The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-12
AMERICAN PLUNGFR
FLAYED IN BRITAIN
Bob" Sievier Denounced I'm
Court, Breaks Down and
SObs.

LONDON, May IA sensational libel
suit brought by the we'll known race horse
owner, r. S. Sievier, against Sir James
Duke, also we'll known on the turf. was
concluded today with a verdict for Sir
James.
Sievier charged the latter with calling
him a thief, card-sharper and murderer,
and that SieYier caused his famous mare
Sceptre to be pulled in the Derby.
Sir James pleaded privilege, as the state
ments were made within the Raleigh club.
but he endeayored to show that Sievier's
character was such that he could not be
hbeled. The jury today decided that Sir
James had not committed any libel and
mulcted Sievier in the costs Of the suit.
SteVier, who was remarkably cool through
out the case, broke down toward the end
OF his counsefs speech and sobbed bitter
ly.
Justice Grantham, in summing nm. was
very severe in his structures Of Sieyier.
He said the late Queen Victoria would al
most rather nave given up her throne than
nave such man presented to her.
Past Life PFobed.
The case attracted continued interest,
OWING TO the fact that Sievier's past life
was probed with a minuteness scarcely
ever equaled in a similar case. He con-
fessed to having been three times bank
lice courts. but for tri1ing assaults at
card games and billiard matches Bets
running into thousands of pounds Were re-
counted from the witness stand with a
trankneSs and in numbers that somewhat
amazed the hearers. On the long run
S1ev1er declared, he was a heavy loser in
gambling transactions: One game I'm par
tleular. when the Duke OF Braganza lost
about $4,000 while playing with Sieyier
at Monte Carlo, caused much cross exam
nation.
The defendants counsel declared that
a famous card-sharper, named Burns.
4 brother OF a man imprisoned for robbing
| ]. PieFpont Morgan's house, participated
| in the game, but Sievier declared he was
/ not aware of his identity until after the
| game was over, when the Duke of Bra
! ganza himself, and Guy. Chetwynd, came
! to an arrangement satisfactory to all.
| Chetwynd is a son of Sir George Chef
! wynd and married Rosalind Secor.
On another occasion Sievier won 500. 600
from friend at cards and the losers wife
/ wrote him pathetic letter, and SievieT
| a card sharper to let anybody off," re-
marked Sievier on the stand.
! Presented at Court.
| After his return from Australia SievieT
was presented at court to Queen Victoria,
1 but some months afterward the court cir
| clIlar announced that the presentation was
| cancelled. This SieYier attributed entirely
to the fact that he had been a bOOkmakeE
/ in Australia.
| Through all the phases of his checkered
career, from the time he 'smacked Lord
| DeerhurSts face in a Melbourne racing
/ club (the same Deerhurst who married
Miss Bonynge. of San Francisco, and who
| then was aide de camp to the governor)
! up to the present day, Sievier's life was
! mercileSsly dissected. But Sir James
| Dukes counsel did not put forward any
| evidence tending to show that Sieyier was
guilty of card sharping, pulling Sceptre
1 or other horses, thieving or numbering.
! Sievier married Lady Mabel Bruce
/ sister of the fourth Marquis of Aylesbury
! She had arranged to marry another man.
| but two days prior to the wedding she
| ran off with Sieyier.
Daring Spectator.
| bob" Sievier, the former owner OF
| Sceptre, is classed as the most daring
Spectator ever seen ON the English turf
| w. K. Vanderbilt in May, 1902, was re-
4 ported to have offered Sievier $210, 600 for
| Sceptre, winner Of the Two Thousand
| Guineas stakes and of the One Thousand
Guineas stakes that year Sievier is well
! born and we'll educated, and has been in
| turn a bookmaker, actor and manager OF
a betting agency.
| He has been stranded financially but is
| now wealthy land owner and possessor
| of the best horses on the turf all ae-
/ quired with the results of sensational
| plunging. In his younger days SieYier was
1 a celebrity on the turf at Melbourne,
! where he was a bookmaker until he be-
came involved in a difference with Lord
1 Deerhurst. He has Travelled in most of
! the British colonies and is well known as
| dead shot, both in elephant and in lion
| hunting