New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-03
THE PRINCE A WITNESS.
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT OF THE BAG
CARAT TRIAL IN LONDON.

urN Ry A BOLD JURYMAN-THE PLAIN.
TIFF CROSS EXAMINED GENERAL
OWEN WILLIAMS TEsTIFIES.
1onson. lime 2-The second days proceedings in
ne famous baccsrat trial began this morning at about
n O'Clock with almost exact repetition Of yester-
DAYS scenes The rush for admission greater than
yesterday for everybody looked forward being able
TO see the Prince OF Wales upon the witness stand
Long before the Official opening Of the court the seats
were filed by apparently the bright, fashionable,
gayly dressed audience which envened the room yes
erday. Many persons bearing in mind their enforced
abstinence Of yesterday, had provided themselves TO-
day with refreshments
When the Prince of Wales and his private secretary,
Sir Francis Knollys, entered the courtroom this morn
ing, with commendable punctualty, everybody rose
and ceased talking The Prince, who looked as good
nstured ever, bowed slightly right and left TO the
spectators, nodded smilingly to one or two friends
whom ho recognized, and took the same seat, an arm
chair the left of Lord Chief Justice Colerdge which
he occupied yesterday. On the Judges right hand
were seated Ladies Colerdge. Clarke and Russell,
the wives respectively OF the Lord Chief Justice,
Sir Edward Clarke, the sollctor-Gen lead
ing counsel for the plaintiff, and Of Sir
Charles Russell, leading counsel for the defendants
Lady Brooke, whose name was one OF those added to
the list of Mrs Arthur Wilson's invited guests at
Tranby Croft during the eventful Doncsster meeting
of September last those present at the trial
this morning rs was Colonel H. H. d. Stracey, the
commanding officer of the Scots Guards, Of which reg
ment Sir William Gordon Cumming was a major and
neutenant-oblone. Next to the Prince of Wales and
Sir William Gordon Cumming, Lady Brooke was the
centre of attraction.
When the LoSa Chief Justice given the signal for
the DAYS proceedings to begin the plaintiff stepped
into the wttnessbox.. He began by reading letter
written by the plaintiff in answer to the letter ad
dressed to him Jointly by the Prince OF Wales Loro
Coventry and General owen Williams. TINS misAvo
WAS addressed to "Dear owen and In 1t Sir William
said that he had now but little hope before him 10
make life worth living. adding, Z" In the meantime
snppose that must try 10 i've Of old years"
In reply to questions by defendants counsel, SIT
william said that he applied to Colonel stracey OF inc
Scots Guards January for permission to rctie iom
the army on half pay. He added that Colonel stracey
replied that the fact that witness had signed docu
ment Of the nature OF the one already descrlpeu 'o
not be overlooked.
letter from General Williams to Sir William Gordon
Cumming was then read and placed in evidence. IL
was addressed My Dear Bill" and said that nothing
was left to the plaintiff but to place Himself I'M
reservedly in the hands Of his commanding ofhcer,
Colonel Stracey he had done The letter also SAID
"You are quite at liberty to tell Colonel Straeey that
you signed the document under extreme pressure and
promise Of secrecy"
The witness here said al have never for moment
seased to deny the accusation made against me-" Later
On Sir William denied that he said to Berkeley Levett
Gould you not say that you were mistaken"
SIR CHARLES RUSSELL'S WARNING.
sensation was created at this point by Sir Charles
Russell who after hearing this last denial from the
plaintiff remarked gravely fixing his eyes steadily
upon the witness: "Colonel Sir William Gordon Cum
ming you viii have to be careful"
A murmur Of comment passed the people in
court as Sir Charles uttered these words The plaintiff
evidently noticed the effect they had, for his manner
seemed to hose some Of its taunty carelessness'
and he acknowledged that he had said something
of that sort" to Berkeley Levett This caused
another sensation in court and 1t seemed to he
admitted without word being spoken on the
subject that counsel for the defendants had scored his
first decided advantage in the tilt with the Baronet
Sir Charles did not 10 notice the advantage he
had gained but appeared DESTROYS OF leading the
ury's attention away from this damaging admission,
and branched off into long crossexamination OF the
plaintiff concerning certain letters and after a brief
redirect examination upon the part OF the solicitor
General Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Sir
william Gordon Cumming, the plaintiff was excused
from any further questions.
Sir Charles's crossexaminatlon Of the plaintiff was
pronounced an exceedingly successful piece OF work
What Sir Charles wanted TO extract nom the plaintH
was that the latter should confess that he sat quietly
under what was admitted to be "peccsvi7 so long
as he thought that the truth in relation TO the scandal
would not get about and that the fact that II did get
about and no lotier motive led the plaintiff to begin
the present proceedings. The bout between the lead
Ing counsel for the defendants and the plaintiff
long and stubbornly contested Finally, abiding TO
the compact OF secrecy, the plaintiff said:
"Yes, lived in a FOOLS paradise for time At
last had to act.'
"Why 2" asked Sir Charles.
because" answered the plaintiff. off had not
lone 50 the thing would have been taken up by my
clubs by my friends, and By my regiment"
"This is what l wanted" Sir Charles remarked
There were curious gllmpses during the morning
al he
A letter read in court from the plaintiff to friend
excited sympathy for the Baronet. Then there
the letter of anonymous correspondent who warned
him against going 70 Paris or to Monte Carlo. This
letter. which was signed One Who Pities You. said
that rumor was busy in his old haunts, and that the
places mentioned were too hot'' to hold him unless
he could brazen the out acting with Jealous
care and never touching card"
sir Charles Russell suggested that the plaintiff him
self had said and written despalring things, as for
instance, It's all up with me. There is nothing
left for me but cut my throat. Life is not worth
living now" Some Of these assertions Sir William
fatty denied, including writing receiving some of
the letters referred to in the testimony.
In addition 10 the conversations which the plaintiff
is supposed TO have had with various people. Sir
Charles Russell brought out the fact that Sir William
had retained his share of the winnings September
and at TTanby Croft amounting 10 e225, and pro
duced in court check for that amount, which had
oeen paid on sir William Gordon Cummings account.
The plaintiff 1t also appeared from the testimony,
wrote to General Owen Williams in January, telling
him of the that were circulating in regard to
The baccart playing at Tranby Croft and received the
following reply
Nv Dear Bill am very sorry to find that there Is
any talk but what there is must necessarily be very
vague. ] have never heard whisper about the mat
ter. OF course, cannot ask anybody question 10
whether other people have done and Of course.
anything openly in face Of the promise
made. YOu do not say who the lady what she
heard II is very essential that should know from
what source the in order TO stop IT, His
Hghness is at a loss what 10 understand about the
anonymous letter. IOu YOU do not know whether
you were quite right to sign the document. Your as
seTtion would not have awaited you against vOur ar-
The less nOtorety about the affair. the bet
ter. Yours ever OWEN WILLIAMS.
THE PRINCE OF WALES IN THE WITNESS BOX
At the close Of the plaintiffs croSs-examinaton,
the Prince OF Wales was called. He smiled
Ia r1or m hn rrfn In