The Baccarat Case by Shore

The Baccarat Case recounts the trial of Sir William Gordon-Cumming, at which the accused defended himself against allegations of cheating during a baccarat game. This lawsuit revolved around a card game, taking place in 1891, in which the Prince of Whales himself took part. Sir William, a friend of the prince, was accused of cheating in that game on several occasions, even signing a declaration of his guilt in the hope that the accusations would not be made public. However, upon a breach of secrecy, the allegation was publicized, libel lawsuits filed, and the Prince of Whales thrown into the middle of a trial questioning the character of his friend, thereby implicating his own in the process.

The public wondered about the supposed gambling habits of the prince, who denied the harm in playing cards infrequently for small amounts, and the character of the people with whom that royal person associated. Furthermore, Sir William Gordon-Cumming’s honor was at stake and would be largely influenced by this trial in which the main question under consideration was: did Sir William cheat at baccarat? The events of this trial, a scandal eagerly followed by English high society, is reproduced in full in this edition of The Baccarat Case, from which the reader may determine Sir William’s guilt or innocence for himself. This is a quarter-leather edition with a special introduction by Alan Dershowitz.