New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-06
100 Doses One Dollar

him nd aftcFWdrd
witness General Owen Williams. Lord Edward Soiner
cot Cantain somerset and Arthur Stanley wilson The
Substance of this communication was that sir VIII
lam Gordon Cumming had, beyond any Pos-
sible doubt, been seen by several WITNESSES "
cheat while playing baccarat at Iranoy OI'i''
As The Prince had for many years honored sir William
with his friendship the party felt that they could not
allow that friendship TO continue without hrs' placing
the Prince in possession OF the facts
After the meeting at which this determination was
arrived at witness the plaintiff and told MIN
plainly that he accused Of having cheated at
cards during the evenings of september and g. The
plaintiff exclaimed;
alt is false. Who are my accusersl"
Witness told Cumming that his accusers were Lycett
Green and Arthur Stanley Wilson. The plaintiff then
exclaimed
aDo you believe the statement Of parcel Of mex
perenced boysl'
The witness was afterward present when the plaintiff
saw the Prince of Wales, the latter being in company
with General owen Williams. Sir William the witness
continued, then warmly protested that he was nnO-
cent of the charges, and added that he hoped the
Prince would not believe the statements which had
been made against him. The Prince replied:
There are five witnesses against you"
Lord Coventry, continuing, said that General Will
Jams and himself afterwad told the plaintiff that
Lycett Green, Of the witnesses Of the acts com
planned Of had announced that he desired to be con-
fronted with Sir William Gordon Cumming. 4" But,'
added the witness slowly the plaintiff did not ex-
press any desire to meet Mr. Green or to be confronted
with any other OF his accusers.'
During another portion of his testimony the Earl
said that when the plaintiff the document which he
was asked to sign as the price of silence the part
of the Tranby baccarat party, and in which the
plaintiff agreed never TO play cards again, Sir William
said
"wlry this is tantamount to an admission Of guilt
I won't sign it,"
"To this we replied" said the Earl gravely and
sententously, "'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 demeanor or behavior throughout
these proceedings which in any way suggested that
he had "lost his head"
Sir Edward Clarke at this point objected to the
question which had drawn out this last answer, and
Sir Charles Russell asserting that the question and
reply should 60 In evidence, the matter was referred
to the Lord Chief Justice, who overrled Sir Edward
CIarlles objection.
Lord Coventry then said. in to another
question, that the plaintiff asked witness and General
Williams, as personal friends, if they advised him to
sign the document referred to, and that both the
witness and General Williams replied, Yes"
" ThereapoD,' said the witness, @ the plaintiff
affixed his signature to the document, by which he
agreed never again to play cards, and at tho same
time he also agreed to leave Tanby Croft at early
hour tie next morning.
any impression is said this witness. carefully
weighing his words, ard evidently fully aware that
this impression" was contrary to the testimony OF
all the previous witnesses, that MIR. Lycett Green
told me during one Of the conversations had
the subject that the plaintiff had been Intentionally
watched during the second nights play September
o."
Referring TO what became OF the document signed by
Sir william, the Earl said that he himself personally
forwarded il to the Prince Of Wales, and that he also
mado a memorandum In his private notebook Of
the principal at anby Croft in september
This ote-book then produced by the Earl at the
request Of Sir Charles Russell The entries relating 70
the baccarat scandal gave crcumstantal account of
the occurrences Of the muctalkedof evening at Arthur
Wilson's house ana 1t seen that they agreed
in all main particulars with the evidence already pre-
seted upon behalf OF the defendants. One Of the
tlies was:
Sir William Gordon Cumming strongly denied tho
cusaon but, perceivng that tho evidence against him
OF overwhelming character placed himself unre-
servedly in hands, agreeing to do should advise
The document signed by Sir William Gordon Cum
ming wOrded as follows:
consideration OF promise made by the gentlemen
whose names arc here subscribed to preserve silence
regard 10 the accusation which has been made in regard
my conduct at baccarat the nights Of Monday and
Tuesday the 9Th and 9th Of September, $780, at Tranby
Croft will, my part, solemnly undertake never TO
play cards again so long as live.
In addition to the signature of Sir William Gordon
Cumming, there were attached to the document the
following signatures: Albert Edward. owen WILL
Jams, Coventry, Edward Somerset. Arthur Somerset.
Arthur Wilson, John Wilson, Lycett Green Berkeley
Levet, Ruben Sasseen.
The memorandum closes as follows:
personally placed the above document IN the posses
sion Prince Of Wales, who forwarded to his private
secretary Sir Francis Knoys. for preservation was
induced to order avoid scandal
and in order keep the Prince Of Wales out OF IT,
consider that have done duty to society so far as the
permits by insisting that the accused shall never play
cards again.
Upon cross examination by Sir Edward Clarke, Lord
Coventry admitted that when he showed the prec to
Sir William Gordon Cumming the latter objected to the
Rss Of Ssq SIR P Sy s bpo~r as out a tho
fact that when the Earl parted with Sir William the
witness b. @ mat e wDd also YOU'D ae be 10 aps
his membership in the Marlborough Club the Turf
This concluded the case for the defence. and Sir
Charles Russell on behalf Of that side began his adj
altered toner Of plaintiffs counsel since this dannng
had BEEN S even naye be0 n 'he
his evidence. the defendants would admit that they
were s sHt chat sarss m aSsd how the
conduct could possibly be considered consistent %i
for Hot at once pubeiy exposing sir william if he
was really detected in cheating. But the Jury would
honorabiy believing, themselves to be acting the
| plaintiffs friends should he treated as coming into
/ court and not believing him guilty because they did
| not Issue against him unmerclful edlct Of irrcv-
| ocable condemnation. Could anything be imputed TO
the witnesses to Justly the assumption that they
| not credibo7 He had not known in his experience
five witnesses who gave such concurrent evidence,
| which was so absolutely untouched by crosSeX-
animation.
The Lord Chief Justice here adjourned the court
until Monday, 10 morrow being a half holiday.
| In an interview TODAY, Sir William Gordon Cum
ming denied that there was any truth in the story,
| cabled from NewYork yesterday by the Dazlel-
Dunlap agency, that he TO be married shortly 10
| Miss Florence Garner, of that city.