The royal baccarat scandal was a British gambling scandal of the late 19th century involving the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). In September 1890 he was invited to a house party at Tranby Croft, Yorkshire, the home of Arthur Wilson and his family. During Edward's stay, lieutenant colonel Sir William Gordon-Cumming (pictured) was accused of cheating at baccarat and pressured into signing a document that stated he would never play cards again, in exchange for the silence of the guests. The secret was not kept for long, and Gordon-Cumming demanded a retraction from the Wilson family, who he considered to blame for divulging the news. They refused and he sued for slander. The atmosphere at trial in June 1891 was described as being like a theatre. Edward was called as a witness, the first time the heir to the throne had been compelled to appear in court since 1411. Despite discrepancies in the evidence and a strong closing speech by Gordon-Cumming's barrister, the jury found against him after a summing-up from the judge that was described by some as biased. Gordon-Cumming was dismissed from the army and ostracised from society for life, though public opinion was on his side.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_baccarat_scandal
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1201:
John Komnenos the Fat briefly seized the throne of the Byzantine Empire from Alexios III Angelos, but he was soon caught and executed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Komnenos_the_Fat
1423:
Hundred Years' War: The English and their Burgundian allies were victorious over the French at the Battle of Cravant near Auxerre, France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cravant
1948:
New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport was dedicated as New York International Airport. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_International_Airport
1954:
A team of Italian climbers led by Ardito Desio became the first to reach the summit of K2 (pictured), the world's second-highest mountain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2
2006:
Following intestinal surgery, Fidel Castro provisionally transferred the duties of the Cuban presidency to his brother Raúl. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006%E2%80%9308_Cuban_transfer_of_presidential_duties
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
coppice: A grove of small growth; a thicket of brushwood; a wood cut at certain times for fuel or other purposes, typically managed to promote growth and ensure a reliable supply of timber. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coppice
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all — in which case, you fail by default. --J. K. Rowling https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling
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