CARD SCANDAL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2950, 11 June 1891, Page 3

CARD SCANDAL

VERDICT FOU DEFENDANTS, (BY fXKOTIiIC TKLKOIt.U'H — COPYRIGHT). LOXDON, JUIIU 8. Till; address of Sir Charles Russell in tho baccarat ease lias concluded. Sir Edward Clark';, Solicitor-General, in tho course ot' his reply, declared that after the evidence which had been taken it was impossible to remove Sir William Gordon-Cumming's name from tho Army List without also erasing the mimes of H.li.TI. (he Prince of Wales and General Owen Williams. (This statement created an immense sensation in Court.) Council contended that Mr Stanley Wilson was originally mistaken in the construction lie put upon tin; plaintiffs style of play, and yet ho afterwards sought to entrap his guest. Tho accusation of lidding counters was explained by the system of play pursued by Sir William; i but the charge of withdrawing counters which was not similarly explainable had been abandoned. Sir Edward Clarke said it was impossible to understand the conduct of tho Prince of Wales, Lord Coventry, and Mr Stanley Wilson in believing their comrade guilty of the charges made against him, and his (counsel's) own belief was that much of the evidence which could have been given in the plaintiff's favour had evidently been sacrificed in u desire to save the Prince of Wales froin exposure. Tho latter remark elicited loud applause from the body of the court. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has nominated Mr Stanley Wilson who gave; evidence in the baccarat case, a member of the Marlborough Club. .Tune 0. In the baccarat case, Lord Chief Justico Coleridge summed up generally against Sir William Gumming. Ho held that if a man was innocent he was not likely to sign a confession of guilt as Sir William had done. The Chief Justice deprecated (la; statement of Sir Edward Claris, Solicitor-Gene-ral, that the plaintiff's nane could not bo removed from tho Army List unless the names of the Prince of Wales and General Owen Williams were also erased. Tho jury wero only absent seven minutes, and when the foreman announced that they found a verdict for tho defendants there was considerable hissing in tin; body of tin; court. When the defendants were leaving the Court-house they were hustled by the crowd which had collected round the entrance.