THE BACCARAT CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7182, 5 June 1891, Page 4

THE BACCARAT CASE.

Sensational Evidence. [SFKCIAi TO PbBSS ABBOOIATION.] LONDON, Jdmb 4. The case for the defence in the baccarat scandal was opened to-day, Mr Stanley Wilson, son. of Mrs Arthur Wilson, of Tranby Croft, deposed that on the first night (Sept. 8) when the party was playing cards, he saw a .£5 counter in front of Sir Gordon Cumming, and when the latter observed that he had won, he opened his hand and dropped another counter on to the table. The next time, an unfavourable card was drawn, and witness noticed a surreptitious diminution of the stake by the plaintiff, by withdrawing his hands, and a counter fell in his lap. Witness saw him cheat after this, and he communicated his suspicions to others. Under cross-examination Mr Wilson said ho omitted to take a record of what had occurred, and the statement prepared by General Owen Williams, purporting to show what the defendants saw and did, was, in several respects, inaccurate. In opening the defence, Sir Charles Russell, Q.C., declared that the only motive which induced Sir W. Gordon Cumming to take the present proceedings was the hope that they might prevent his being expelled from the Clubs and from his position in the army. The learned counsel argued that if the plaintiff was so innocent as he wished the Court to believe, he would not have so easily sacrificed his honour by signing an undertaking not to touch cards for the rest of his life, ev6n for fifty princes. He intended to call witnesses who would prove absolutely the dishonesty of the plaintiff. Mr Arthur Wilson, the owner of Tranby Croft, where the alleged cheating took place, minutely described Sir Gordon Cumming's method of increasing his stake when a favourable card was turned up by the dealer, which created quite a sensation iv the Court. When the witness informed Mr Berkeley Levett of the dishonest conduct, the latter disbelieved it. They then watched Sir William, and were convinced of his cheating. The cross-examination considerably discredited Mr Wilson's evidence, owing to his youth and rawness.