The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-08 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A
SERVANT GIRL.

At the Highgate Police-court, on Monday, Sophia
Waite, 18, general servant, was charged on remand
with unlawfully sr d maliciously setting fire to
Sutherland h",aise, The Bank, Higl,ote, seven
persons being therein ~t the time, on the 23rd and
24th ult,—Mr. Julia Campbell, wife of a gsntleman
et present in Manitoba, deposed that on the 23rd ult.,
while at tea, the nursemaid called her attention to a
smell of fire, which, on investigation, she found to
proceed from a spare bed room on the first floor,
occupied by her sister, Mrs. M'Lean. She could not
see any fire in the room, but there was such a volume
of smoke that she could not enter. The prosecu-
trix directed a child to be carried downstairs' and
then shut the door. An alarm of fire was raised, and
the fire was extinguished by the firemen. On Satur-
day afternoon, about two o'clock, the prosecutrix was
showing a gentleman over the house, which was to he
let, and on opening the dbor of a cupboard in the
schoolroom on the first floor they were both forced
back by the smoke which issued therefrom. After the
fire was extinguished the prosecutrix found that the
cupboard was full of burnt papers. On Saturday
evening the prosecutrix was talking with the det‘ic-
tives about a clock which had been stolen during the
fire on Friday, when the prisoner entered the room
and announced that there was a fire on the second
floor. The prosecutrix hastened to get the sleeping
baby out of bed. The prisoner had been in her ser-
vice since July 28, and was not under notice to leave.
Detective-Sergeant Craggs, Y division, said he and
Constable Mortimer tfied to extinguish the fire on
Saturday evening with pails uf water, and made two
attempts to enter the room, but were obliged to turn
back, the volume of smoke being so dense. Witness
had sent for the firemen who arrived shortly after-
wards and extinguished the fire. Witness went up-
stairs and examined a mattress on a bed. There was a
large semi-circular piece burnt out of the aide of it,
and a blanket smelt very strongly of paraffin. The
last witness asked prizoner what she was doing up-
stairs when he discovered the fire. She made no
reply, and he then asked her to let him look at her
hands. The palms of her hands were smeared with
oil, which she accounted for by saying that she had
been trimming the lamp. The prisoner was cautioned
as to any statement she might make, and then said :
" Lsst night, about ten minutes befoie the first fire
was discovered, I went to Mrs. MiLean's room to put
the bath away. I bad a candle carrying, and I
knelt down and put the bath under the bed with
one hand, and had the candle in the other, and the
fringe caught fire. To day the charwoman called me
from the coal-cellar. I had a lighted candle, getting
coals. I went upstairs and the told me that the mice
(some tame white mice) were out. I went to the
cupboard and put the candle down and took up
the mice. Then I went back and took up the
candle and shut the cupboard and came downstairs.
About half-an-hour afterwards I heard there was
another fire. Tonight, about a quarter of an hour
before you :...ame, I went upstairs to my bedroom to
see for a clean apron, and I had not got one. I then
went to Master Oliver's room to trim the lamp.
After that I went to the next room and put the beds
straight. I put the can containing the oil on the bed.
In doing so it upset. I then put the candle on the
floor. After that I took the oil can away down stairs.
I am very sorry."

In reply to the usual catltion, the prisoner said she
was not guilty,
The prisoner was committed for trial at the Central
Criminal Court,
glisallanenns 4ntellnce,
ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

COMMONS AT COVERSIDE.—Sir William Sibwig,
M.P. (to Political Opponent): "Different to West.
mlnster this; eh, my Lord? In the field we can have
a brush together without either taking offonte."—
Lord Toryport (Member for the county) "Beg
pardon, Sir William. On this countryside a Man has
to take a lot of fehcaa, and stiff ones, too, before he
gets
PRIVATE BIIJ4S is PARIAAMENT.—November 30th
was the last day allowed for compliance withe Standing
Orders of b3th /louses, which require that plans and
sections of all private schemes to be presented to
Parliament during the forthcoming session shall be
deposited at the Private Bill Office at the 1;.:.;.aa of
Trade. The total number of Bills 44,1 orders is 193,
as compared with 222 last year ; and of these 113 are
railway or cansl sol.-,emes, as against 122; tramways 27,
as compared with 31; three miscellaneous, as compared
with oight. There are 50 Provisional Orders' which
are included in the above total, consisOtg of 27 Tram-
way Orders, 17 Gas and Waer Orders, and seven
Electric Lighting Orderc.

ARTILLEBX EEICRIMENTS A.T CONSTANTINOPLE.
Very nzcceesful trials have just taken place at Con-
stantinople with the thirty•seven millim4tre Norden-
feldt cannon, in the presenco of a Special Commiadon
appointed by the Government. The programme con-
tiiined more severe tests than any to which this gun
has Ileen previously subjected, targets for penetra-
tion having been placed LIG five hundred and fifty
yards, and for acomeacy at two thousand two
hundred yards. At five hundred and fifty yards
a solid steal shot penetrated two and a half inches of
cainpound Cammel plsts, whit shells, after passing
through an inch plate of the same metal, burst with
great effect against a wooden screen, seventy-two
pieces striking the latter. A very interenting tried
fti made at nine hundred yards, firing alternately at
two targets right and left. Out of tittesn shots
tired in one minute, eight hits were wade. It is
rumoured that the Commission, which was under the
presidency of a German Genezal of Artillery, in their
Report on the proceedings, strongly recommend the
adoption of thia gun for the naval service.