The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-04 00:00:00

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THE ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OF A
FEMALE ON BOARD TkiE DAUNTLESS.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 3.

The borough bench of magistrates met again at nine
o'clock this morning to proceed with the inquiry into
the circumstances attending the death of Matilda Jane

Lodge, and for whose death Lieutenant Frederick
Knight, R.N., of the Dauntless, and Lieutenant John
Bustead Seymour, R.N., 'of the Colossus, are charged
with manslaughter. .1
To-day Mr. Parry, the barrister, of London, attended
•,pecially for Lieutenant Knight, and Mr. Hoskins, of
Gosport, for Lieutenant Seymour. Mr. Ford again ap-
peared for the prosecution.
Emma Frampton, wife of a marine belonging to the
Dauntless, produced a sleeve that her husband Lad
brought from his ship and given to her. This was the
sleeve that had been identified as part of deceased's dress.
It would not fall off if properly fastened.

Samuel Moore, captain of the forecastle on board thA
Dauntless—l remember Sunday night, the 17th ult. I
know a man named Martin brought on board on: vinp.
yesterday. On the above night I was on watch on the'
quarter deck on the Victorious Hulk. Two women
came on board with Lieutenant Knight. When first I,
.saw them they were on the quarter deck. They thenl
Arent down the ladder towards the gun-room door. De-
ceased went into the gun-room, and the other irlff came'
on deck-again. This was at' half•past 10. Lieutenant,
Knight came upon deck after (Emma White)
and spoke
to her, and they' went below together. I afterwards saw.
the women: Sitting in chairs in the gun-room. This was
at 12 o'clock.
.I,had not seen them between half-past 10,
and 12. I was'theivaliaye,4y a mau •uanvidthing.
cannot say who wil44llie 'dtEeers-11,6 Were in the San
room when I saw the• women there. I cannot say
whether Knight or any other officer was there. I did
not hear any noise on board the ship after I turned into
my hammock.
Cross. examined—Whilst the girls were in the gun-
room I heard one of them singing. The girls appeared
in good humour, and the one who was singing appeared
drunk.

Job Jackson, marine on board the Dauntless, was on
board the Victorious hulk, on the Sunday night in ques-
tion. I saw Mr. Knight in the gun-room, lying on the
table. He was sober, as far as I could perceive. This
was after Mr. Seymour had gone on deck and left the
ship. I can't say whether Mr. Knight was asleep or
awake. I did not see Mr. Woodman in the gun-room.
I did not see any one in his nightdress. I did not see
any dancing on board during my watch.
Witham Steadman, Esq., surgeon, living at Havant
—I was present at the coroner's inquest on deceased's
body. I examined the uterus and bladder. There was
a longitudinal rupture of the latter. I noticed a patch
of discoloration in the inside of the bladder, and to the
right of the rupture. This discoloration might have
resulted from violence. I pointed out the mark to the
medical men, and asked them how they could account
for it. Mr. Carter and Mr. Gray said the discoloration
had come on after death. If this was so, the discolora-
tion would be the result of decomposition, and if so, it
might still remain. There were no signs whatever of
any prior disease of the bladder.

By Mr. Parry—lt would be exceedingly difficult to
predicate anything from this discoloration. I agree
that it might have been caused by decomposition as well
as by a fall or blow.

By Mr. Parry—Whether it was myself, or the last
witness, or both, I am sure that some portion of her
dress was torn in lifting her from the bed.
The Mayor—Did you see the other man tear any part
of the dress ?

Witness—No, I did not pee him tear the dress ; but I
saw it was torn.

The Mayor—Then the tears might have been done
before you went to deceased ?
Witness—Yes. I heard deceased scream once or
twice as we were carrying her to the boat.
George Carr—l was steward of the Dauntless on
Sunday, the 17th ultimo. I remember two women
being brought on board the hulk by Mr. Knight. I
was in my berth during the night.
The witness hero asked the solicitor for the defence
who it was he was being examined by. He was informed
that it was Mr. Ford, the solicitor for the prosecution.
The Mayor inquired of the witness what object he
had in making such an inquiry. He was required there
to speak the truth, and it was of no consequence to him
who put the questions to him. It was his duty to speak
the truth, and he ought not to consider who it was that
endeavoured to elicit the truth. He (the Mayor) would
ask the witness if he had any particular reason for
making the inquiry.
Witness—l only wanted to know who it was that
was questioning me.
The Mayor repeated that he bad nothing to do with
such a matter. He had to speak the truth, and that
was all that was wanted from him.

resurnell.---D* nc, tg night I heard of
something falling, as it preverrtO be: I also heard a
noise of screaming and screeching. I was then in my
own berth. There are two or three cabins between Mr.
Knight's and amy cabin. When I first heard the screech-
ing Jt was about half-past one. I had not then turned
in. The second screeching I was asleep and awoke 1.7
it. On the first screeching I went into Mr. Knight's
cabin, and found deceased on the floor. Mr. Knight
was asleep on the mess-room table, and I awoke him,
and asked him to assist me iu placing deceased on the
bed. He did so. lam sure that Mr. Knight did not
drink more than two glasses of wine during this time.
The bench now, it being half-past one, adjourned till
four o'clock this afternoon.

At 4 o'clock the examination of the witness Carr was
resumed, and he detailed the removal of deceased from
the cabin to the boat. Occasionally as she was being re-
moved, she gave a screech. Her dress was open in front
and I was present when the doctor ordered it to be
opened. I cannot remember whether it was Dr. Heath
or Dr. Roche who ordered it to be opened. Mr. Knight
opened it in his cabin. I was present, as also one of the
doctors. This was very soon after shefainted. lam not
aware that any portion of her dress was removed at that
time. I remember Superintendent Harvey coming on
board. I did not give him anything, but I told him that
there were some in Lieutenant Knight's cabin. I re•
member deceased having a chain round her neck as she
lay on the deck. I took it from her neck and placed it
by her side. I was not at the inquest. I have seen
Emma White sincethe inquest. I called upon her at her
house to tell her of the inquest. There was nothing
in the bonnet that I am aware of when I took it down
to the boat.

Cross-examined by Mr. Parry—The table in the
gun-room is a long table, at which the officers mess.
Lieutenant Jervis's cabin is next to Mr. Knight's.
The bulkheads of the cabins are merely thin wooden
partitions separating one cabin from another. - The
wood is about half an inch thick. If any noise had
occurred Mr. Knight's cabin it must have been
heard by Lieutenant Jervis. Up to the time
the girls were singing they appeared merry and
to be enjoying themselves. When I saw deceased on
the floor of the gun-room Dr. Heath was feeling her
pulse. Mr. Knight and other officers were present, and
they all seemed to be paying her the greatest attention.
I made up a bed on the mess table with a great coat and
other things for Mr. Knight, because the deceased was
occupying his bed. When I saw her after she had fallen
from the bed for the first time, she appeared quite in-
sensible. At this time there was a three-cornered
wooden box, which it appeared to me the women had
drawn from under the bed t© sit upon, their being. only
one chair in the cabin. Mr. Harvey, the superinten-
dent of police, measured this box, and the width of the
cabin. Mr. Harvey made a most searching inquiry, and
received every information. I pointed out myself the
position of the box, and of the water jug, and how de-
ceased must have fallen out of the bed. When I saw
her, after she first fell, her head was near to the water
jug. Mr. Knight gave Mr. Harvey every possible in-
formation. On her first fall, her head was very near
the door. I cannot say whether it struck against the
door or not. On the second time I was roused between
3 and 4 o'clock in the morning, and she had then fallen
again. It then and throughout appeared to me that de-
ceased was in a state of beastly intoxication. (Disap-
probation from the gallery.)
Mr. Parry--You mean great intoxication.
Witness—Yes. The officers in lifting her to the bed used
the greatest care towards her. Mr. Knight, when he told
me to have her removed, told me he would pay any sum
to get her safely away. Mr. Knight was sober, but at
times excited at the woman screeching, and knowing it
was not a proper place for her to be, and also that the
chaplain had complained of it. The Dauntless had
come home from the Baltic. I was not then on board
her. I was on board Admiral Corry's ship the Neptune.
To my knowledge not an officer or man the whole time
the woman was on board ill-treated her ; not ono lifted
his hand in anger or pleasure. I did not see any quarrell
between any officer, and if any one had ill-treated e
or any officers had quarrelled, I must have known it,
The Rev. Stephen Jacobs, chaplain to the Dauntless
—Was on board on Sunday night, the 17th of Sept.,
when Mr. Knight came on board. I heard some
sonwomen
were alongside, and shortly after, bearing
some
foot-
steps, I retired to my cabin.
tu
subsequently
deck, and made a representation to thecommanding
officer on the subject. went on
on deck till two
o'clock, and then returned'reg my cabin. I puked
through the gun-room, but saw no one, as there was
I heard nothing of any se
no light in the gun-room. noise
after I turned into my ow
Mr, Seymour came on deck and
conversed with me for half n
an cabin.
hour.
B
reason_ for not going into the ca.
bin was
By Mr. Hoskins—
would not go whilst the women
were there. I heard no noises the whole night. I did
By the
that I
Court—My
not see any one in the gun-room when I went to my
cabin at two o'clock. I saw no one lying on the table.
William Sylvester Roche, assistant-surgeon of the
Dauntless, deposed to Mr. Knight bringing two women
on board at half-past ten on Sunday night, the 17th of
September. He corroborated the fact of the decanter of
wine being passed into the women after they had gone
into Mr. Knight's cabin. Brandy was then passed in,
after which one of the girls came out in the ward-room,
Mr. Knight having gone in and out several times. After
the girl had come in the gun-room, Mr. Woodman came to
his cabin door in his night dress. He afterwards danced
round the room. She afterwards laughed and talked with '
the O&M* ausi sublecimally balm faint, mid lewd