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The Green Bag.

to the books at large can be superseded by this or personated his employer; in the event the jury any other process of revision. In one sense no found that the defendant had not promised to reported case can ever be obsolete while the laws marry the plaintiff, but the authorship of the letters and judicial usages of English-speaking countries was left an insolvent question. While I write the greatest cause celebre of the are what they are; that is, no man can say be forehand that any given case, however antiquated session is proceeding, — Cumming v. Wilson, known or trifling it may appear in itself to be, may not at to the public as the Baccarat Libel Action. The some time have its use for the modern practitioner piquancy of this case consists in the fact of his or text-writer." It is unnecessary to point out Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having been the advantages of the scheme, and a wide support a prominent actor in the circumstances which gave from the profession may confidently be anticipated. rise to the dispute. Briefly the facts are these. How far the series will extend must depend, as the The Prince was staying at a country-house; one of "Law Quarterly" points out, to no small extent the guests was Sir William Gordon Cumming, a on the support given to the scheme on both sides fashionable baronet and officer of the Guards. One night after dinner the company chanced to play of the Atlantic. We have had quite an exceptional number of baccarat. Sir William's play, so his accusers al sensational cases this year, or perhaps I ought to lege, caused them to entertain suspicions; and so include last year also. Not to mention O'Shea v. on the following evening, when they all played O'Shea, Charles S. Parnell being co-respondent, again, the baronet was watched, with the result with which the world is now familiar, great interest that he was afterward frankly accused of cheating. was excited by the action for damages for breach Several of the ladies failed to observe a strict of promise of marriage brought by a lady of the silence as to what had passed; hence the action name of Evelyn against Mr. Hurlbert, originally brought against them by Sir William Gordon Cum an American journalist, but who had for some ming. The case for the plaintiff has closed. The years settled in England. Mr. Hurlbert, as most Prince of Wales, who, seated on the right hand of of your readers will be aware, earned the gratitude of the Lord Chief Justice Coleridge, was from the all Unionist politicians by a spirited polemic which first the centre of interest, gave his evidence on the he published in two volumes, entitled " Ireland second day of the trial. His appearance in the under Coercion." The case presented by the lady- witness-box was eagerly looked forward to, and it plaintiff was a very grave one, and had she been must be confessed he made a very good witness, able to bring it home to the defendant, he could taking the oath like any ordinary person. It would scarcely have figured in public again. The de be improper to express any opinion on the case, fence was quite sensational in its character. The pendente lite. defendant alleged that the interviews and letters Very large numbers of the bar, including the relied on by the plaintiff had been conducted and Attorney-General, Mr. Lockwood, Q. C, and other written respectively by a man whom he had em leaders, have only recently recovered from attacks ployed as secretary, and who had successfully im of influenza.