THE DENSHAWI OUTRAGES.
A CORRESBONDENT writes to challenge the accuracy of the account of the Denshawi outrages given by us last week. After setting forth his own version of the facts, he asks for an impartial statement of what actually occurred. This can best be given by quoting the judgment of the Court which tried the prisoners, a Court composed both of Englishmen and natives of high character, which gave a very full and patient hearing to the case, and whose fairness and thorough- ness in the matter of investigation have not been called in question, even when the severity of the sentences imposed has been most strongly impugned. Here are the recitals which deal with the nature of the injuries inflicted on the officers, which is the point specially called in question by our
correspondent :—
"Whereas the crowd increased in numbers and in evil inten- tions, followed them with sticks, bricks, and dry mud. Major Pine-Coffin was felled by a blow on the head. He got up, but was felled by another blow, and the crowd continued their attack until they reached the carriages. And as Major Pine-Coffin saw that they continued to attack, he told Captain Bull and Captain Bostock to go to the camp for help. And although Captain Bull bad received a severe blow on the head, he obeyed the order—he ran on and looked back at no one. The heat was intense, and Captain Bull fell on the way unoonscious, having also received a sunstroke. He was removed to the camp, where he died at '7 o'clock on the evening of the same day. Dr. Bostock arrived at the camp after receiving blows which required several days' medical treatment ; Whereas the crowd prevented the Major and his two comrades from getting into the c,arriages, pulled them about, and beat them, throwing bricks and dry mud at them, dragged them to the spot where was the wounded woman, and made them sit down, while some made signs of cutting their throats to make them understand that they meant to kill them as they had killed the woman—who was not killed. They dragged them to the scene of the fire, beating them with sticks, stones, and bficks, and kicking them while they were lying on the ground, and placed tibn ' (chopped, straw) round them. The officers thought they were going to burn them, and Major Pine-Coffin fell a third time from the blows. Afterwards they took them to a tree, and the ghaffirs began to arrive. The mob then withdrew, and an officer of the police from an out- post near the scene of the incident, who had been called by telephone, arrived, and the officers were taken back to the camp; Whereas Major Pine-Coffin's left arm was broken by a blow from a nabout (a stick loaded with lead), and Lieutenant Smithwick's nose was broken by a stone, and they, together with the others, received several injuries on different parts of -their bodies, as shown by the medical reports ; Whereas the first medical report of the examination of Captain Bull before his death howed that his death was due to concussion of the brain caused by the blows which be received on the head,. and by sunstroke which he received on his way to the camp. The post-mortem examination made by the medico-legal expert of the native Tribtumis showed that the blow had caused concussion of the brain, and that, though it was not sufficient in itself to cause death, it weakened him and made him to be quickly affected by sunstroke and so contributed to his death ; Whereas the crowd robbed the officers of such things as watches, key chain, whistle, &e., as they also did their weapons; Whereas the inquiring officials discovered some of the guns in the houses of some of the prisoners, and they were found in possession of some of the stolen goods ; Whereas the blows were intentionally inflicted, and were directed to the vital parts of the body, which caused the death of one of the injured, the incident is considered as homicide, preceded, accompanied, or followed by the crime of robbery with violence. This offence is punishable under the provisions of the Egyptian Penal Code; Whereas this crime was committed against officers who surrendered their arms and were defenceless, and could do nothing but flee. This they could not do in spite of their efforts to do so. They showed no enmity, and did not provoke the aggressors by words or signs, and did not arouse their anger so as to cause them to act as they had done ; Whereas this crime was committed intentionally and with premeditation, as is evident from the fire and the sudden increase of the mob against the two officers on the south side, and the act of seizing hold of the hand of Captain Bull on the north side and pointing to the smoke. Nobody present had mercy on a guest who had done nothing to deserve blame, and still less such excessive violence as to cause his death, while people were present among the crowd who might have prevented it, but these were more severe and more merciless than the others."
If our readers will compare these statements with our note of last week, they will see that it was well founded. We did not, as our correspondent seems to think, mean to suggest that more than one officer was killed, nor do our words, if given their natural and proper significance, require any such interpretation.
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