The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-25 00:00:00

A CHARGE MADE BY A FRIEND.

The following appears in an evening paper :—" An
occurrence took place at Dungarvan the other day which
deserves strict attention. One Dr. Sally, a Roman
Catholic priest, who is a warm supporter of Serjeant
Barry, is reported to have declared that it was `a
hellish lie got up from the lowest pits' to say that Serjeant
Barry prosecuted the Fenian. As Serjeant Barry most
undeniably was counsel for the Crown on many accasions,
this assertion seemed a bold one ; and accordingly
Dr. Hally explained it by saying, in language
much too flowery and emphatic to be repeated
at length, that Serjeant Barry accepted the brief
in question by Dr. Hally's advice, in order that the
accused might not be prosecuted by " an Orange barrister,"
in which case " not one at all would escape," whereas if
Serjeant Barry held the brief he would be " more the
advocate than the prosecutor." We cannot for a moment
believe that a serjeant-at-law and a member of Parliament
has been guilty of such disgraceful treachery to his profes-
sion and to the Government as is imputed by Dr. Hally to
Serjeant Barry. If hehad been, no professional punishment
could be too severe forhim ; but when such a charge is made
in such a manner, when an attempt is made to secure for
Serjeant Barry a seat in Parliament by claiming for him
as a merit treachery to the Crown in his professional
capacity, he is surely called upon to disavow so disgraceful
a compliment, and to deny with the utmost publicity the
charge which it implies.

,FREAKS OF A DRUNKEN CAPTAIN.

An extraordinary charge of drunkenness, preferred
against Charles Adam Strachan, late master of the barque
Castlehow, has been investigated at Liverpool. The vessel
sailed from London in March 1867, for a voyage to Val-
paraiso, and after trading between that place and
Monte Video and San Antonios, returned to Liverpool
in August of this year. During that time the captain
appears to have been drunk whenever he could get at
spirits, and he had frequent attacks of "the horrors,"
during which he threw an iron belaying-pin on one occasion
at the head of his second mate and nearly killed him, and
on another occasion he jumped overboard one Sunday night,
and was with difficulty rescued. He used to go ashore and
live in a state of drunkenness at an hotel until found and
taken to the ship again. Once he got into the
hands of the police, but escaped. At one place
the vessel was detained a month because the
captain was " spreeing" ashore. At Valparaiso he
had to be put into the hospital, as ho was suffering
from delirium tremens. In his fits of inebriety the ship
had to be sailed and taken charge of by the first mate.
Curiously enough, when no spirits were to be had the
captain was an excellent sailor, and all that a master need
be. On the voyage home to Liverpool he behaved
steadily, but that was owing to the firmness of the
mate, who threatened to break the bottles if any spirits
were brought on board. When the ship arrived in Liver-
pool the master broke out again, and left the ship to take
care of herself. The board decided that the only course
they could take was to cancel his master's certificate
;_teget.r, and this was accordingly done.