Arizona republican., 1914-04-05
THE BACCARAT TRIAL

all Europe during the summer of 1891, owing to the prominence of those con- cerned Even his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Ed ward VII, appeared in court and testi- fled
 London society had been rolling un- der it's tongue as a sweet morsel of gossip the adventures at the gambling table of members of the English aristo- cracy, which culminated in a suit for islander. The Baccarat case was off cially known as the suit of Sir William Gordon Cumming against MT. and Mrs Lycett Green, Mrs. Arthur Wilson, Ar thur Stanley Wilson and Berkeley Le- vett for islander. in which Sir Gordon sued each defendant for s25,O00 dam ages.
 The case grew out of lively little gathering at Mrs. Arthur Wilson's house at Tranby Croft in September,
 1890. at which was present the Prince of Wales. Sir William Gordon Cum ming and Lady Brook. Baccarat was the nightly amusement, and the accu- sation that Sir Gordon had cheated was made, and although suppressed, as it was thought for all time, the "hor- rible scandal" came to light later on During the early months of the year the charges of his dishonesty came from time to time to the ears of Sir Gordon, and he decided to put a stop to it even if it meant a public scandal, for only through that means would he be able to clear his name. Suits were begun as early as February, but the trial was not called until June 1, 1891, in the court at Temple Bar
 At the commencement of the trial the court room was crowded to suffo- cation by as distinguished a party as probably ever was present at trial The Prince of Wales was accompanied by his private secretary. No sooner was he seated than the jury was sworn and Lord Chief Justice Coleridge be- gan the case
 Sir Edward Clarke opened the case for the plaintiff. He said the charge
 was a most serious one, involving the honor and affecting the whole future career of a gallant gentleman with a hitherto unspotted reputation He then detailed the circumstances of the fa-
 nous card party In detail he explain ed the mystery of the game, and in conclusion said that upon the occasion referred to the bank" was limited to $500. and that when that was lost the game was ended
 Then the solicitor general read the much talked of document which Sir | Gordon signed after the discovery of | his alleged cheating at cards. and in which he undertook, as the price of his | fellow players silence. never again to l play cards This document was as fol- l lows:-
 Tn considera tion of the promise
 made by the gentlemen who have sign ed this paper to preserve silence in re- gard to my conduct at baccarat, I on my part, solemnly undertake never to l play cards again as long as I live" | This document was signed by the plaintiff, the Prince of Wales. and l others. The plaintiff was the first to | take the stand He absolutely denied | that he had cheated, and said that the l only reason he had signed the docu- ment was that he placed such implicit
 confidence in Lord Coventry and Gen.
 eral Williams his friends who drew it up and insisted he should sign to avoid a scandal.
 On the second day of the trial the Prince of Wales was placed on the wit ness stand He detailed what had hap pened at the gaming table, and when
 he was asked by a juryman-a rather unusual procedure, to what was his opinion at the time of the charges
 made against the plaintiff, he replied
 They were so unanimous that I had no other course open to me than to believe them"
 Most all of those who were present
 at the Tranby Croft baccarat game
 testified. Arthur Stanley Wilson, son
 of the millionaire owner of Tranby Croft swore that he had seen Sir Cor | don cheat and described how it was 1 done. The greatest day of the trial | was Monday, June 8, when the plain- tiffs counsel Sir Edward Clarke scor- ed the Prince of Wales, and said that if Sir Gordon's name was dropped, as
 was suggested, from the army list, so
 also should be those of the Prince and General Williams. It was brought out
 that the Prince was jealous Of the | friendship of Lady Brooke, who was considered the most beautiful woman in England, for Gordon Cumming. f | The. trial ended on June Sand the verdict was against the plaintiff. The
 audience resented the verdict with
 misses. and Sir Gordon was cheered by I the mob on the streets. It was not only his end socially, but even his ac-
 cusers were ostracised for the way they
 had acted. The trial had made more
 trouble in the English social set than
 had ever before taken place, and Gen.
 eral Williams, Lord Coventry and the Prince of Wales himself were censured because it was believed that they had
 acted under the scanty information l and condemned their friend to ruin to stop peoples mouths and prevent
 dal-smirching of their own charac- ters.
 l Tomorrow-TriaI of cronin Murder. ] CTS.