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Leader (1850-1860), 19th April 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 6, 3fjg, T H E L. E A D E g. |- Np. 317> Sa...

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      The Crimean Board Of Inquiry. Loud Iajoa...

      rej ^ ed ' to-tfcat-qrrestioir specifically , and my reply is sasily , explained ; It refers not only to that particular elate * , the li & fcb ; off November , but to the general measures adopted for tie shelter of cavalry when it was known that we were going to -winter in the Crimea . " Considerable discussion between Colonel Tulloch and Oeneral Airey then ensued with respect to this discrepancy ; and the latter added : — " The circumstances abated in my reply go over the whole period after it -was ascertained thai the cavalry were to ¦ winter in the © rimea , and in that reply to the Commissioners I have stated generally what was done for tihe , shelter of the cavaJty after it was bo decided . If , hjawever , you look to the very last answer I gave to the Commissioners , you will find I expressed my regret that their indisposition prevented them from examining me personally . ] From the great amount of business which devolved on the

      Quartermaster-OSteneraL I was obliged to make the most of my time and answer as rapidly as I could their general questions . " Being asked why he did not explain ffifa to the Commissioner , h « answered : — " I really did not imagine that the object of the Commissioners \? as anything but to get general information on general subjects . The time of the Quartermaster-General of an army in the field is not his own for five minutes at a time , either day or night . I was extremely pressed ; and * as I say , not imagining that ¦ ijBis ! , inquiry was to take any particular direction beyond obtaining general information , I gave a general answer to the Commissioners * questions . " He admitted that several weeke passed before he could

      Jfply to the written questions of the Commisaioners ; and that at length ie did so in consequence Of a telegraphic despatch from Lord P * nmure He i "had iip notion of iihe leaning of the CommiBsJoaers . and of their intention to implicate any one , " " ¦ E > id Eotthe Commissioners personally attend at , youa ? head quarters on three successive days ?" asked Colonel Tulloeh ; to which General Airey x ^ p liedV " As no personal examination took place , that attendance was null and void as -to information . " Tchis , it appeared , was owing- to the General being imable , from press of business , to see the Commissioners . He further stated ^ tliat he " thought it was an . error" that the Commissioners did not go into further eviden

      ce on the spot . " The greatest proof that further evidence could have been taken is that here you are every moment eliciting additional information—Ifmore specific information had been required from him , the Commissioners knew where to find him , both in the Crimea and a . t London . " He thought Lord Lttcan had done the best he could , considering the great scarcity of labour , and that no ¦ bla me was attachable to any one . To have made canvas Stabling on the plateau would , in his opinion , have bee n injudiciou ¦] ; and , as regarded the suggestions of Mr . Bracebiidge > " with the utmost respect for that gentleman , he did not think his evidence worth , anything , " as be was a civilian , and did not arrive in the Crimea until May 1855 .

      , ; Some further particulai's having been given in , the Board adjourned till Wednesday . On that day , the examination of Sir Bichard Airey was resumed , but no further particulars of importance were elicited . Colonel Gordon was then called , but his evidence was brief . He said he remembered that the Commissioners had made a note that Lord Lxicaai had been directed to erect stables on the 12 th of USTovember , and that an engineer officer was place d at his disposal for the . purpose . Ho information was given to the CommisBionwB that this order had never been carried out , because they had not asked for it . ( A

      Zcwgh , ) No explanation was offered that , although the order was given on tho 12 th . of November , the ground was not broken until tlie middle of the following month , in consequence of the -want of tools , < jf materials , and of labour . Tho next witness was Oolojqel Yorke , who explained that , although a return dated October 1 st , 1854 , ami signed by the Colonel , professed to show the strength of the horses at Balalclava on that day , it was not signed by him until eome days after the 1 st , and the portion of tho Pmgoona ha commanded did nob arrive till the 5 th , though they were inoluded in tho return dated on the 1 st .

      Iioid Luoan was then examined by Colonel Tullooh , He ; asserted that the returns of several officers with respect to tho cavnlry wero incorrect . With respect to a charge of " oaajlignity" made against ;/ the ComwfiBsioriera by Lord Lucan , his Lordship said , in answer to a question , "I suppose the object of this examination ia to show that there vma no * malignity ' m 13 x 0 parfc of the Commissioners . I am glad to havo WM . opportunity of saying , if it is necessary to do so , WHfcl * 6 grot hawing asserted anything of tho sorb ; ttutilmuat add tlue , that I was led to conooive bo ftionv ^ eriambJ ^ uity whiolx . those gentlomon ahowod UX . arawing \ m tUe raporb , and the extraordinary inaflowraoy of , th-qu ? figures . " Ho imbsequently ob-«» OTea , ;^ " Hftvin road the iuafcruotione to tho fconjwisBxonera most qavefaUy aud repeatedly , I have ? i ?« t I ° 2 eftyin K tllat * beli « v ^ the object of We-feMtanKitiMKi waa to . confine , the inquiry into oommizfumri supplies , and that you very muoh

      exceeded your duty when you went beyond it . " ( Laughter . ) A few more questions and answers concluded the examination for that day . On Thursday , Mr . Commissary-General Filder was examined , and , having expressed his anxiety to make a short statement in connexion -with some observations made on a previous day by Lord Lucan , entered into various details to prove that he had done his utmost to supply the horses with forage . Lord Lucan , on the other hand , asserted that there was a deficiency , but he admitted that Mr . Filder did not seem to be blameable . He thought the Admiralty , and not Mr . Filder , was to blame for the delay and

      confusion at Balaklava . Still , it certainly appeared from the statement of Mr . Fiider that the reduced allowance of rations in the Crimea received the sanction of Lord Raglan ; but , nevertheless , Lord Eaglan had told him ( Lord Lucan ) that Mr . Filder had made the reduction without his consent . Mr . Filder admitted that there was a difference between the amount of rations delivered and that demanded , and acknowledged as received ; but this was exceptional . Some letters written by himself were put in by Lord Lucan , to show that he repeatedly called the attention of the Quartermaster-General to the want of forage .

      A conversation then ensued between Lord Lucan and Colonel Tulloch , in the course of wbioh the latterstated that he bad received a letter from the War Office expressing the satisfaction of the Government with the Commissioners' report , and their determination , to support the Commissioners in all respects , s hoiild their conduct be impugned . The Board then adjourned tiU Friday .

      3fjg, T H E L. E A D E G. |- Np. 317> Sa...

      3 fjg , T H E L . E A D E g . | - Np . 317 > Saturday ,

      The True Romance Of Rookwood. The Events...

      THE TRUE ROMANCE OF ROOKWOOD . The events in the well-known romance of Rookwood are hardly more strange and wild than the actual circumstances in the life of Mrs . Kelly , the lady of Rookwood House , Gal way , whdse assassination in the course of last week has startled and horrified the whole of Ireland . Mrs . Kelly was an English-woman , the daughter of an inn-keeper , named Birch , residing at Broadstairs , Kent .. Fifty years ago , when she was a girl of extraordinai ' y beauty , she attracted the notice of a young Irishman named Meredyth , the heir of a handsome estate and of ; . a baronetcy . She was induced to fly with him to Ireland , where , after the birth of an infant , she was deserted by her former admirer in so heartless a manner that , on bringing an action for seduction in 1817 ; at Dublin , the jury awarded , £ 3 , 000 damages . After this , Sarah Birch lived the kind of life which commonly results from the first fatal error , until , getting acquainted with , a Mr . Edmund Kelly , a solicitor and land agent , and a man of enormous property , she became his housekeeper , and . subsequently , as it would seem , liis wife . The marriage , however ,, was kept secret ; but the housekeeper devoted herself with the greatest assiduity to soothing the old millionnaire ' s passage to the grave . Mr . Kelly was eccentric and imbecile , almost to the extent of insanity ; and " strange stories , " says a Dublin paper , " are told of his last days ; how the idea haunted him that he should die of hunger : and

      how his watchful mistress , wife , uurse , or gaolerwhichsoever Bhe was—had his bedroom hung round with eatables of every description . There were also stories of a death-bed marriage , and a death-bed will ; but how much of this was truth , and how much fable , can never be satisfactorily ascertained . Mr . Kelly died ; Mias Birch claimed tho recognition of her position as his widow , and produced a will entitling her to all the property , real and personal , of the late owner of Rookwood House . " Mr . Kelly ' s nearest relative , an elderly maiden lady , named Thewles , disputed tho validity of this will , and obtained a verdict in her favour ; but this was afterwards set aside by the late Chancellor Blaokburno .

      Being now in quiet possession of the estate , Mrs . Kelly took a Iiotibo in the Belgravia of Dublin , Merrion-square , and lived in great magnificence . A new disturbance of her repoao , however , speedily appeared . A poor looking woman , with two children , called ono day at her house , and requested tho footman to tnko a noto to his mistreBH , This was done ; but no answer was returned . She called again and again , with no bettor eucceafl . This -woman was no other than a daughter of Edmund Kelly by a former , wife . The girl liad been sent away in her childhood to England ; hud been expensively educator ! at Clifton , and

      afterwarde at Bath ; had married , a profligate scoundrel , who abandoned her with two children ; had again married ; and , hearing of her father ' s death and of tho strange circu mstance s ensuing on that event , liod gone to Publin to solicit Bomo assistance ( for she ¦ waa poor ) from Mrs . Kelly . The hope , however , was vain . A Mr . George Birch , tho confidential solicitor of Mrs . Kelly , and her nephew , according to her own account , but , as rumour reported , a still nearer relative , told Mrs . Morton ( Kelly's daughter ) that Mrs . Kelly would do nothing for- her , but that ho would . He made dishonourable proposals to her , followed by an attempt that induced hoy husband to bring un ,

      action for assault , by which he obtained £ 200 damages and sixpence costs , against Mr . Birch . ' " The wealth of Edmund Kelly , " says the Dublin paper from which we derive these facts , " seemed never to rest . ' Mrs . Kelly drove up in great haste one day to a police office in the city , amd applied for a warrant against her nephew , George Birch , who had absconded with £ 200 , 000 . Hewas arrested on board a steamer , leaving England for the continent , but , on being brought back , not onl y stood his trial , ' but challenged a prosecution . If one was pressed , we helieve : matters were settled . The last appearance of Mrs . Kelly in the law courts was as defendant , sued by the police sergeant who arrested Mr . Birch , for the reward of £ 500 which , it was alleged , she had offered . Since then , she has resided principally on her estates in Gal-way , where she has been assassinated . "

      The remains of Mrs . Kelly have been buried in . KenBal Green Cemetery , London . Three men are in custody in Ireland , under suspicion of being concerned in the murder—a Mr . Strivens and four tenants .

      Ireland. Tee Athlone Election Has Termin...

      IRELAND . Tee Athlone Election has terminated in the election of the Hon . Captain Hancock , son of Lord Castlemaine . The new member is a Derbyite . Thj : Murder op Miss Hiuds . —James Murphy , a tenant of this unfortunate lady , has been found Guilty of murdering her ; and Thomas Dunn has been convicted of conspiring to procure the assassination . They were both sentenced to death . Some of the accomplices turned Queen ' s evidence . Red Pat Bannon , the other man engaged in the actual murder , has escaped , it is supposed , to America . Pa-TBIgk Lau > b ., Esq ., J . P ., of Tinakill , formerly M . P . for the Queen ' s County , and well known for the active part he took in the anti-tithe , Kepeal , and Tenant-right agitations , died on Thursday week , at the age of seventy . .

      Me . Justice Keogh . — -The Right Hon . William Kepgh . has been sworn in before the Lord Chancellor as one of her Majesty ' s Justices for the Court of Common Pleas . He is remarkably young for a judge , being only thirty-nine . . Mr . James M . Knighting has "been committed for trial on the charge of forgery detailed iu our last week ' s paper , and on another which , had reference to a transfer of railway shares .

      The Obient. Indza. The Settlement Of The...

      THE OBIENT . INDZA . The settlement of the annexed territory of Oude is proceeding rapidly and in perfect tranquillity . The Santals are quietj and the fear of au outbreak at Rajpootana has passed . Lord Canning arrived at Calcutta on the 29 th of February , and was at once sworn in . The address of the inhabitants of Calcutta to Lord Dalhousie -was presented on the 5 th of March ; and , though fo-iut and weak with work and illness , his Lordship read a rather long reply . In this he remarked that the approving voices of those around him . made " amends for the toilB and cares , the injustice and ill-will , which form the burden that must be borne by every man who serves the State . "

      Alluding to the present condition of India , observed that " no prudent man having any knowledge of Indian affairs would venture to predict a prolonged continuation of peace in India ; . ' ... but we seem to have every reasonable ground for believing that tranquillity within and without is likely now to prevail in India ! Referring to himself , ho said : — " Nearly thirteen years have passed away since first I entered the service of the Crown . Through all those years , with but ono short interval , public employment of the heaviest responsibility and labour has been imposed upon me . I am wearied and worn , and have no other thought or wish than to seek tho retiremont of which 1 stand iu nood , and which is all I now am fit for . "

      His lordship quitted Governmonfc-houflo on tho Oth of Maroh , and wne attended to tho landing- place by several ladies and gentlemen , many of whom wore much affected . He arrived at Suez on tho 2 nd of April , and nt Malta on tuo 11 th .

      O 3 IINA . . A . still further destruction of pirate juulcs lias takon place on tho coast of China . Tho exploit lms boon performed by tho steamers Bavr & oouta , Captain Fortoequo , and tho Confucius .

      America. By The Arrival Of The Itoyal Mo...

      AMERICA . By the arrival of the Itoyal Moil fltoani-Hhip Persia , wliich performed its passage from Now York iu tho unpreoodentedly short period of nino days and twelve hourn , wo are in receipt of daton from Amoricn up to tho 2 nd iuflt , Tho chief nows of importance baa reference to Nicuraguu , whioh is iu a very disturbed etute . Oolouol > Sohle » Biugor , tho Nioamgunu envoy to Costa Rica , was escorted out olf that aountry ou the 9 tU of March , and a deolanvtion of war followed , on tho part of Costa Itioa . On tho very day this dooltv ration was veooivod , Wulkor , ncconipuuuod by flvc

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 19, 1856, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19041856/page/6/