The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-27 00:00:00

ALLEGE) DEATH BY FLOGGI.2',G

,r 4 AT HOIJNSLOW._(r HIS DAY.)
1,4,_ 'inquest on the body of Frederick White, the soldier
ii,"t7 death is alleged to have been caused by being severely
ojoged, was resumed be:ore Mr.•Wakley' shortly before ten
sk
athis morning, at the George the. Fourth, Hounslow
t'''. The inquest room IV4S crowded to excess, and the
Ere
. iaterest was evinced in the proceedings. Mr. Clark,
11... tr to the magistrates, was present to watch the pro-
v6,;lkings on the part of the regiment.
first witness called was James Elsworth, a private in the regiment
of the 7th Hussars, who stated that the de-
ceased
was more sober than other men in the regiment.
wlice'e he
intoxicated on the night he struck the sergeant,
e Saw him strike him with a poker. Had known
the e since his arrival with the regiment from America. At
deetotrirae the deceased was flogged for the offence the
8,„ and the colonel stood on the right of White. The
luhinot, aat stood between them. The men stood in a half-square.
th-r 7 distance of •
the adjutant from the Colonel was about
tit:',3-ards; he stood between the Colonel and the doctor.
(111,1'u was flowing when the Adjutant told Evans to do his
xeir Had seen men flogged in the same regiment before.
84W Evans flog before; had seen Critic:a flog twice
helbrer
40de•ri !Lid seen two other men flog before ; Gadhead and
the
'la 1 flogged before. Had seen three men flogged in
's
dee. 'r ale regiment, at all of which the same Adjutant and
one_ were present. The Colonel was only at one of these.
of the men was sentenced to receive 100 lashes, but he
reeeiY received 75 ; in the second, the man was sentenced to
Way the
150, but only 50 were given; in the third case, 150
the ee sentence, but the man only received 50. The reason
fef, did not get the whole number was because they had suf.
.
e_ltra corporeal punishment before, and they were forgiven the
the „.'onoer by the Commander-in-Chief. Warren anal
the iii9dant were at the two last. Colonel tVliyte was at
punish case, and at the least Ido not consider t.hat. the
tie 11 meat inflicted on others was so severe as that inflicted
fiev , For instance, a man named Ogar, who was
helet ,as much in America, received 75 lashes, and was only
the uospital or riding with the bagage one day ; the
sieve uaY he returned to his duty, and- continued at it ever
the ,• More blood flowed from the back of White than from
11•11', of this man at the 75th lash. The blows struck on
toperman.
s back were harder, in my opinion, than those on the
to lnean• I made no remark when the Adjutant told Evans
ranketri , hatter, as we are not allowed to speak whilst in the
he 8 but Lane one, who Ido not recollect, nudged mehen
mad this oh-ervdtion. The " cats," two of which,` ere
hatarieele inflicting punishment on White, had dark coloured
kattlia The same occurred in the third case. In
ittook wson's case the handles were dark. The bloat
the 8_ on Illatthewson and White were much the same, as
e farriers flogged. The Adjutant, before the 100th
bici as struck, told Evans a second time to do his duty.
‘
The hear any one tell the Adjutant to give the or ter.
Iliands are tied up to a ladder when a malls fitoigge. de.
feet are tied to the ladder also. He cot.uo,.onione.ntaris;
Were /vbilm, or, commonly speaking,. the
brought bto the room by the directioncaofthe Coroner.
7rt
.. el the thaige of all of them were stained with blood). _
.eir, aIi.LEY—Do you see any difference in the thongs
"e'd from. the others ? Witness. Yes, I 'think the two
17"carA are thicker and stroner. I have not heard anything
th,1,11 the authorities of the regiment about the evidence...en here.
con reply to a question from Mr. Clark (put through the
‘°fier), he stated he had deserted twice. He deserted be-
-1-lase he was punished. Could. recollect being punished
iven times. Had been five years in the regiment last
e'Pril. My name has not appeared in the " Regiment De-
gutters Book" since October, 1844.
Mr. WAKLEY—Have there been any desertions in the
regiment? Witness—Yes, a great many; many have de-
serted oftener than I have. I have been recommended for
promotion by Colonel Whyte for good conduct.
The CORONER here intimated that there was great difficulty
atnusconfining an investigation of this nature within legitimate
. He was anxious to do this, but yet at the same
ie
real n% it was necessary to go at great length in order that the
cause of the man's death might be ascertained, and re-
presentations made to the proper quarter.
katthewson was then called in, and stated, in reply to the
eel.°
f ner, that he was confined within barracks at that time
„°e
or misconduct ;he had not received any punishment
On account of the evidence given before him.
_•
WAKLEY—If you do receive any punishment on ac-
k'its.,,t of the evidence given here, take care to let me know
~„y4itness—Yes, sir.
WAELEY intimated that he should not call
141 the colonel, doctor, or adjutant, but they were
ttle,eet,l3' at liberty to come there, and make any statement
areil,(lnunght proper, but in the event of their doing so, it
e be taken as evidence.
14: brother of the deceased stated that he wished to put
bas bquestions to Sergeant Potter, as to the treatment of
4:other in the hospital.
of el; Clark then proposed to call Dr. Warren, the surgeon
r!ginient, but,
eAtie 1Y Altexe said he could not receive Dr. Warren, in
41041:nee of the position he held. He could take a state-
find ~-,!night choose to make as evidence, but he might
-,ekessary to go at greater length into the case, and
ii:,eo"ether the punishment was legal or not.
The ark still p eeed to call Dr. Warren.
leLtlietl: Dr. S.rTsrimmer,Vicar of Heston parish, stated
hi's to Oday, the 13th, a Sergeant Major of the regiment,,
th.eltl wi's and said he wished to see the sexton. Ile told
seer:as the clergyman, and inquired his business with
he
1,•,11. He replied, he wished to see him respecting
,„"ge of a soldier, which was to take place at
l'etclaye-sil, churchyard at four o'clock on the following Wed-
inqucred the cause of the soldier's death. He
'at 8 a liver complaint. Asked him if it was true that
bee Ili (her had been recently flogged. He replie he had
'Ware °gged about five weeks before. Asked him if he was
Abronr, ti,at reports respecting the death of the man. were
Nee 1-10 said he was. Told him, under all the circum-
espreem, lie wished him to go to his commanding officer and
hiasshllis (the rev. gentleman's) opinion, that previ.ously
!uould'iseing called upon to perform the funeral servlce he
still h-„"ave the authority of the Coroner for his burial. He
nieetir,severed and fixed the funeral any? time
lhad
(,)bt Told him he could not fix time unti he
bat). h`: further information respecting the man's death, and
a;s" should expect a communication from the barracks.
nine-4,ad at home the whole of that day, and until about.
ni.6'Quek the next morning, but received no communica-
te
est'treui the barracks up to that time, as he had. a meeting
ain V 11,41 at Brentford at ten o'clock that mi rning. He was
letter- olaLts• Before going he felt it his duty to addressba
llandstole', Coroner on the subject, which he placed inbt e
~,ged 'At Lawrence, the inspector at Brentford,._ and
to etge
;Jerotie-1, to forward it with the least possible delay h
-torn kßeturned home, when I received. a communication
e
barracks. (The letter the witness addressed to the
tailed of the regiment was here lead, and simply dVards ""at is stated at length in his evidence.) after-
thatreceived a communication from the barracks, stating.h
tiiisovicmao had died from disease of the heart, which
from
Item; L. Le
Alarse of the lungs.
strange, as the surgeon had stated that he died fr
wis, the registrar of the district, residing at Ilslee-r
e stated that on the morning of the 14th inst. a so di
desthle 7th Hussars came to him to register the
At th of White. He stated he was not. present
6 death • •
Lot bof his comrade. He also said lie had
si in attendance upon him previous to his death. Told
fiep could not grant him a certificate unless some person
sh,„:,c, hi—
el who was present at his death, and that he
aayvirid also require a surgeon's certificate. He went
away
'Niel! he Would send the hospital sergeant. Told him to be
Ivere i,,as he wanted to go out. He never told him that they
the „,-4 a hurry too at the barracks, as they wanted to bury
e'clo-ein at twelve o'clock. Sergeant Potter came at ten
react. with a certificate, which the witness produced ande
age, It stated that White was twenty-sixf
years
It
that he died from inflammation of the heart.
714 II signed " Samuel Warren, Surgeon to the.
Less':`ussars." Some women, who were at work at wit-
bethat he "use at the time, exclaimed, on seeing the sergeant,
had com to register the death of the man who had
biro e-
%flagged toe death." He had some conversation with
1ve,."1 which he stated that the man was flogged about five
Ask 's before, but that he was well again in a foitnight.'
to hrl,, him his private opinion of flogging, when he stated,
11111;: surprise, that he considered it could not be done away
the, Considered that he had fulfilled the instructions of
ejitegistrar-office. Did not go to the barracks; but if a
T
ar case occurred again, he should certainly go to them.
ti as not required by his instructions to visit the place where
Person died.
. .
tli.e7ebriaernrt,acthz constable of the district, deposed to visiting
at the request of Mr. Pownall, a magistrate,
Zere he saw Dr, Warren, who stated that there was no ne-
ssity for an inquest as the man died from pleurisy of the
hart, Did not see the body.
tAit•WAxLxv said the witness ought to have gone and
een the body. This was necessary when it was believed
Mat a person had died from violence. Whenever there was
‘tlliskielination to show a body depend upon it there was some-
thing suspicious.
WAKLEY here intimated that Colonel Whyte, Dr.
warren, and the Adjutant might come into the room if they
thought proper.
They g vaited themselves of the offer.
'Richard Evans, the farrier, one of the men who inflicted
the punishment, was then called and examined—lie said he
was present at the punishment of White. Received no in-
structiens as to how he was to be flogged. Was informed by
Critten that White was to be punished, and was em -
Disloyeedr as one of the men. It was usual for the
He was senior farrier, and it was his duty
t° d°
silo to flog.Recived orders to go to the Riding-school by
eritten, and from his Sergeant, Harris, and Sergeant-Major
butt
of
.ot the " squad." When he first went in, the men ha. d
med. He and Crit ten tied White with the same cores.
ener,'-',ul not think the ladder had been used before. His feet
1,-;,",i,"ands were tied. First saw " cats" on the floor of the
e-r`„•,ng-school ; they were brought in, in a bag, by Critten.
the let used the cat first, and when he had done, he handed
aria to witness, and he used it. (The cats were produced,
atateVl Witness selected a light-handled one, which he
, kr, 'et, the one with which he inflicted the punishment.)
4"LEYTake it in 'our4 hand, squeeze the ends be-
the odeur fingers and see it they are stronger than those on
diff 61.• Witness (after examining it), No; there is no
eres,e
testle Witeety—Did any one say anything to you? Wit
zati---ilTuhtey..,:sdjutant said "go on," after the first 25 lashes,
en It came to my turn, I was certain
.no one said " Do
No complaint was made against him that he
Aid not strike hard enough, or that lie struck too hard.
dterPeAoinnrrg'de‘:rVtitiklLEY—llow hard do you strike? Witness—That
it an upon the strength of the man. Some are
orders _
AKLIY—DO you mean to say that you receive no
Witne,esand that you may strike light or hard asa you please?
reel, Wet that he received no orders a to how the
eel° to be punished.
menWneel be
said, no order was given as to how the
to be flogged.
WateetY declined to examine the witness
.further, and
that ','_ered that he was in a perilous position, as it appeared
Th lie was at liberty to punish the man as bethought proper.
it..rea,lter must be further investigated.
took';,‘,-;lark then called Dr. J. L. 44 arren, who stated that he
11°411".(1).8..temesedaietaltlideigEdnit3in„.burgh University, and that he
eeitera WAKLEY informed Dr. Warren that he was not cotn-
atate make any statement, and that whatever he did
br:eglit or might not he used against him.
Stat,_ Warren said, he was quite ready to make his
bi,`".?,r.it irrespective of the consequences.
At te I.Y l''ren then went on to state that he was not present
endless r',,al of' White, but that he examined him carefully,
zietinlal,..ttht he. was in a fit state to undergo
usual in
''"„e ltritiZ, Imprisonment, or otherwise. It was usual in
ceepe;", array for a surgeon to be present at the infliction
clol al Putlyhment
re h ,3t •
artieiel We explained that the sentence of the court-
Patiied I,'"ua transmitted to the Commander-in. Chief, accom-
,o a certificate stating that the man was in a fit state
oc`artg.ecluienrintialleviaita.keltt afterwards went to the Judge-
p as part of the record.
..
la continued—A. seregant took the certificate