-
ige. His recent appearance in the witness
box recalls the one he made over twenty
years ago in the celebrated Mordaunt d.
yorce case.
Sir Charles Mordaunt, tenth baronet,
had married in 1856, Harriet Sarah,
daughter Of Sir Thomas Mon
ereiffe. Among Lady Mordaunts
sisters were such bellies of Queen
Nictoria's court as Lady Forbes, the
Duchess of Athole. the beautiful Countess
OF Dudley-the wife of the crazy but rich
old earl, now dead-and Lady Muir-M
kenzIe. In fact, the rare beauty of the Mon
creiffe girls quickly secured for them
eligible husbands, and was the subject of
talk IN London's most select social circles.
In due course Lady Mordaunt became
mother, and while still confined to her
room, her conscience prompted her to con-
TESS to her husband that she had failed in
wife loyalty 10 him. A divorce suit en-
sued as a matter of course, a suit rendered
memorable by the appearance of the Prince
OF Wales as witness, not to say a core
spondent.
The case for the petitioner was opened
on February Is by Mr.. Sergeant Ballan-
tine, who described the confession of epilt
made by Lady Mordaunt after the birth Of
her child to her nurse, 10 Mrs. Cadooan
and to Sir Charles himself. She said 10
her husband:
Charley, you are not the father of the
child. Lord Cole is the father of the child.
and /, myself, am the cause of Its blind
ness"
For quarter of an hour she did not
speak. When she spoke again. she said.
Charley, have been very wicked have
done very wrong
Il said, repeated Sir Charles Mordaunt
in examination) with whom ?, She
said, with Lord Cole. Sir + Jobps.ona
the Prince of Wales and Others She
spoke IN tones of great distress and re-
morse. L SAID nothing. | can't saw be-
Heyed her then, but nv susnicions yere
aroused. | had several Conversations win
Mr.. Cadogan 1.-THE vicar and subsequently,
made inquiries which resulted in the snit
l Instituted. When Lady Ln7isa came
4
heard from her daughter. I left tbe
house about April 4, and the last time I
saw my vile was on or about March "a.
was many days without seeing
her, and during that time | fonnd q
number of letters from the Prince
OF Wales, some flowers and verses
"a an envelope, and two hotel
bills OF the Alexandra and Palace hotels,
asked the lady's maid where the kew was,
ana got the key and opened the desk
The letters from the Prince of Wales were
IN the same envelope with what might be
called valentine
Inc pubhc interest in this trial reached
ITS climax on February ., when the Prince
OF Wales voluntarily, " as the newspapers
said, submitted himself for examination.
and specifically denied that there ever had
been any improper familiarity or criminal
acquaintance between himself and Lady
Mordaunt
Upon the Prince of Wales entering the
witness-oox, and after he had been sworn.
Lord Penzanee said: Before DR.. Deane
asks his royal highness any questions u is