§ DR. BOWRINGI understand, Sir, that the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary at War is now in a condition to give an answer to the question of which I have given notice of my intention to put this evening to him. It is, Sir, whether his attention have been called to a case in which death is alleged to have been lately caused by the infliction of military flogging. As I do not wish to anticipate his answer or his statement by any reference to newspaper reports, I will merely put the question, with the addition of "whether any steps have been taken by him in consequence?"
§ MR. FOX MAULEWith reference to this question, I have in the first place, Sir, to say that I am very glad my hon. Friend has used the word "alleged," and that he said "death is alleged to have been caused." For I must say that the entire proceeding, no doubt from misinformation, has been mis-stated, and the public have been exceedingly misled by the newspapers. This unfortunate man, Frederick White, of the 7th Hussars, was guilty of a most violent and insubordinate act. He struck a non-commissioned officer, who was in the performance of his duty, with a 1303 heavy poker; and the man would have been most severely injured, if not killed, by the blow, had he caught it otherwise than he had. As it was he was knocked down. For this crime Frederick White was, on the 10th of June, tried by a district court-martial, and sentenced to receive the military punishment of 150 lashes. That sentence was confirmed by his Grace the Commander-in-Chief, and on the 15th of June it was carried into effect. I must state here that it is the practice in the army, whenever a soldier is sentenced to receive punishment by a court-martial, before it is carried into effect, to have a certificate from the surgeon of the regiment certifying that the man so sentenced is in a fit state to undergo the punishment; and that certificate accompanied the sentence upon this occasion. On the 15th of June, in the presence of the regiment, the punishment was carried into effect in the usual manner. And so far from there having been any interference by the surgeon of the regiment to take the man down, and a refusal to do so by the commanding officer, there was no interference of any kind whatsoever. After the punishment had been inflicted, the man was taken down and removed to the hospital in the usual manner, where he was regularly visited by the surgeon every day. He remained in hospital so long as to be declared fit for duty again, and he was actually so far recovered as to be doing fatigue duty in the hospital, when Colonel Whyte inquired of the surgeon regarding him. On the 10th of July, however, Colonel Whyte received information that the man was dangerously ill. Under all the circumstances, he thought it desirable that Mr. Warren, the surgeon, should report the man's illness, so that additional advice might be obtained if necessary; but, unfortunately, before any additional advice could be obtained, the man, on the 11th of July, died. A post mortem examination took place, at which two other surgeons, sent down by the Horse Guards, in addition to Dr. Warren, assisted, and the report made upon that post mortem examination was to the effect that the punishment had nothing to do with the cause of the man's death. I understand, further, that the medical officer appointed by the coroner's inquisition—appointed, in fact, by the coroner himself to look into the case—has come to the same resolution. I will add this much to my reply, that as the public have been very much horrified by the report that a large piece of skin had been re- 1304 moved from the man's back by the flogging, it may be necessary to mention that that piece of skin was removed after death, by surgical operation, for the purpose of examining whether the punishment inflicted had been in any way the cause of death. The case is this day again before the coroner, where these matters will be proved; but I have stated enough to show that there has been great exaggeration in this case, and that it would be well if those who take upon themselves to report these cases to the public, would make themselves more thoroughly acquainted with, and informed upon the facts before they alarmed the public mind by their reports.