The Sun.
London, England, 1830-01-13 00:00:00

COURT-MARTIAL AT COVENTRY.

This day (Monday) a General Court-Martial, consisting
of the following Officers, assembled at St. Mary's Hall, in
the city of Coventry (kindly lent by the Mayor and Ma-
gistrates fur the occasion), in pursuance of an order front
the General Commanding in Chief, by virtue of a special
warrant from his Majesty, dated 19th September, 1829,
for the trial of Staff-Serjeant Samuel Franks, of the Leeds
Recruiting District, " For conduct unbecoming the cha-
racter of a non -commissioned officer and soldier; for that
he, Stiff- Serjeant Samuel Franks, of the Leeds Recruiting
District, having marched from Leeds (by a route on the
25th day of June, 1828.) via Coventry to Chatham,
Maidstone, end Canterbury, arrived at the last-mentioned
place on the 16th day of July, and then and there deli-
vered ovc, the recruits under his escort ; and that having
clone so, the said Staff Serjeant Samuel Franks, contrary
to his duty, which required him forthwith to have returned
to Leeds, went to Chelse u, or el•ewhere, and was absent,
without leave, until the 4th or sth of August, when hav-
ing proceeded by coach, and arrived at Leeds on the 6th
of August, he did not report himself to the Inspecting
Field Officer until the following day, contrary to his duty;
and that the said Staff Serjeant Samuel Franks then pre-
sented, as true and genuine, a false and counterfeit march
route, well knowing the saute to be false and counterfeit,
for the purpose of obtaining the customary allowance on
the production of march routes ; and that the said Staff-
Serjeant Franks did receive the sum of 11. 7s. 6d. as
marching money accordingly, under the said false and
forged march route so presented by hiei."
The Members of the Court consisted of—

Major Streatfield, 87th Foot, President.

Captain Owen and Lieut. Petre, let Royal Dragoons.
Captains Todd aril Meecham ; Lieutenants Peel and
Warrington, 3d Dragoon Guards.
Capt sins Harpour and Brooke ; Lieutenants Brooks and
Whyte, 67th Foot.
Captain Doyle, Lieutenant Ma;nwaring, and Second-
Lieutenant Thompson, 87th Foot.

R. Jellicoe, Eq., Paymaster on the Coventry Staff;
Deputy Judge-Advocate.
. . _

. .
The Court being sworn, the Deputy Judge-Advocate
addressed them thus :

" Mr. President and Gentlemen, Members of this Ge-
neral Court-Martial,

" The charge brought against the prisoner, Staff-Ser-
jeant Samuel Franks, has been so plainly and ably drawn •
up by the Judge Advocate-General, that it is not neces-
sary to say a word in explanation of any item in it.
'' I will detain you only a moment to draw your atten-
tion to one or two points connected with the subject of
the present- inquiry, and principally to the head of service,
under which the prisoner is accused of having offended--
namely, the allowance of marching money granted to the
army.

"Marching money in England is not, as it is in Scotland
and Ireland, a personal allowance; and, in consequences
the longest and must fatiguing day's march in. England
gives no claim, of itself, to the allowance. Marching ,
money is only granted for those days on which soldiers are
uponsold
iaeni.sd tdo i erteepda
yb
them
ei nmn kt eheep
ur sm;
parne b iesd abl lyo .5.4 j
btoilleentatle
for the meal which they are required to supply to troops
eo billeted on a march.

" If, Mr. President and Gentlemen, I should bring home
to the prisoner the truth of the several charges, it will be
your unpleasant duty to find the prisoner guilty of all the
counts in the charge of which he stands accused."

The Court then adjourned till Tuesday morning at ten
o'clock.

TUESDAY DIORNIN*.

The Court assembled again this morning, with the ex-.
cept ion of Ciptain Doyle, who was prevented by indispo-
sition, and heard the evidence of Lieut.-Col. Ramsey, In-
!•pec tirg Field Officer on the Leeds district, Staff-Ser-
jeant Wit:tehread, Serjeant-111:ijor Grahame, awl Par
master Adams, after which they adjourned till twelve,
o'clock on Wednesday, when the prisoner will enter en
his defence.

We cannot let the opportunity pass without expressing
our thanks to the President and Gentlemen composing the
Court, for their urbanity and kindness to the gentlemen
of the Press, though the President particularly requested 1
that the evidence in detail might not be published till the
conclusion of the trial, and it had received the Royal
sanction.