EXTRAORDINARY COURT MARTIAL.

Evening Post, Issue 226, 28 October 1865, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY COURT MARTIAL.

A Court-martial on board her Majesty's ship Defence, lying in Portland-roads, tried Lieutenant Denny, of her Majesty's ship Hector, who was charged by his commanding officer, Captain Preedy, with going on shore in plain clothes, on the 29th of July, contrary to orders, and also with being drunk at a cricket-mutch in Kingston-park, near Dorchester, the same day. Captain Hornby, of her Majesty's ship Edgar, and Captain Lord Kcrr. of tier Majesty's ship Black Prince, said they were in Kingston-park, on July 29th, at a cricket-match, and saw prisoner there in plain clothes, and drunk. Neither of them spoke to him. Lieutenant Scott judged from the way prisoner was riding towards the park that he was drunk ; and Captain Preedy deposed to refusing prisoner permission to go ashore in plain clothes on the day in question. Prisoner said that having been refuted permission to go ashore in plain clothes lie went in uniform. Several hours after, being about to ride fourteen or fifteen miles into the country, he took, off his uniform and put on plain clothes. He did so because riding on horseback in naval uniform would have made him appear conspicuous in the eyes of the public. He flatly denied the charge of drunkenness. On the way from Dorohester to Kingston-park he was told that if he crossed a certain place it would lead him to the park. In jumping his horse across the place, he wis thrown, and fell heavily on his head and shoulder. He got upon the horse and rode to the cricket field. He there told Lieutenant Campbell what had occurred, and that officer assisted him to take off one sleeve of his coat, and bind a handkerchief round his shoulder. The pain brought pn faintness, an.d he lay down, or the /greeif-.

, award. Soon after, Captain Lord Eerr and Capt. Hornby passed him, bat did not speak. A few minutes later Lieutenant Campbell came and told him that Lord Kerr and Capt. Hornby had ordered him to get him (Lieut. Denny) off the ground. He immediately rode off to Dorchester. His appearance was caused entirely by the fall, and not by drinking. Several witnesses concurred in expressing their opinion that prisoner was not drunk. Hehad.it appeared, drunk three glasses of wine and three glasses of beer during the day. Messrs. Hoggins and Johnson, naval surgeons, agreed in saying that a severe fall from a horse was calculated to produce nausea and faint my*. The latter gentleman, bearing of-the accident, visited prisoner. He was in bed, and did not present the appearance of a man who had been drunk. The Court was then closed for a short time. On resuming the President announced, to the evident surprise of all present, that the Court considered the charges fully proved, found the prisoner guilty, and sentenced him to be dismissed from the service.