The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01
Unfair Card Play the Paris Jockey Club Now Subject of
Legal Proceedings for Memorable Case in Which
King Edward Then Prince of Wales, Was Witness

very remarkable letter on the subject
to the then Archbishop OF Canterbury,
iatter's memoirs
In society, however. severe censure
was passed upon Mrs Wilson and her
children for having displayed so little
SAVIOR faire and such lamentable want
OF tact as to make scandal Of this kind
In the presence Of her future King and
while he was q guest beneath her roof.
Her conduct In the matter was compared
most unfavorably with that Of the late
Duchess of Devonshire.
At the time when this Duchess was at TIL
the wife Of the seventh Duke Of Man
chester she had the honor Of entertaining
the then Prince and Princess Of Wales
under her roof at kimbolton Castle While
there watching the card games one day
she discovered one Of the players. George
Russell. a member Of tho ducal house Of
Bedford. in the act Of cheating She did
not say a word or reveal her discovery
to any one. But during the remainder
OF the royal visit she in one way or anoth er
contrived 10 keep George Russell away
from the card table and by her side. in n
manner that he could not but consider
as f'attering. She was determined that
there oh ould be no scandal under her
roof.
Some months later. in London, a man
whom she knew well called upon her in
the afternoon and as a piece Of gossip
exclaimed: Duchess. somebody has been
caught cheating at the Turf Club and
you will never guess who It Isl"
The Duchess interrupted him. asked
him for pencil. scribbled q name on q
card, covered 1t with her hand and then
said: Now tell me who IL is"
He answered George RUSSELL And
then she showed him that it was the very
name which she had written on the card
and explained the circumstances under
which she had caught him cheating at
kimbolton Castle
Although the case OF George Russell II
never got into the newspapers, vet il
was a matter Of common knowledge
in England. He was forced to give up
his important Office as permanent chief
Of the Government Department of Works
III which capacity he had charge of all
the royal palaces, to resign from all his
clubs and to leave England. becoming,
indeed. a social outoast
The st. James's Club. on Piccadilly. one
OF the most agreeable in London. cele-
DRAFTED Tor ITS cuisine and for its wines.
has been less fortunate than the Turf
Club in this respect IL has been the
scene OF number of card scandals. sew
erai OF which have got into public
print
these card scandals have been largely
due to the fact that il opens its doors a
little bit too freely to the foreign dinlo-
matte corps in London, particularly 10
the MINOR fry. and that the secretaries
ana attaches of the legations of thos.
countries which do not have a regular
diplomatic service are sometimes men
Oh questionable anteceden;s and of IN
prhcipied character. who owe their o.ic.
TO moro or less corrupt influence. and who
not alone Contaminate the club with thoir
presence but are apt to avail Themselves
OF their privileges as members to intro
ouce as guests foreign visitors even
worse than themselves
Formerly the Hunt Club at Rome was
the foremost institution of the kind in
the Eternal City. heading. indeed. IN.
list, To-day 1t has lost much of its pres
tige and standing. owing TO the many
scandals that have taken place within il q
card rooms, the Offenders in most of these
episodes being foreign diplomats Thus
IL was not so many Years ago that not a
mere secretary or attache but a full
hedged minister plenipotentiary of one
oil tho Latin republics of this western
hemisphere Was discovered in the ACT of
playing unfairly at cards OH the Premises
and expelled.
Barely twelve months later a Young
Roman patrician, bearing the Industrious
name OF Larnberto Colonna. was detected
there in the act of cheating al a game
known as Dutch whist, the fellow member
who was the first to lay hi, hand on tho
arm of the culpri; and to charge him with
the offence being Count Antonelli. nephew
of the celebrated Cardinal and aft.rwa I'd
Minister Plenipot entlary AT Buenos Ayres
ON the preceding night Colonna had won
no less than $50 900 lire at ecart6 fro,