TAR-AND-FEATHER COURTMARTIAL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16590, 12 November 1919, Page 4

TAR-AND-FEATHER COURT—MARTIAL.

LIEUT. AA’RIOTTT CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. LONDON, Sept. 12. A court-martial was held at Cambridge on Wednesday arising out ol an incident that occurred at Cambridge about June 7, when, it was alleged, Lieutenant Francis Thomas Wright, M.C., Royal Engineers, attached to the 6th Provisional Company of tho Royal Fusiliers, after stripping a young lieutenant of the Navy named Kinahan tarred and feathered him and loft him chained to a tree.

Tiio proceedings on Wednesday look place at the Ist Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge. LieutenantColonel IV. B. Emery presided over the court. The prosecuting officer was Captain H. H. Dunn, and Captain R. H. Whitehead, M.C., appeared as the accused man’s friend. Air. Kinahnn was represented by Air. J. D. tassels.

0 Lieutenant AVright was charged with . “committing a civil offence, that is to say assault, in that he did, after stripping the person of Desmond Uoresford Kinahan of clothing, tar and leather him, fasten a heavy chain to his nock, and therewith fasten him to a tree in Harvey Road, Cambridge.” At tho opening of the proceedings Captain Dunn said that tho prosecution would deal with the assault only, and , would reliise to bo drawn into side is--1 sues. The President said that he 3 would ensure that no matter outside > that of the assault was admitted. - Lieutenant Wright pleaded “Not ; guilty.” t AIR. KINAHAN’S STORY . 1 Air. Kinahan was tho first witness. - He said that he was formerly a sub- ; lieutenant in the Royal Navy, hut rei signed his commission on June 25 last. ■ He received a letter on June 5 asking him to go to the homo of Lieutenant : Wright in Chesterton Road, Cam--1 bridge, to answer a question which . might bo asked when tho civil writ ; was served upon Him. He arrived at • the house at 10.30 on the following . evening, and was met by Dudley . AVright, the accused man’s brother, . who asked if he would mind going down to the garage in the, garden, where his brother was working. Lie , consented, and upon entering the ; garage, which was in half-darkness, • Lieut. AVright, who was standing in tho shelter ol fho door, sprang out and caught hold of tho witness’s wrist, and took him backwards. There was a third man in the garage. Lieut. . AVright, who was assisted by Dudley AVright, then lashed Kinahnn’s wrists and ankles to lashings placed on the floor. Thoy said if he called out they would gag him. They then undressed him bit by bit. Afterwards they tarred and feathered him, and left him lashed to the floor until just before one o’clock in tho morning. Then Lieut. Wright brought along a heavy chain, ono end of which ho locked round Ids neck with a padlock. Alter that the lashings were undone, and ho was taken in a small light car to Harvey Road, where tho other end of tho chain was fastened to a tree. Limit, Wright and his brother then left him, and five minutes later his calls wore heard by a policeman who went for assistance and he was released. He was taken to tho police station and afterwards to Trinity College. He went to Chesterton Road in his naval uniform, which was tied up in a bundle and loft beside him in Harvey Road. QUESTION OF DIVORCE. In cross-examination the witness admitted that the question of divorce was tho source of the trouble. He admitted that his conduct with Airs. Wright from February to April might bo considered notorious. He took her to dances. Ho had an interview with Dudley Wright on April 3, and then gave a written promise that he would not communicate with Airs. AVright or see her until he had seen her husband. Ho kept his promise to Wright, but broke his word to his mother, and ho was in fact in communication with Mrs. AVright when his mother was lying dead. He did not sue Airs. Wright until tho receipt of a cablegram from her husband, which ho considered released him. Kinahan denied that a Jotter to Tho Times was over dispatched. It contained an announcement for insertion in tho Personal column in tho following words:—“Dearie, —Please be there.—D.” Kinahan said that at an interview with Lieut. Wright on May 23 or .May 21, ho may have admitted that ho was behaving in a dishonest manner. Lieutenant Wright asked him if ho would take Airs. Wright away that night if ho released her. Ho afterwards copied and signed a letter dictated by Lieut. Wright, saying that when ho had divorced ids wile Kinahan would marry her. A LETTER TO AIRS. AVRIGHT. Kinahan admitted writing a letter in which he said:—“Darling Girl, —I have seen your brother-in-law, and ho has made mo promise not to communicate with you. Had I not done so ho would have gone to my C.O. and would have ' prevented mo from going to any more dances with you. Don’t please think, : darling, that I want t» draw back now. j God knows 1 want you, oh, so much. I shall lovo you always, always.” Kinahan said that when ho was , placed on the ground he at first rc-l ■ sisted. Ho was not hurt, but he was ] roughly handled. Ho took it all liter- j ally lying down. It was a case of three to ono. Ho was undressed by , them as far as his shirt, and that ho took off himsolf. AVhen ho was told that lie was to bo tarred and feathered, ho said it was hardly fair. He did not think it was tit treatment for lug ’ previous conduct. He made no statement to tho police until ho cot to the police station, and then said, “If the truth of this leaks out I shall bo turned out of the Service.”

After evidence had boon given by police officers about finding Kinahan and breaking the padlock which hold the chain to the tree, the case for the prosecution closed. LIEUT. WRIGHT’S EVIDENCE. Lieut. Wright, in evidence, said that ho was a civil engineer hv nrofessioru

, and at tho outbreak of the war he hold an appointment in Brazil, which ho relinquished and returned to England. After being refused five times owiixg to defective eyesight when trying to enlist ho was accepted as a motor driver in tho Motor. Transport Army Service Corps. Ho wont abroad in December, 1914, and in August, 1915, was recommended for a commission in tho Royal Engineers. Ho was twice [£ wounded, the second time somewhat severely. Ho met Alisa Hazel Hobson in June, 1916. They were, married on October 1 last year. Ho saw active ■service in the Balkans, and was awarded tho AI.C. in April, 1917. At that time the state of his health was poor, and he was granted leave. After his wedding he went abroad again, and then received communications from his wife which were of a perfectly friendly l " and loving nature. Still, he could read a hero and there between the lines, and 0 he had a suspicion that there was 9 something more. There was nothing, however, to cause him to worry until ® ho had a letter from her on April 1, T in which was written; “AJy Dear Fran- £ <'is, — I have started so many times to 11 tell you everything. In lots of your 11 loiters yon told mo to tell you if X found anyone with whom I could bo really happy. 1 think, and feel, and I - believe you do too, that you and 1 will •• never be happy together "again. There r have been sue.i terrible goings-on hero, r Dudley is writing you. 1 have fallen 1 in lovo with a boy I dance with. When s 1 wrote you a little while ago I said - there was nothing between us. That - was true then, but this last part of the time everything has come to a crisis. i 1 know you will believe that there has 3 been nothing really wicked between us. - 1 have never been about without my 1 wedding ring. How they can concoct '■ such a tale J can’t think. We have . come to the conclusion that it will bo i the best ami tho only honourable tiling to do to wait until you come 1 ? homo. Will you come home and see I i how matters stand: We are terribly ! 1 miserable about it all, but what else is ! - to bo doner Will you cable direct and i ! if you will come homo and release | > mor \\c shall both wait and do noth-i . ing dishonourable till you come home. I 3 RH.—t feel sure I should bo happy j with •Diukio,’ our tastes are alike. His ■ name is Desmond Ki/iahan. Try not to : think too badly of us. 1 don’t "ask you j to forgive mo, because I think i have ' . dune an unforgivable thing in vour | - eyes.” ‘ | • “WOULD HAVE DOME .MURDER.” j ' Wright said that when lie received j ■ that letter lus mind was a blank and i i ha would have done murder if ho had 1 ; had Kuiahau there. Continuing, ho j ; said that on his arrival home in May ! ; last he tried to find his wife, but she i was at a dance. Ho afterwards ar- , ranged lor an interview at her father’s > house on tlie following afternoon, at ■ which Kinahan was to be confronted - With Airs. \\ right. He considered it 5 better to have a witness, so lie took , his brother Dudley with him. Ho i taxed Kinahan with boing on too familiar terms with his wire. Kinahan I admitted this, saying, ‘T know it is i i dishonourable.” The witness asked ; him if lie was aware that ho was | smashing up his domestic lilo, and , 1 Kinahan replied, “Vos.” Tho witness; ; then asked his wife what she intended 1 to do. He asked if she was coming back to him. He also asked Kinahan . hks iintentions, and both his wife and i Kinahan replied that they intended to I slick to each other. The witness said in that case they must clear out of ! Cambridge. They did so, and to his I knowledge they passed as man - and i wile. I “1 "WILL TAKE IT QUIETLY.” /Wiili reference to tho charge against him, \\ rig lu, said that Kinahan was brought imo the garago by Dudley right, wiu> closed the door behind them. His brother diaries was also there. AVhcn he took Kinahan by the wrists he made no attempt to fight or Irco him.self; ho behaved more like a three-ycar-old child than a man, Tho witness said to Kinahan: “It’s my turn ' noiv; aro you going to take what is ' coming to you quietly ? If you don’t I i wih gag you.” Kinahan replied, “I will take it quietly.” Kinahan took j olt his coat and waistcoat himself. Ho , assisted Kinahan to remove his trous- ] ers and his shoes. The witness tied his , ankles, but not his arms. Kinahan i made no reply or movement when the , witness told him lie was going to tar and feather him. When applying the , tar he took especial care to see that no ( tai wont near his eyes, nose, mouth ( or oars IVlieu the tarring was finish- < ed Dudley said that tho witness should v tic kinahan up again as ho might want t to embrace him. _ They placed some 1 soft cloth round Kinahan’s neck whore i tho links of the chains would go They then drove him in tho car to Harvoy i Road and fastened him to tho tree c where they left him. ’ Lieut, Bright was not cross-oxam- c mod. |. .Mr. Dudley Wright corroborated his 1 brother s evidence. He said that before lus brother’s return from abroad ho spoke to Kinahan about his dishonourable action with Airs. Wright. PROSECUTING OFFICER’S SPEECH I Captain Dunn, prosecuting, said that the charge ot assault was undoubtedly „ proved, but it would be very wrono- on his part if ho did not emphasise f strongly the. nature of the facts which h had boon disclosed in the case. The P glorious traditions of both Services tv had been grossly violated by the bov T officer Kinahan. Lieut. Wright might ti bo guilty of assault, but he asked tho a court to remember that there wore av- d gravatmg circumstances. Lieut. Wright d had .done gallant service. Ho asked e ' the court to consider Kinahan’s bo- b haviour How could ho have behaved n like that with one whom ho knew was a brother officer’s wife? And what was aim doing to consent? Ho sub- 11 mitted that there were mitigating cir- a cumstances ou behalf of tho accused rt man and said that the case might si prove a blessing m disguise through- j r out tho whole ot tho Services 1 Tho court adjourned, and''upon ro- A Burning tho Assistant Provost Alarsh.,l cl road Lieut. 'Wright’s record of service hi The decision of tho court will bo an’ at nounccd. , [A cablegram reported that Lieut. " Wright was acquitted.] b I A FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. Ho was a cynic. “Do you think the medicine does you good,” asked tho C nurse. 0 “If tho directions are followed ox- ai plicitly,” ho replied. “In what way, sir,” demanded tho nurse, thinking she was charged with neglect. rt “Keep tho bottle tightly corked.” w