Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-06-12
The Baccarat Scandal.

All England has been absorbed for the
past two weeks in slander trial in progress
in London, which is without parallel in
the sensational features which it involves.
Briefly stated the trial grew out of two
evenings of baccarat playing which were
INDUCED i'm by the Prince of Wales and
several of his personal friends in September
last at Tranby Croft, the country house of
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Wilson. Baccarat is
distinctively gambling game, and is to the
English sporting fraternity what poker is
in the United States. Described in general
terms the game is played by making up
bank of a certain sum against which the
company play. Any number of packs of
cards may be used, and any number of per-
sons may play at the table. On the occa-
sion in question it is charged that Sir viii
liam Gordon Cumming,a an intimate personal
friend of the Prince of Wales, and an officer
in her Majesty army, cheated at the game,
repeatedly showing counters over the line
and claiming stakes which he had not won.
His cheating was observed on the first
evening and the fact was communicated to
the Prince of Wales. 1t was agreed to
watch his playing on the second evening,
when he was again seen to cheat. 1t is a
curious illustration of the code of morals
which exists among the English nobility
that while gambling is a violation of the
law of the land, the only disgrace which
attaches to the practice is in being known
to have cheated while at play. In this case,
when the Princes friend knew that his
cheating had been discovered he begged
that the matter be kept secret, and a paper
was signed by him and the others present
in which he promised never to play at cards
again so long as he lived, provided silence
was maintained as to his acts at Tranby
Croft. This is the story of the Wilson's
and their friends about the affair.
After a little time rumors of what had
taken place began to be noised about, and
statement was made charging Sir William
Gordon Cumming with the deadly offence
of cheating at cards. Upon this he brought
suit for slander against the Wilson's, and
this trial is the outcome of 1t. The signifi-
cant thing is that in the hearing of the case
before the lord chief justice the Prince of
Wales was put in the witness box, and was
constantly in court during the progress of
the case, while the court room was filled
with the lords and ladies of the nobility.
The Prince of Wales was first put upon
examination on Tuesday of last week. The
counsel treated him in gingerly way, out
of Difference to royalty and avoided asking
him disagreeable questions. This went on
until, just as he was leaving the witness
box, one of the jurors rose in his seat and
bluntly asked the Prince questions which
made him admit that he had been engaged
in gambling, and that he knew from cred
ible witnesses that Sir William Gordon
Cumming had cheated at the game. An
other point which was brought out later in
the week was the fact that the game at
Tranby Croft was arranged for the express
delectation of the Prince of Wales against
the private wishes of the owner of the
house, and that the counters used were the
private property of the Prince. 1t was
also brought out that the Prince is in the
habit of carrying counters and other gam
bling implements on his journeys about the
country.
The fact of the cheating at the particular
game in question seemed to be well estab-
lished, but the lawyers for the plaintiff
made stout effort to prove presumption
of innocence, and to show that the whole
purpose of the defence was to shield the
Prince of Wales. The most sensational
development of all came on Monday, when
Sir Edward Clark, the English solicitor gem
eral, in his closing speech for the plaintiff,
turned squarely toward the Prince and said
| it had been the ''commOn talk that his
| continual presence in the court during the
trial had been for the purpose of restrain
ing the tongues of the lawyers from COM
menting on his connection with the scandal;
but, he went on to say, the presence of the
Prince would not restrain him from doing
his duty and making any comment which
was necessary. 1t had been intimated, he
said, that should the court fail to disregard
the document fixing the guilt upon Sir
William Gordon Cumming the militia would
take it up and his name would be stricken
from the army list. 81 wish to say" the
barrister went on, 'that it would be impos.
sibe for the authorities to do such thing
and leave on that list the names of Field
Marshal the Prince of Wales," and an.
other member of the nobility whom he
called by name and who was engaged in
the baccarat game last September. This
bold statement, the account says, seemed
completely to take away the breath of the
audience, and caused the greatest sensation
of the trial, murmur of astonishment al
such threat at royalty running through
the court room. Farther on in his speech
another sensation was caused by the EN-
phatic declaration of the solicitor general
that Sir William Gordon Cumming signed