Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-05
TESTIMONY ALL IN.
Contanuef from First Pnce.

Conttnued from First Pdge.
reply to the solicitor generals questions. said
that she had not signed a paper pledging her
sell to secrecy. But Mrs. Wilson admitted the
frlnce OF Wales had asked her not to saw any,
ming about the affair. Mrs. Wilson here added
that on September she did not even tell her
husband about the occurrence which had
caused so much distress at Tranby Croft be-
Cause ne. Mr. wilson. sr., came 20 bed upon
,nat occasion at late hour. and she thought il
oes' moi 70 trouble him until the next day.
PROPER TABLE PROVIDED.
Answering other questions put TO her BY
leading counsel for the plaintiff. Mrs Wilson
said that on the night Of September the
Prince of Wales asked her if it was not possible
to provide a.proper baccarat table Tor the
night following. This. Mrs. Wilson explained,
was before the prince knew anything
of the alleged cheating upon the part Of
Sir William Gordon Cumming. Consequently
for the second nights play. that Of September
y. fresh table provided: bCs this
was not done on account of Sir VIM. Gordon
Cumming, though 1t was hoped that Its use
would prevent a recurrence Of the events Of
the previous night
The witness husband, Mr.. Arthur Wilson.
ST.. she continued. had objected to baccarat
playing because, in his opinion, the play might
become high among hot-headed boys"
Laughter On a previous occasion, she con-
tinued, the sum Of $500 had got into the bank.
which amount her husband thought too
large.
''why did not you tell the Prince of Wales that
your husband objected TO baccara0" asked
Sir Edward Clarke.
Because" replied Mrs Wilson, I'VE were
such a staid. non-gambling party that did
not think that there could be much harm re-
shifting from a few quiet games of baccarat"
and" continued the solicitor general. ''al-
though you had been told that one of your
guests had been cheating, you sat at the next
nights play?'
Yes" answered Mrs Wilson quietly. 81 had
put it out of my mind. had lot OF other
things TO think about"
Mrs. Wilson, at another stage of her cross
examination, admitted in reply to Sir Edward
Clarkes questions. that fl5 was the highest
stake which she saw placed on the table during
the two evenings play, and she did not think
that anybody staked even that amount until
her husband did SO during the second nights
play.
Mrs. Wilson is a stout, pleasant faced lady,
about nifty years Of age. She gave her testi-
mony quietly and firmly. and evidently was
most painfully affected by the position in which
she found herself placed. She was dressed in
black silk and kept her hands, neatly gloved, on
the rail of the witness box she illustrated
the precise manner in which Sir William Cor
don Cumming covered up the counters with
his hands.
In answer to the pointed question asked her
by Sir Charles Russell to whether she had
seen Sir William Gordon Cumming cheat. Mrs.
Wilson replied with great emotion, her face
flushing painfully: ''les, unfortunately, there
Is no doubt about il"
LORD COVENTRY TEsrIFIEs.
Lord Coventry, or to give him his full name
and title, George William Coventry, ninth Earl
of Coventry and Niscount Deerhurst, followed
Mrs. Arthur Wilson into the witness box.
Lord Coventry. as soon as he was upon the
stand, made everybody feel little brighter. if
only from the reflection of his own genial,
smiling countenance. The Earl of Coventry is
an elderly gentleman Che was born in 1885, who
evidently is at peace with the world and every
body connected with it. He was dressed in the
regulation frock coat, wore a high collar.
and blue and white necktie which
made conspicuous by the fact that
it supported an immense horseshoe pin. The
earl, with the utmost good humor. testified
that during the evening of September 10, at
Iranby Croft, Mr.. Lycett Green, Mr..
Arthur Wilson's son-in-law, called him
TO one side and made communication to him
which he (Mr. Green afterward reported in the
presence of Gen. Owen Williams and Of himself
and of Lord Somerset. Capt. Somerset and Mr..
Arthur Stanley Wilson. The substance of this
communication was that Sir William Gordon
Cumming had, beyond any possible doubt,
been seen by several witnesses to cheat while
playing baccarat. With the Prince of Wales
the party had gathered at Tranby Croft for the
Doncaster race meeting.
Lord Coventry, in continuation, said that as
the Prince OF Wales had for many years hon
ored Sir William Gordon Cumming with his
friendship they (the party referred tor felt that
after what had taken place they could not
allow that friendship TO continue without first
placing his royal highness in possession Of the
facts.
SIR WILLIAMS DENIAL
Subsequent to this meeting where this de-
termination was arrived at said the earl he
(the witness) saw the plaintiff and told him
plainly that he was accused OF having cheated
at cards during the evenings of September s
and 8. The plaintiff in reply said:
1T is false. Who are my accusers?"
The witness testified that he then told Sir
William Gordon Cumming that his accusers
were Mr.. Lycett Green and Mr.. Arthur Stanley
Wilson. The plaintiff. said the witness, then
exclaimed: DO you believe the statement of a
parcel of inexperienced boysg"
The witness was afterward present when the
plaintiff the Prince of Wales. the latter
being in company with Gen. Owen Williams
Sir William Gordon Cumming, the
witness continued, then warmly pro-
tested that he was innocent of the charges
brought against him by the gentlemen named
and added that he Quantity hoped that he (the
Prince of Wales) would not believe the state
ments which had been made against him.
To this the prince, according to Lord Coven-
Try, repIleu: 1uere are uNe WITNESSES against
you"
NOT ANXIOUS TO CONFRONT HIS AccUsERs.
Lord Coventry, continuing, said that General
Williams and the witness afterward told the
plaintiff that Mr.. Lyceit Green, Mr. Arthur VIII
sons son-in-law, and one Of the gentlemen who
had witnessed the acts complained of, had an
nounced that he desired to be confronted with
Sir William Gordon Cumming.
But, added the witness slowly, ''the plain
tiff did not express any desire to meet Mr..
Green or to be confronted with any others Of
his accusers"
During another portion Of his testimony
tiff was shown the document which he was
part of the Tranby Croft baccarat players and
in which the plaintiff agreed never to play
| cards again, Sir William said: ''Why. this is
tantamount to an admission of guilt. / won {
| sign it,
TO this we replied" said the earl. gravely
and sententiously: THAT is SO, but there is no
hurry about it,
Replying to one Of Sir Charles Russelrs
questions the earl said that there was nothing
| in Sir William Gordon Cummings dcmeanor or
| behavior throughout these proceedings which
| in any way suggested that he had ''lost his
head"
The solicitor general, Sir Edward Clarke, at
| this point objected to the question which had
drawn out this last answer. and Sir Charles
Russell. claiming that the question and reply
should go in evidence, the matter was referred
| to the lord chief justice, who overruled Sir
Edward Clarke's objection, and the question
was consequently allowed.