St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-09
KNIGHTLY SACRIFICE.
Continued From First Page.

thought, had done with Wales as a
character in the case, but his closing ut
terances were even more startling.
After luncheon Sir Edward resumed
his address to the jury, saying that
there was nothing in the accusations
against the plaintiff that could not be
explained by the system of play which
Sir William Gordon Cumming adopted,
though the jury we're asked to believe
that the plaintiff had descended to
adopting the tricks of the lowest
sharper. The solicitor general then
commented sarcastically upon the
ornamental position occupied by the
head of the Wilson family, who,
counsel said, was not consulted
throughout the proceedings, and who
apparently had to give way to his SON
in-law, LYcett Green, who was deputed
to defend the family honor-"a man of
the mature age of thirty-one," said the
solicitor general. cuttingly, referring to
Mr.. Green, ''who rode to the hounds
four days in the week. When Mr..
Green heard the Prince of Wales say,
i wish people would put their stakes in
conspicuous place. he, Mr.. Green,
came to the conclusion that Sir William
Gordon Cumming had been cheating,
and rose from the table full Of valiant
resolution, but, changing his mind, Mr..
Green wrote to his mother-in-law in
magnificent tones of elevated morality,
and then returned to play again and
afterward directed the attention of the
Prince of Wales. who was again present,
to the affair. and who, without hearing
Sir William Gordon Cummings version
of the occurrence, condemned his init
mate friend
What was Sir William Gordon Cum
ming's reason for signing the document
about which so much. has been Said?"
asked the solicitor general, looking
straight into the Prince of Wales eyes.
cit was" he said, after an effective
pause, Ito save the Prince of Wales.
Among the mass of the people," Sir Ed
ward continued, uttering each word with
great distinctness, lit is known that
club or inn could be prosecuted for play
ing baccarat, and iii great part of the
community there was feeling that this
unhappy incident ought never to have
been allowed to become known, because
the circumstances were those which
were at variance with the feeling, with
the conscience of the people. Then there
was the strange and subtle influence of
royalty" still more solemnly and dra-
matically SAID the solicitor general,
and Sir William Gordon Cummings
action in signing that document was
due to the influence which has adorned
history, and which has made many
knights do unknightly- and dishonora-
BILE deeds to save their king, because
they gave their honor as freely as they
would have given their lives Tor the in
terests of the dynasty or to conceal the
foibles of a prince" A slight ripple of
applause, which was promptly sup
pressed, broke out in court as the elo-
quent jurist uttered the last words in
most touching and impressive man.
ner. The document" continued Sir
Edward Clarke, with increasing force
and amidst the most deathly silence
throughout the court room, was signed
order to save the Prince of Wales from
scandal. The motto of Sir William
Gordon Cummings race is Without
fear He came into the witness box
without fear, confident of a verdict
which would wipe this STAIN from his
noble record of service with his gallant
regiment of brave soldiers"
Sir Edward Clarke's plain language
throughout, when he referred to the
Prince of Wales and when he made the
assertion that the precis was prepared
by Lord Coventry and signed by Sir
William Gordon Cumming solely in
order to shield the Prince of Wales from
scandal, caused one of the greatest SEN
SationS of this sensational trial, and
those who heard the remarks made
in the court were SO impressed
with them that they were gen.
orally discussed afterwards and were
commented upon in club and other cir
cles far into the night and early MORN
ing. The solicitor general quoted as
the basis of these startling allegations
an extract from the Earl of Coventry's
diary, in which the following words oc-
cur: 1--WE were induced to recommend
this course because we desired to avoid
a scandal, and in order to keep the name
of the Prince of Wales out of it," ''Sir
William Gordon Cumming, as we'll as
the Earl of Coventry" said Sir Edward,
sis loyal to the Prince of Wales. who has
been most kind to him, ana Sir William
Gordon Cumming signed that document
because he was willing to sacrifice him.
self, as his old friends were willing to
sacrifice him, in order to save
the reputation of one the recol-
lection of whose friendship will
always be bright in his memory" The
solicitor general then said slowly to the
jury: "lt is too late to undo much of
the mischief which has been done,'
and then facing the Prince of Wales
and looking the latter direct in the face
for about the space of a minute, he con-
tiuued, in voice apparently shak-
en- with emotion, ''And it may be
too late to save the reputation of some
people mentioned in this case, but"
again turning to the jury, SIT is not too
late for you to prevent the completion
of the sacrifice of this gallant officer"
Sill Edward Clarke's speech was re-
garded as most eloquent and telling
effort, and as he closed his remarks
there was burst of spontaneous ap-
plause, cheering and handclapping
throughout the court which caused the
lord chief justice to shout: "Silence;
this is not a theater." The lord chief
Justices call had the desired effect. The
applause stopped, but as Sir William
Gordon Cumming rose from his seat
minute later, and while the Prince of
Wales and Lord Coleridge were still on
the bench, there was renewal of the
cheers and handclapping, of which the
plaintiff appeared to take no notice. The
jury, it was plainly evident, appeared
to be greatly impressed with the speech
of the solicitor general, and as he ended
it a remark was heard throughout the
court. 1t was Cumming will get
verdict: or at least the jury will dis
agree" The court was then adjourned
until tomorrow, when the lord chief
justice will sum up and the case will be
given to the jury.