The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-10
SIR CUMMING CONVICTED.
THE JURY OUT ONLY FIFTEEN
MINUTES BEFORg RETURNING.

MINUTES BEFOR9 RETURNING.
Every Man Against the Plaintiff Even
Before the Charge of the Lord Chief
Justice Was Delivered-Tne Sympa-
thy of the Crowd With Sir Cum.
ming,
LONDON, June 9.--On this, the seventh.
and it was hoped the last day of the famous
baccarat suit, some very familiar scenes
we're witnessed outside and inside the court.
Possibly there may have been a change in
the composition of the crowds drawn to the
new law courts in the hope Of being present
at the end of this sensational trial, but to all
general and outward appearances the same
people who were around aud about the court
room Monday, June l. were there again to-
day, though this morning strong repre-
sentation from the theatrical world was
also to be seen sprinkled here and there
through the audience. The Prince of
Wales, to the disappointment of many, was
absent. He was at the Ascot races.
A SENSATIONAL INCIDENT.
The proceedings opened with most SEN
sational incident. The lord chief Justice
/ had hardly taken his seat when Gen. Owen
Williams stepped to the front of the bench,
and said, his face pale with emotion and his
voice husky with feeling, MY lord, have
to ask your protection. Yesterday Sir Ed
ward Clarke thought proper
Here the solicitor general, Sir Edward
Clarke, sprang to his feet, and, interrupting
Gen, Williams, exclaimed: ~ ask your
lordship to interfere, and that Gen. Will
Jams should not be allowed to make state
ment, as he has not the privilege of doing
so.n
To this Gen. Williams hotly replied in a
ringing voice, all trace of huskiness having
disappeared under the influence of the
angry feelings which animated him, az
was accused of an abominable charge,
and
REFUSED HEARING.
Here the lord chief justice intertered, say
ing: 81 do not remember the expression,
but do not think that you can be allowed
TO speak,
Gen. Williams persisted in being heard,
remarking angrily: I'VE were accused of
sacrificing an innocent man. This state
ment was made without any evidence being
brought forward for its justification"
Lord Coleridge, again interrupting Gen.
Williams, remarked witn considerable
warmth, 81 cannot hear any statement
from You," and Immediately commenced
tired, frowning and greatly diacontented, tn
10 his seat, where he received the coincidence
of friends who had come with him 90 court
in order to hear him defend himself from
the allegations made yesterday by the
solicitor general in the latter's summing up
for the plaintiff.
JUSTICE CoLERIDGE'S CHARGE.
The lord chief justice at the opening of
his speech explained to the jury at length
H. 81 -. g.. Il
this one Is. and an action for libel. His
lordship added that if the jury found that
the defendants had spoken the truth their
verdict should be for the defendants But
the jury thought broadly that
the charges they made were not true, and
that Sir William Gordon Cumming did not
do anything wrong while playing baccarat
at Tranby Croft in September last, then
their verdict must be for the plaintiff. JUS
tce Coleridge then entreated the jury to
keep their minds steadily on the evidence,
and the evidence only.
ANALYzING THE EVIDENCE.
He analy2ed at length the evidence given
by the plaintiff which evidence, he said
was well worthy of consideration. The
plaintiff, he added, had his counters on a
piece Of white paper, and would have been
less likely to have been detected, if he had,
as the others did, put their counters on the
cloth of the table. During another portion
Of hls summing up, Lord Coleridge said thai
the Prince Of Wales presence at Trauby
Grott was sufficient to explain Lycett
dreens objection to creating a disturbance
IN the baccarat room or elsewhere by call
Ing attention TO the actions which he OBJ
lected to on the part of Sir Cumming.
WHAT THEY MUST CONSIDER.
Justice Coleridge also called the attention
OF the jury to one particular observation
"a W hal abol Of fha y01a ir,<fA
curing the course of the trial 1t was *
Tue effect that there was more in the cas-,
than appeared on the surface. "Agains
THIS, the lord chief justice remarked, 81
must emphatioally protest. The jury has
tothlng TO do with things which are not OF
the surface. You have to conflne yourselves
r. single issue, and what you have hearC
xtrial.n
III DIS remarks concerning libel and slan
Fer, Justice Coleridge said that Sir William
Tordon Cumming did not come there K
make fortune, and that his character
%ouid be sufficiently cleared by the jury
awarding him, should the evidence warrant
~, small amount of damages.
III SIR CUMMINGS HIGH POSITION
Lord Coleridge also described at length
ne nigh position and brave career of Sil
llllam Gordon Cumming, saying that thu
Vter went Tranby Croft as an honoreC
ueSt and, ''if might be permitted to say
as sort OF prize guest, Of whom any
0Stess might be proud.n
heIerrlng to the Prince of Wales con
&ectlon with the case, Justice Coleridg
u: People may say what they like, bu
ey are all very much pleased to have sucl
uess as the Prince of Wales, Lord Gov
Try and Lord this and Lord that in thei
puses." Laughter
THE DESIRE FOR SECRECY.
Then as to the position of the Prince OF
aies and as to the desire for secrecy mani
HSSed by the party at Trauby Croft, was
not natural, with such monarchical in
buttons as ours, that such a wish should
HVe existed? 1t must be remembered thai
ca incidents were brought before a hard
"uglng world, not before the local and sub.
Nent world Of the Tudors. but before G
orlo whose sense and Judgment had to b
usulted. Surely, 1t was not to be saiG
alnst man that under these circum
ances ne was anxious to keep scanda
after luncheon the lord chief justice re
med his summing up. While admitting
improbability OF a man of Sir William
Hrdon Cummings position and wealth
Berlng himself to cheat. and TO cheat hi
"eno, the Prince of Wales, too, Lore
sfloge made strong point against tn
> lntlf in calling the jury's attention Il
failure to face his accusers.