Fix this text
My own dearest wife
Fix this textMust use up my store of “backsheesh” i.e. free not paper so you will
Fix this texthave to put up with hunting the news round pages and over leaves. I
Fix this texthave had quite a lot of Court Martial work lately. I cannot say that I
Fix this texthave enjoyed it. The Court Martial is usually presided over by an
Fix this textelderly Colonel or Major who is not of much use at the moment so is
Fix this textput on the Court Martial job. His one fixed idea, born of long practice,
Fix this textis to see that everything is done in accordance with the ideas of the
Fix this textGeneral to whom the sentence will go to for confirmation. In pursuit of
Fix this textthis ideal he cares not what atrocities in a legal sense he commits. I do
Fix this textnot mean tat any of them are intentionally unfair but the exasperating
Fix this textthing is that they will leave out of consideration all evidence give by the
Fix this textprosecution that may tell in favor of the prisoner. Their idea is that the
Fix this textprosecutor’s case as taken down in evidence must consist entirely of
Fix this textdirect evidence against the prisoner and that all evidence for the
Fix this textdefence must consist entirely of direct and positive statements and
Fix this textnothing else. For example, the question is whether the prisoner was or
Fix this textwas not present when a certain order was read out. It is abundantly
Fix this textclear that he should have been there yet an impudent witness for the
Fix this textprosecution says that he did not see the prisoner there. The elderly
Fix this textColonel at once says “Ah well I won’t take that down because what he
Fix this textdid not see is not evidence”. Can you beat it, as the Americans say! I
Fix this texthad a long case lasted most of two days and rightly or wrongly I got the
Fix this textidea that the accused was not being given the benefit of having the
Fix this textpoints in his favor taken down so I abandoned any attempt to conciliate
Fix this textthe Court, and took points and raised objections about all sorts of
Fix this textformal matters and a mistake in a formality would be equivalent to
Fix this textrace-suicide in an elderly Colonel so they acquitted the man for fear of
Fix this texthaving made some formal mistake. It was a trying two days for me as I
Fix this textpersonally hate making a pig of myself but I had to do it to get the
Fix this textprisoner’s case properly presented. If I had not done it everything
Fix this textwould have gone nice and smooth and tea-party-like and the prisoner
Fix this textwould have gone in to jail for a year at least. I don’t say he was
Fix this textinnocent but I do say the case was not proved against him, and where
Fix this texta case is not fully proven there is a great risk of sending an innocent
Fix this textman to the guillotine. I won’t take any more cases if I can help it. A
Fix this textday indoors is like poison to me now. I can not for the life of me
Fix this textunderstand why the army does not appoint a permanent Court of men
Fix this texttrained in deciding cases. It would save an awful lot of time and money.
Fix this textI had dinner with Mrs Dangar last night - had an awful head after my
Fix this textdays wrangling but enjoyed myself towards the end of the evening
Fix this textwhen I got a little better. Mrs Robertson was there and her husband.
Fix this textHe is the doctor who took Lloyd’s practice at Hunter Hill. He did a very
Fix this textbig thing lately. A train ran off the rails and the engine half turned over
Fix this textand crushed the engineer’s arm to pulp under it and the doctor
Fix this textamputated the arm with a pocket knife while the engine was so to
Fix this textspeak hovering over him. He got the man away and the engine I
Fix this textunderstand turned over just after. He should get some sort of
Fix this text1
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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