The morning call., 1891-06-10


cally, "gOes through many tedious eeremo-
MES, and what if lie did introduce baccarat
into that great house?"
NO HARM DONE TO ROYALTY.
In the absence Of any portion of the scan-
dal being directly connected with the Prince
OF Wales, Lord COleridge could not imagine
how any harm could be done to the monarchy,
to the Prince, or to anybody else; adding,
significantly, though some people might have
asked when they heard of the trouble at
Tranby Croft, Why did he not read his
BibleP But" said the Lord Chief JUS
tice, nobody was any the worse for this
hard-working man taking his pleasures
among his friends. Did the jury believe that
the plaintiff signed a dShOnOring document
in which lie stated he had cheated at cards,
and did this save the Prince OF Wales? Was
not the consequence far too great for the
cause?" Lord COeridge said, in addition,
that he could not understand how man
could give away all for which life was
valued and all which made life worth
living" The Lord Chief Justice wound up
his charge with the following emphatic re-
mark: " send you, gentlemen of the jury,
to do your duty, and, adapting the noble
words of a great man to this occasion, when
you pass your judgment upon Sir William
Gordon Cummings honor l pray you recol-
lect your own"
HOW THE VERDICT WAS AWAITED.
The audience, especially the fashiOnably
dressed ladies in the galleries. paid but little
attention TO the summing up and charge of
the Lord Chief Justice On the other hand
Sir William Gordon Cumming and all the
! defendants paid undivided attention to every
word uttered by the Lord Chief Justice, and
when the case was finally given TO the jury.
everybody seemed relieved. From the time
the jury retired to deliberate upon their
verdict until they returned to the court
room, only tfeen minutes elapsed, showing
apDaTpnfiV that they were of one ODiuinu q :
to the merits Of the case, and when the
clerk OF the court suddenly announced that
the jury was ready to report there was a
movement OF surprise throughout the au-
| dIeDce, the short absence Of the jury being
| regarded as decidedly unfavOrabe to the
| plaintiff. Everybody may be said to have
| been in bTeathleSs state when the jury re-
| entered their box, looking rather frightened
| and very nervous.
VERDICT AGAINST GORDON CUNNING.
The announcement of the verdict for the
! defendants was received with slight Kissing
| from the galleries, where the ladies had con-
! gregated, and upon the part of some of those
| in the body Of the court who were in sympa-
! thy with the plaintiff. The court officers
had some difficulty for some time in sup
pceSS!ng these marks OF principally femi-
nine dlSapprobatiOu OF the verdict They
were, however, eventually suppressed, and
the court adjourned.
HOW THE JURY STOOD.
One Of the jurymen who was interviewed
after the court adjourned said that there
was no doubt from the first moment the jury
| retired as 10 how the verdict would 90. Each
of the jurymen was asked as soon as they
were alone whether he was for the plaintiff
or for the defendants, and each reply was
given without hesitation Immediately: For
the defendants" The jurman frankly ad-
mittet he sympathlzes with the plaintiff,
but, although he would have liked TO have
! found for the plaintiff he could not con-
ScenuOuSly do so IN the face of the evil
! dence. Ii appeared to him the jury made
! up their minds before the Lord Chief Justice
/ summed up the case and made his charge.
THE PLAINTIFF QUITE UNCONCERNED.
When the verde twas announced SIT Will
/ lam Gordon Cumming, TO all appearances,
/ was th- most uumOYed man in the court
/ He folded his arms and looked straight at
/ the jury. but otherwise he did not move
muscle, his face not showing the slightest
trace OF emotion. Lord Middleton, his blood
| relative. however, flushed scarlet and then
! turned very pale. Mrs Arthur Wilson and
! Mrs. Lycett Green were evidently very bad
/ ~ frightened when they heard the Kisses
/ which greeted the verdict. The two ladies
! stood for several minutes, whispering ear
neStlY with their counsel. and then, accom-
| panied By their respective husbands, passed
slowly ont of the court with bowed heads,
nobody speaking to them, and to all appear
ance, the objects of much dislike. " The
! Wilson's win!' as If By magic spread from
the courtroom 10 the crowds outside, and
from there all over London, and it was
again made evident. as the defendants drove
away, by the chilling manner in which they
were regarded, that the popular sympathy
was with the plaintiff.
POPULAR WITH THE PEOPLE.
In the meanwhile how different was the
greeting extended TO the defeated ltigaut,
to the unsuccessful plaintiff, Sir William
Gordon Cumming. While the defendants
were. with sinking hearts, leaving the
courtroom he Temaiped calmly seated in
his usual place. When the Wilson's had dis
appeared the BarOnet stood up and grate-
fully. smilingiy shook hands with Sir Ed
ward Clarke and with the others who
pressed around him with many cheering
words OF sympathy for the man whose
career was thus blighted beyond all hope
Then, accompanied by Lord Middleton, he
walked out of the court by one of the pri-
ya,e exits, followed by the plying glauCes
Of the ladies, who still remained in the gal
leries, anxious to have a last glimpse of the
victim Of Iranby Croft baccarat-playin
As the prOud-lOoking BarORet and Lord
Middleton LETT the court there was another
instance of the different manner in which
the general public looked upon the victor
iOuS defendants and upon the defeated
| Diaint #. Sir William and Lord Middleton
were no sooner recognized as they entered
repeatedly and enthusiastically cheered by
the dense and excited crowds. The effect
Of the verdict in military circles. it is gen.
! orally understood, Is that Gordon Cum
ming, the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Scets
Fusller Guards, VIII be promptly CASH Tered
from the army and just as quickly expelled
from the Marlborough Club, the Guards
Club, the Turf Club and any other
social organization to which he may be-
long. The summing up OF the Lord Chief
Justice during the afternoon was und0ubt-
edly more against Sir William Gordon Cum
ming than were the Chief Justices remarks
made during the morning. The afternoon
utteTances Of Lord COleridge may be said
10 have amounted practically to instructions
to find verdict against the plaintiff.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.
Referring to the baccarat case the Post
says: The signing Of the document rem
dered ii impossible for counsel to rehabIli-
tate the honor which Cumming himself
treated so lightly LORD Coleridge took a
just aspect of the Prince of Wales con-
nectiOn, and OF the morality Of baccarat.
The whole party displayed want of clear
headednesS, or they would not have created
the difficulty by playing the second night"
The News says: No other verdict is pos
| sible. Cummings signing of the document
was damning. The pity of it all is in the
presence Of the heir to the throne at the
head OF baccarat table. The Prince is
OOuHu ~ iiFC d pun, o'hlplC duu Clt"uly
life as an example 10 his future subjects.
Woe to a monarchy when it can no longer
perform what may fairly be called its last
surviving use. II is grOtesque 10 have a
Prince carrying about baccarat counters
wherever he goes, as a Mohammedan carries
lis praying carpet.
The Telegraph urges that pity be mingled
with condemnation over tie miserable end
of a brilliant career. 1t warmly defends the
Prince Of VI ales against everything but In
discretion.
SOME INDEPENDENT OPINIONS.
Tie Cnronice has scathing article, two
columns in length, in which it condemns the
finding Of the jury aud Lord Coleridge's par
| tiality. Ii declares that no evidence was
add ured inconsistent with the hypothesis
that Cumming merely played the wel-knOwn
Il ert.fr Il a