THE BACCARAT SCANDAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 883, 19 June 1891, Page 6

THE BACCARAT SCANDAL.

Lord Chief Justice Coleridge, in summing up in the baccarat liable case, said that there was only one law for the peasant and prince alike. He did not blame the defendants for requesting Sir W. Cu aiming to .sign the confession in order to shield the Prince of Wales from a scandal which they knew must arise if the facts were ever placed before a hard-judging world, which was not subservient to royalty, as in the clays of the Tudors and Stuarts. He doubted whether the plaintiff had lost his head under the stress of the painful condition in which he was placed. The learned judge weist on to say that if the Prince of Wales and General Williams had broken military rules they should be subjected to a military tribunal. The Telegraph deplores the disclosures, which show that baccarat has so deep a hold on its devotees as to induce them to carry about with them the apparatus necessary for playing the game. The Chronicle condemns the verdict, and suggests that the readiness shown by the Prince of Wales to be the prize guest of rich, vulgar families, and to gratify their tastes for the lowest type of gambling, has shocked and disgusted the people. The Welsh Baptist Conference, now sitting at Bangor, have passed a l'esolution deploring the gambling habits of the Prince of Wales. The whole of the press comments on the baccarat case have apparently fallen on the Prince of Wales. The provincial press and the London evening papers, like their morning contemporaries, severely censure the Prince for his conduct, and many of the papers warn his Royal Highness that he is .only imperilling; the monarchy by pursuing his past career. The Tories fear that the disclosures made will seriously affect their chance of success at the forthcoming general election. Quite a number of dissenting bodies have denounced the Prince -of Wales because of his gamblinghabits. Every newspaper that has referred to the case has been very outspoken in its cristicism. Lord Coventry is likely to resign his position- in the Queen's household. He is master 'Of the Buckhounds. ./. . A question has been tabled in the House of Commons calling attention to the scandals attaching to a fieldmarshal (the Prince of Wales) and a general (Sir Owen Williams) in .the English army.

Truth says that the Queen has expressed her displeasure at the event which occurred at Tranby Croft, and is angry with everyone who figured in the case. *■'- The European Press unanimously condemn the Prince of Wales as a field-marshal for gambling .with youngsters and subalterns. Sir William Gordon-Gumming has resigned the membership of his dubs. The Prince of Wales' connection with the case is severely criticised in foreign. military -circles. Sir W. Gumming writes to the press accusing Lord Chief Justice Coleridge of gross partiality. ■ In commenting on the baccarat cas«, the Guardian adjures the Prince of Wales to seek society suited to his high station The Church Times urges the j prince to openly renounce cards in the . presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Sir William Gordon Gumming- was accorded an enthusiastic reception on returning to his country seat at A 1 tyre, \i ear Forres. The Gazette notifies that Sir Win, Gordon ■ dimming has been removed from his position in the army, the Queen ' having no further occasion for his services.' The Paris Figaro and Gaulois both give currency to a rumor that the Prince of Wales intends to abdicate in fat-or of his eldest son in consequence of the baccarat .scandal, and also resign his position in the army. In the House of Commons on Monday the Secretary for War, in replying to a question asked by Mr William Summers, said that the Prince of Wales, now that his attention had bppn called to the regulations, and looking hack at" all the circumstances of the case, admitted that he had committed an error of judgment in not advising Sir William Gordon Gumming 'to submit his case to his commanding officer. He also stated. that Lieutenant Levitt had, like the Prince of Wales, expressed his regret that he did not bring the matter under the notice of his superior officer. A society journal called the Dwarf del ares thac it possesses sure details showing that Sir W. Cunvning was absolutely innocent. It has promised to disclose them later on. The statement has caused some sensation.