The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-07 00:00:00

MILITARY OUTRAGE AT CHATHAM.

The magistrates at Rocluster were engaged for
several hours on Wednesday in an investigation cons-
nected with a series of gross outrages committed
by a number of soldiers of the provisional battalion
belonging to the 27th Eaniskil ens and the 70th
Regiment. From the statements of a great num-
ber of witnesses it appeared that between 12 and
1 o'clock in the morning between 20 and 30 sol-
di rs entered a heerhouse called the True Briton,
at Chatham, and demande I to be supplied with
beer. The landlord, Hodge, refusing to give
them any without the money was set upon and
beat, in a most savage manner, about the head
and body with the pots. The troops then left the
house and proceeded to the East Kent Railway
works adjoining, where they procured a number of
heavy flint stones, with which they returned and
heat in the doors and windows, -severely injuring
the landlady. They then proceeded to at.other
putelic-house, called the Old Barn, where they
smashed the glaSses, bottles, and windows, and
severely assaulted the landlord. Nearly every
house at the lower end of High-street had either
the windows broken or the shutters smashed in.
Mr. J. White, brewer, who was passing through
Ihe street, was knocked down and had his head cut
in a fearful manner ; a man named Stevens was so
severely injured that far some time his life
was despaired of. On *the knowledge of
the otrrage coming to Colonel Eden, eteni-
mandant of the g irrison, several hundred soldiers
were sent out to scour the town and bring in every
soldier found in the streets. About 30 men were
apprehended and placed in the guardhouse. The
object of the soldiers in causing the outrage was to
prevent their embarking for India on the following
morning, but in this they were disappointed, as
the whole of the men, with the exception of four
who had taken a conspicuous part in the outrage,
were marched handcuffed from Chatham with their
regiments. The four prisoners examined before
the magistrates yesterday were Marshall, Shee, and
M'Ellish, 70th Regiment, and White, 27th Regi-
ment. After hearing the evidence the magic rates
decided on -committing them for trial on a charge
of riot.

Cross-examined—lt is no business of yours, Mr.
Lewis, if lam in love with Forty. lam so much
in love with Forty that ever since I have known
him 1 have received nothing but kindness, and
from my husband nothing but brutality. I have
never said I should never he easy till I got my
husband transported. I first became acquainted
with Forty the last night in the old year at the
Standard Theatre. I was living with my husband
at that time.

Mr. Lewis—When was the first time that
criminal intercourse took place between you and
Forty ?
Alderman Carter—l cannot allow her to answer
that question, as it must degrade, and perhaps
criminate herself.

Mr. Lewis—l am entitled to have every informa-
tion from this woman, in the event of her dying,
that I might have hereafter.
Caroline Cox—l shall not answer the question.
Mr. Lewis-SHave you ever had criminal inter-
course with Forty ?
Caroline Cox—Not until I left my husband's
house. I had no wedding-ring on when I left,
and I had not worn one for two years pre-
vious. I saw Forty several times before the
month of March. I met him at different places.
The prisoner did not know where I went when I
left his house, but he supposed I was going to live
with my daughter. I did no•. live with my daugh-
ter, but went,to 33, Edmund's-place, where Forty
was living. I lived with Forty as his housekeeper,
but the lodgers called me Mrs. Forty. I let
Forty on the Tuesday before the prisoner stabbed
me. Forty never knew that I was married until
about ten days before I left him, when Cox told
him, and that was the cause of our parting. On
the night we separated I denied that I was Cox's
wife, and went home at half-past three in the mor-
ning, accompanied by Forty, but he did not sleep
wsth me on either of the five following nights.
My daughter slept with me. He came one mor-
ning to give me some money, and went away
directly after. I did not send for Forty on 20th
of July, while I was at the dispensary, and I had
no idea of seeing him when I came out. When
we all went into the public-house we were good
friends.
Mr. Francis Wakefield Skey, one of the house
surgeons at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, stated
the ntture of the injuries which the woman and
the man Forty had received. Both were now free
from danger.
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Lewis—l know, sir, it will be useless for
me to address you upon this case, because it can-
not alter your de,erinination to commit this man
for trial, but I wish to know what will be the
charge against him.
Alderman Carter—l shall commit him upon the
charge of stAbbing Caroline Cox and William
Forty with intent to commit murder.
The prisoner was then cautioned in the usual
form, and asked if he had anything to say.
Prisoner—l only wish to say that I never had the
slightest intention to commit murder.
Committed for trial.

BOW-STREET.—William John Thompson, a
letter-carrier in the General Post-office, was charged
with stealing three letters containing money.
The pri4eleer, while engaged in sorting letters at
the General office, was observed to manipulate them
in a suspicious way as they passed through his hands,
as if endeavouring to ascertain whether they con-
tained money. On three occasions he slipped a
letter up the sleeve of his coat, and then retired,
with his arm upwards,
_pretending to adjust his
necktie. He was-stopped, conducted into a private
room, and examined, the letter being found in his
sleeve. His defence before the magistrate was that
the letters got there without his knowledge.
The three letters were opened in court, and were
found to contain small remittances, addressed to
persons in the country, one of them beteg to a
soldier. Mr. Peacock, the Post-office Solicitor,
undertook that they should be duly forwarded.
In the prisoner's pocket was also found a very
interesting and ably written pamphlet or tract, en-
tilfd "A Double-knock at the Postman's Con-
sc'ence," in which the Rev. Mr. Davis, the
chaplain of Newgate, had describe I the misery
inflicted on wives, relatives, aed child, en by Post
office robberies, the temptation to which wbstraced
chiefly to the poverty brought about by the habits
ofdrinking and betting. The postm ,n was reminded
of the advantages he enjoyed over many
othor workers, for, if honest, he was universally
respected and liked, and everyone was ready to do
him a service.
Mr. Sculthorpe said the rev. gentleman had
circu'ated many hundreds of these pamphlets
emong the letter-carriers of the metropolis ;
, fortunately they had produced no effect up ,n the
prisoner, for he had devoted himself 'to the tuff,
and nine or ten betting-office tickets were found at
his hour
you read the
n—yriouadr pockehour:'.pamM:m.
eHtewnirrich(tvroasprfiosuennderi
Prisoner—Yee,
Mr. Henry—l am sure the publication reflects
credit on
great sir.
Mr. Davis, and I only regret that
his excellent remonstrance was lost upon you.
Mr. Peacock said he should require a remand,

Prices :—Wheat, red, 50s Od to 61s Od; now, —s to —a ;
white, 60i 0,1 to 63s Od, extra, 655. Barley, 40a Od to 41s
01. Oat- 25s to 31s. Peas, 40- to 44s Od. Beaus, 470
Od to 50s Od per qr.

NEWARK-AUG. 5.

A thin attendance and a middling supply of wheat,
which experienced a heavy esle, at about last week'.
prices.

Wheat, white 63s to 66s' red 60s to 635; barley, maltieg
—s to --s, grinding 35s to 365; oats, 24st. 34s to 365, 22st,
31s to 335; beans, 4is to 523; malt, 73s to 78s; peas, 46,
to 48s ; tares, —s to —s per qr.
New white wheat 67s to 70s; new red, 64s to 665.