The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-25 00:00:00

THE CRAWLEY COURT MARTIAL.

SEVENTH DAY.
[The following appeared in the Third Edition of " The
Sun" of last evening] :

ALDERSHOT, Tuesday.
The court assembled at ten o'clock this morning, the
members being all present, Sir G. Wetherall presiding.
The following evidence was taken :
Private James Reynolds examined by Colonel Sir A.
Horsford, official prosecutor-4 am private in the Gth
Dragoons. I knew Sergeant Major Lilley. He bore a
good character for sobriety. I never saw him drunk during
my service.
Colonel Crawley, in reply to the President—l have no
questions to ask.
Colonel Henry Dalrymple White, C,8., Assistant-
Adjutant General of Cavalry, examined by Colonel Sir A.
Horsford—l knew the late Sergeant Major Lilley well. I
consider that he was a most excellent soldier, and one of the
most sober and steady men I ever met with. The follow-
ing letter is from ma, and I have nu objection to its being
read :

Horse Guards, Nov. 14,1563.
Sir,—With reference to your letter of the Lith inst., I
beg to state that I remember the late Sergeant Major Lilley
joining the Gth Dragoons, as a rec. uit, at the close of 1843 or
the commencement of 1844. I was then a lieutenant in the.
regiment, and 1 remained in it di'. I gave up the command of
the corps towards the end of 1857, I having been then
about three years and tour months lieutenant-colonel,
and in constant command. When 1 was a captain, Lilley
was for some time in my troop. In every grade that
he filled in the regiment, I always considered him one
of the most excellent soldiers, and one of the most
sober and steady men I had ever met with. When the
regiment went to the Crimea in 1854 Lilley was left
at the depot as troop sergeant major of one of
the troops there. In 1855, considering him the
most deserving non-commissioned officer in the
regiment I promoted him to the rank of regimental sergeant
major. He joined the service troops in the Crimea in
1855, From that time until I left the regiment I
saw a great deal of him, both when I was in
the office and when he accompanied me, as he
always did, when I went round the camp or barrack. I
never perceived the slightest sign about him that would lead
me to suppose that he was a man who drank.—l have the
honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
H. D. WHITE, Colonel,
A. A. G. of Cavalry.
To Col. Sir A. Horsford,

Major John Edward Swindley was recalled and cross-
examined by Col. Crawley with respect to the evidence he
gave at the Mhow court martial.—Private Little
was brought before him for allowing communication
with Sergeant Lilley. As he did not consider him to
blame, he exonerated him from the charge. He wrote
the word " admonished" in the order sent him by Colonel
Crawley instead of "released" without thinking about the
matter. Colonel Crawley wanted something written, so
he put admonished. Had he thought over the subject ho
should have written "released." He said he had never
seen Sergeant Major Liiley's quarters, but he considered
from viewing similar quarters, they were for married
people shut up and confined. There were married soldiers
and non-commissioned officers living in similar quarters ;
but living in them was a different thing to being shut up in
them. Whenever Sergeant Lilley took exercise during his
confinement he was walked out as a prisoner with an armed
sentry with him. He knew nothing of Sergeant Major
Lilley's quarters, and did not think he ever discussed
the question, and stated they were similar to those occu-
pied by his own sergeant majors ; but from the recollection
of his own sergeant major's quarters, he believed them to
have been shut up in one room. He had seen Mr. Smales
as late as Sunday last, but he could not say when he re-
ceived a written communication from him.

Captain Weir, cross-examined by Colonel Crawley—
He said he did not know that Mrs. Lilley was
inconvenienced, or her privacy intruded upon, dur-
ing the time of the arrest of her husband. He
never was in either of the bungalows when Mrs. Lilley
was there. He did not believe the quarters unfit
for human habitation. He had heard that a woman
of the regiment, a Mrs. Gibson, said that Mrs. Lilley was
aanoyed, but he never was aware of the fact officially. He
had not heard since his return to England any remarks
about the unhealthiness of Sergeant Liliey's quarters.
Quartermaster Charles Weodin, in his cross-examina-
tion, said he could not remember the day or the date of the
conversation he spoke of yesterday, but it mas after the
arrest of the sergeant major. He never said, in the pre-
sence of Lieut. 'Wallach, that he had written down the
whole of the conversation,

Sergeant Gibson, of the 6th Dragoons, said he had been
25 years is the regiment, and knew Lilley for about 18
years. He was a sober, industrious, steady, and hardwork-
ing man. He heard Colonel Crawley give the order to
Mr. Fitzsimon to post the sentry so as he could not lose
sight of Lilley night nor pay. Sergeant Major Cotton
said Lilley was a married man, when Colonel Crawley re-
plied, " 1 don't care a ---, married or single, officer or
non-commissioned officer, an order is an order, and must be
obeyed." Mrs. Lilley lived in witness's bungalow for a
fortnight before her death. She used to consume a bottle of
wine and a bottle of brandy every day.
The proceedings were adjourned at half-past 3 owing to
the sudden illness of Colonel Lodder.

THE PROPOSED EUROPEAN CONGRESS.

BERLIN, Nov. 24.

It is stated here upon good authority that in
replying to the Emperor Napoleon's invitation to
attend a Congress, the Emperor of Russia will lay
stress upon his strong desire for a peaceful solution
of all political difficulties, and will do full justice to
the feelings prompting the Emperor Napoleon's
plan.
The Russian Emperor, however, is of opinion
that even before assenting to the proposal of a Con-
gress, the precise objects of its meeting should be
laid down.

OUTWARD AMERICAN MAIL.

GALWAY, Nov. 24.

The Atlantic Royal Mail steamship Columbia
sailed to-day at 2,20 p.m. for New York, with 25
mail bags, 475 steerage and 27 cabin passengers,
and the latest telegrams.