MR. MACDONALD CAMERON (Wick, &c.)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether an inquiry has been held into the questions raised at the recent inquest on the death of a sergeant of the 7th Hussars from suicide, as affecting the conduct of an Officer in that regiment; and, whether the result of such inquiry will be made public, and when?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)Yes, Sir; a searching inquiry has been held. After carefully reading the evidence I am satisfied that there are no grounds for the imputation of tyrannical conduct which the Coroner's jury thought fit to make against Lieutenant Carew. That officer, who has the character of being strict, but just, is entirely exonerated from the charge of having acted harshly towards the deceased. On the other hand, the evidence shows that the deceased was an inefficient sergeant, and that there were serious irregularities in his accounts. It is proved that he was addicted to drink, that he was in an irritable state of mind, and that not long before his death he complained of his head. The conclusion arrived at by the Military Authorities is that the suicide was the result of excitement caused by the unsatisfactory state of his accounts.