Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-02
The Famous Baccarat Case
i'm Court.
Sir William Gordon Cummings
Suit for Slander.
The Plaintiff Obliged to Make Dam
aging Admissions.
Eminent Counsel Employed by Both
Sides-The Prince of Wales in
the Muddle.
Associated Press Dispatches.


of Sir William Gordon Cumming against
Mr.. and Mrs. Lycett Green, Mrs. Arthur
Wilson and Berkeley Lovett, for SANDER,
commenced before Lord Chief Justice
Coleridge today. Long before the hour
fixed for the hearing of the case, the
courtroom was filled with crowds Of
fashionable people, who had been lucky
enough to obtain tickets.
Judge Coleridge had given orders that
admission to the court was to be by
special tickets only, and he announced
that he was able to accommodate only a
few of the most distinguished applicants
with seats beside him on the
bench, reseiving the main body
of the court for members of the bar,
witnesses, jurymen and about thirty-fve
newspaper representatives. The result
was that crowds of angry, disappointed
people were seen outside the court.
The first tremor of excite ment was
caused by the arrival in the court room
OF Cumming, the plaintiff, accompanied
by his counsel, Solicitor-Ge Clarke
and DIR. Gill.
Itwas intended that A ttorney- General
Webster and Sir Charles Russell should
be the leading counsel for the defend
ants, but owing to the fact that Webster
was obliged to appear in another case,
he was compelled to resign at the last
moment. Sir Charles Russell, therefore,
acted as leading counsel Tor the defend
ants. Sir Charles and his assistants,
Mr.. Asquith and Arthur Russell, came
in, accompanied by the defendants.
The plaintiff was quite cool
and calm, but apparently not in the
best humor.
The heir apparent entered the court
shortly after IL O'Clock, accompanied by
his private secretary. The prince took
a seat near Justice Coleridge.
The entrance of the prince of Wales
was the signal for the court proceedings
to commence. No sooner was the prince
seated than the jury was sworn and
Lord Chief Justice Coleridge, taking his
seat on the bench and addressing Solic-
itor-General Clarke, leading counsel for
the plaintiff, said in substance that he
desired that the prince of Wales should
be kept in court as short time as pos
sible. To this the solicitor general
assented.
Sir Edward Clarke, amid almost
breathless silence, then opened the case
for the plaintiff. He said the charge was
a most serious one. He detailed
the circumstances of the now famous
card party at Tanbycroft, Arthur Will
sons residence, during the Doncaster
meeting in September, 1890. Baccarat
said the solicitor-general, had never be-
fore been played at Tanbycroft. 1t
would be his duty, said the solicitor
general, to put the prince of Wales and
General Owen Williams in the box, and
their testimony would satisfy the jury
that they saw nothing wrong on the part
of Cumming. He concluded his ad-
dress by making a brilliant, eloquent
and passionate appeal to the jury in be-
half of his client, who, he claimed, was
plainly the victim of circumstances and
of a false desire to avoid a scandal which
would have implicated his hosts at Tan
bycroft, and his old friends who PLAYED
baccarat with him there.
At the conclusion, Sir William Gordon
Cumming, the plaintiff, was called to the
witness box. Plaintiff said the prince
of Wales acted as banker upon the occa-
sion referred to, and that General Will
iams was croupier. His (plaintiff's) at
tention was not called the first night
(September 8th) to the complaint made
against him. The following night, he
said, when dressing for dinner, Lord
Coventry and General Williams came to
him in his bedroom at Tanbycroft. The
former said some people staying there
said he (Cummings) had, while PLAYING
baccarat the previous evening, resorted
to foul play. Plaintiff said that he re-
piled that this was foul, abominable
charge and deliberate falsehood. add
ing, addressing Lord Coventry and Gen
eral Williams: "What am l to do? You
two are my old friends. For Gods sake
say what is to be DONE"
Plaintiff then remarked that he added
to this request that he placed the whole
matter entirely in their hands, and that
after dinner, at the suggestion of Lord
Coventry and General Williams, he
tplaintiff) had an interview with the
Prince of Wales, to whom he repudiated
the charge brought against him, and
said: Your royal highness will see
what terrible thing this is for me,
who have been attempting tor twenty
years to lead the life of an officer and
gentleman"
To this, according to plaintiff, the
Prince of Wales replied: "What can
you do? There are five accusers."
Sir William Gordon Cumming an
swered: "My first impulse is to pub
licly insult my accusers upon the race
course tomorrow"
To this the Prince of Wales, plaintiff
testified, replied: "What is the use of
that? There are five against you."
Continuing, Sir William said half an
hour after his interview with the prince
he went to another room, where he
found Lord Coventry and General Will
liams, who told him the only way to
avoid "horrlble scandal was to sign
a document which was produced and
read. Plaintiff said, although it was
tantamout to an admission of guilt, he
was persuaded to sign it, believing he
could trust his honor to Williams and
Coventry.
Cumming concluded his testimony
with a solemn denial that he ever
cheated at cards at Tanbycroft, or any
where else.
The cross-examination of plaintiff was
5hen commenced by Sir Charles Russell.
Plaintiff said he had no reason to sus-
,ect malice on the part OF any of the de-
endants.
Sir Charles Russell then glanced at a
PAPER, and turning towards plaintiff,
"And does this express your
'pinion The worst of it is that feel
hat they are acting perfectly conscien-
iously in the matter, and they believed
hat they did see me resort to foul play,' -