Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-06-11
NUMBER 10.
THE VERDICT.
The Jury's Decision in the Famous
BaCcarat Case.
II Is, IN Effect, a Declaration That Sir
William Gordon Cumming
Cheated at Cards.
now IT WAS RECEIVED.


LONDON. June 10.-A verdict in the
celebrated baccarat scandal has been
returned. 1t is against Sir William
Gordon-Cumming. The result has
created tremendous excitement which is
in no wise detracted from by the
more than reasonable probability that
such verdict would be rendered
This probability was not so strong I'M
til after Lord Chief Justice Coleridge's
charge TO the jury The jury was out
but a short time As it was expected
it would be, Lord Coleridge's sum
ming up was an against Cumming
Scenes seldom before witnessed in an
English court followed the announce
ment Of the verdict Luckily the prince
of Wales was absent or he might have
seen and heard another large INSTALL
ment OF unpleasant and uncompli-
meutary things Sentiment on the re-
suit is greatly divided People find it
hard TO believe that the defendants in
the case aud their friends deliberately
entered into a conspiracy TO ruin Cum
ming. On the other hand nobody will
hereafter regard the prince of Wales as
any better than the plaintiff in the
great suit just ended.
Sir Edward Clarke's speech on Mon
day evidently incensed those against
whom il was directed, and the proceed.
ings had no more than opened
this morning when Gen. Owen
Williams rose and attempted to adj
dress the court on his own boz
half Justice Coleridge did not al
low him 30 proceed however, and
Sir Edward Clarke resumed his sum
ming up for the plaintiff, dealing es-
pecially with the evidence in behalf of
Sir William and the question of dam
ages. When he finished JUSTICE
Coleridge began his final sum
ming up of the case. He d d
not spare Cumming. 1t was evi.
dent when he finished that the plaintiff
had lost. The case was given to the
jury and its verdict was rendered in
fifteen minutes and with scarcely any
discussion. The verdict was received
by the spectators with slight kissing,
which was quickly suppressed.
People are now on the qui vive for
further developments. They are watt
ing with great curiosity to see whether
Cumming will appeal to parliament or
blow out his brains. 1t has been init
mated that he would do the latter if
the case went against him
While the jury were out Sir William
Gordon Cumming showed no signs of
nervousness, and sat quietly reading
letter His friends, however, plainly
betrayed their apprehensions The
defendants were also uneasy and anx-
ious When the verdict was announced
Sir William was marvelously cool He
was really, to all outward appearance,
the most uninterested spectator in
court. Lord Middleton, his relative,
who is reputed to have furnished the
money for the prosecution. was quite the
reverse. His face become scarlet, and
he seemed hardly able TO contain his
choler. Sir William, with arms folded,
looked straight at the jury as if merely
interested in studying their general
makeup Then Sir William Gordon
Cumming coolly douned his overcoat
and hat and rolled away with Lord
Middleton Many plying and sympa-
thetic glunces followed him
As Sir William Gordon Cumming en-
tered his carriage the crowd raised a
loud cheer The demonstration was
all the more noticeable from the fact
that the Wilson's had driven off mo-
ment before amid dead silence. The
effect of the verdict is that Sir William
must be cashicred from the army and
expelled from the clubs,
One of the jurymen has been inter
viewed and says that from the mo-
ment they entered the jury room there
was no doubt as to what their verdict
would be- They were all for the
defendants. Only one inclined
toward the plaintiff, and he was
not at all inclined prevent
unanimity Personally, all would
have liked to find way to vindicate
Sir William, but the evidence was so
strongly against him that they could
not conscicntiously decide in his favor