The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-06-13
CUMMING CONVICTED.
The Jury in the Baccarat Case Bring
in q Verdict Against Cor
don Cumming.
The Verdict Pleases the A%ristOcrats
md Displeases the Mass Of
the People.
The Defendants Left the Court as
Though They Had Expert
enced a Defeat.
A Verdict Against Cumming.

A Verdict Against Cumming.
LONDON, June 9.-When the baccarat
verdict was announced to be against Sir
VIM. Gordon Cumming to-day, the latter
to all appearances was the most un-
moved mar in court. He folded his
arms and looked straight at the jury, but
otherwise did not move a muscle, his
face not showing the slightest trace of
emotion. Lord Middleton, however,
flushed scarlet and then turned very
pale. Mrs. Arthur Wilson and Mrs. Ly.
cett Green we're also noticed to turn pale
when the verdict was rendered and were
evidently badly frightened when they
heard the Kisses which greeted it. The
two ladies mentioned stood for several
minutes whispering earnestly with their
counsel, and then, accompanied by their
respective husbands, they passed slowly
out of court with bowed heads, nobody
speaking to them and to all appearances
the objects of much dislike. In fact, so
frightened and downcast wat the bear
ing of the defendants, unless Berkeley
Levett be excepted, that anybody would
have taken them for people who had just
had a crushing, whitening verdict rem
dered against them. "The Wilson's win"
had, as if by magic, spread from the
court room to the crowd outside and
from there all wei London, and it was
again made evident as the defendants
drove away, by the chilling manner in
which they were regarded, that popular
sympathy was with the guest of Tranby
Croft, whose future was now as black
looking as that of a man condemned to q
long term of Imprisonment for some
heinous crime. In the meanwhile, how
different was the greeting extended to
the defeated litigant, to the unsuccessful
plaintiff, Sir William Gordon Cumming!
While the defendants were leaving the
court room with sinking hearts, Sir Will
liam had remained all this time calmly
seated in his usual place. When the
Wilson's had disappeared, the baronet
stood up and gratefully, smilingly shook
hands with Sir Edward Clarke and with
others who pressed around him with
many cheering words of sympathy for the
man whose career was thus blighted be-
yond all hopes. The soldierly form of
Sir William, instead of shrinking beneath
the blow which had been dealt him,
seemed to be proudly drawn up to it's
full height, as he walked slowly, but
steadily to the little table near by, donned
his o~vercoat, carefully placed his hat on
his head and, accompanied by Lord Mid
dleton, walked out of the court by n of
the private exits, followed by the plying
glance of the ladies who still
remained in the galleries, anxious to
have the last glimpse of the victim OF
Tranby Croft baccarat playing: AS,
still proud looking, Baronet and Lord
Middleton left the new law courts, there
was another instance of the different
manner in which the general public
looked upon victorious defendants and a
defeated plaintiff. Sir William and
Lord Middleton were no sooner recog-
nized, as they entered the latter's carri-
age, than they we're loudly, repeatedly
and enthusiastically cheered by the
dense excited crowds, packing every ap-
proach to the new law courts, this re-
ception contrasting wildly and more
significantly with the totally different
mi and dead silence with which the
Wilson's we're greeted as they drove
away. The effect of the verdict in the
military circles, it is generally under
stood, is that Sir William Gordon Cum
mings, major and lieutenant-colonel of
Scots Fusiler guards, will be promptly
cashiered from the army, and just as
quickly expelled from the Marlborough
club, guards club, turf club and any
other social organizations to which he
may belong. The summing up
of the lord chief justice, during the af-
ternoon, was undoubtedly more strongly
against Sir VIM. Gordon Cumming than
were the chief Justices remarks made
during the morning. The afternoon ut.
%terances of Lord Coleridge may be said
to have amounted practically to instruc-
tions to find a verdict against the plant
if. One of the baccarat case jurymen
who was interviewed after court had
finally adjourned said there vas no
doubt from the moment the jury retired
as to how the verdict would go. Each
of the iurymen, he said, was asked, as
SOOu DIS UuOy W0lO nlOACS "AAOUAOh Ao Wuo
for the plaintiff or for the defendant and
each reply was given without hesitation
and Immediately for the defendants. One
iuryman, a gentleman who was inter-
viewed, admitted frankly that he I'M
doubtedly sympathized with the plant
if, but he was so struck with the
unity of opinion which prevailed in favor
of the pendants that, although he
would have liked to have found for the
plaintiff, he said he could not conscien-
tiously do SO in the face of the evidence
which had been presented on behalf Of
the defense. The interviewed juryman
said in conclusion that it appeared to
him the jury had made up their minds as
to the verdict they would render before
the lord chief Justice summed up and
made his charge.
THE CLUB IN A QUANDARY.
Cumming held a consultation with Sir
Edward Clarke, Mr.. Gill and his solicitor
in the course of the evening before pro-
ceeding home, where he denied himself
to all comers. A group of friends still
adhering to him met at the Turf club in
expectation of seeing him. Since the
scandal became public Cumming has not
been seen at the Marlborough or Guards
club, of which he is a member, but has
"