The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-28 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—Boar ST. EDMUNDS,
Luca 26.

°ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT/0 TWO INSURAECK COXPAPIES.
. _

So mad Kett, 33, was charged with feloniously and ma-
liciously setting fire to certain premises at Wreotham,
oe the Bth of November, with intent to defraud. The
prisoner, who was a very respectable looking MID, pleaded
not guilty.
Mr. tallow, Q.C., and Mr. Bolster, appeared for the
prosecution. Mr. Metcalfe for the defence.
Mr. O'Malley, in addressing the jury, stated that the pri-
soner carried oo business at a plan called Wrentham, as
a miller. He had a dwelling-house and stable, • windmill
and steam-mill, and some abide, and between the house
and the sheds there were some other buildings, one
of which was • onnting•house. The prisoner had
I bought these and some land adjoining for 1,2001.
These premises were mortgaged, and for the sem-
i racy of the mortgagee they were insured for 1,000!.
lin the Suffolk Alliance Office. Previous to the fire the
Prisooer's business had fallen off, and he had often stated
that he did not require all the premises, and that he wished
he could turn them into money. Shortly after this he
I effected another insurance in the Royal Exchange for 1,6001.,
which did not cover the house, but did cover about 4001,
worth of the stock is trade. On the Bth November a fire broke
1 out on the premises, and he (the learned counsel) would
show the jury most conclusively that the prisoner was the
person who set fire to them. The fire was seen to break out
of the roof of one of the buildings, and almost imme-
diately afterwards it was sees to break out in another
building some distance from the first, and the result
was that then two buildings were consumed,
and some of the buildings between the two were
left standing. He (Mr. O'Malley) would now direct the snoo-
tier' of the jun to the preparations that were made for the
fire. There were near the bone two large tabs usually else-
tamping a large quantity of water ; there had been no great
consumption of water at the time, and the tubs in the neigh-
bourbood were fall; but when the:persons emerged in putting
out the fire went to the tubs they were found to be empty,
as was also the boiler of the engine with which they commu-
nicated, and under the tubs was found • bundle of dry
sticks, tied up with pitch cord. The mill was generally
locked at night, but the key was kept in such • position that
• person acquainted with the premises might get it. Os the
night of the fire some of the doors were found open.
On that night the prisoner's wife was out, s
labourer named Aldndgo who resided with the prisoner
had told him that be intended being absent that night. The
primmer told Aldridge that he (the prisoner) should be
absent that night, which was • most unusual thing, as he
bad been known to be absent when Aldridge was
away. After the prisoner left, AMridp maw that the pea
nine were locked up, and the other labourer, who lived
at some little distance off, also saw that they were locked
up before be left work. The prisoner went that evening
to his uncle's, who lived at Wenhaston, about eight miles
off. He had not been much in the habit of visiting his
uncle, and had never slept at his hotline before, but on this
night he said that be was lonely without his wife and Ind
come to stay the night ; be also said be had to go and see
a man that night, and asked his uncle to lend him
• horse. The uncle bad two horses—one • grey
hone and the other a chestnut, and he offered
to lend the grey, which was the quicker hone of the
two, but the prisoner said be would have the °hangout, and
he askedfor the saddle to be left out that be might saddle it
himself. A man named Ron was sleeping in the boons,nnd
heard a horse go out of the stable shortly before 11 o'clock,
and he knew that it was the chestnut hone from some pen-
liarity in its step, and it was found in the morning that that
horse had been • long journey that night, as it was covered
with mud in the morning, and the saddle was wet. The
prisoner afterwards said that he should not go
out that night, but it would be proved that be
did go out, and was absent about the time it
would take to go to his own house and back.
02 the night of the fire, and • short time before it was
seen, some one was beard mounting a hone sod galloping
away from the scene of the fire, and there could be so
doubt that the incendiary rode to and from the fire. Be.
tweso one and two that night the hone was beard to come
back to the uncle's stable, and very soon after a person was
heard to come into the house and go up into the room the
ninon was to sleep in. The next day, when the prisoner
was asked where he bad been that night, be said be bad
been in bid uncle's house the whole night, which was clearly '
false. The learned counsel concluded his address by stating
that under those suspicious circumstances the prisoner was
bound to account for his time, and where be went when he
left: ashe undoubtedly did leave. his uncle's house.

, ..,
Mr. Steggall, a surveyor, was the first witness called,
and proved the plans.
Samuel Barley (examined by Mr. Balwer). —I am &labourer.
I know the prisoner's premises. My cottage is about 10 or
11 yards from the prisoner's premises. On Sunday, Bth of
November, my wife woke me a few minutes past 12 the
night was fine just at that time, it had been " hefty" and
stormy. In consequence of what my wife said I got rep.
From my bedroom I could see the fire. It was burning
at the south end of the granary. I went out and gave
the alarm ; at that time there sou not • fire in any other
part of the premises. I went some little distance to give
the alarm. and as I was coming back I saw a fire in the
other granary. When I got back I did not Oft anyone
about. There was • water tub on my premises ; it was
quite full that night, it had rained .on the Friday and
Saturday and all day on the Monday.
Cross-examined by Mr. Metcalfe—There are three cot-
tages where 1 live. Borrett lives further up the hill, about
:MO yards from me. There axe gardens at the back of the
moieties. My garden runs up to the granaries. There is
no fence between the garden and the buildings, There is
i a little space between each cottage and gates. Any person
could get into the gardens. Below the I:puddings there is •
quick fence. Mr. Kett's front garden joins the road.
1 William Smith—l am a police officer, and was stationed
at Wrentham on the Bth of November last. About twelve
I was at the " west end." 1 saw a light in the direction of
Wr, otliam. I went to the prisoner's premises as quickly
as I could, and found a fire had broken out in two different
places at the east and west end. The eeotre premises are
not burnt, and are standing now. Onystave was one of the
. men who came with the amiss. He called my attention
to the water-butts which are in the centre of the premises,
and are stainnig now. I believe they communicate with the
. boiler of the engine. There are three of them, two empty
and cue very little in. There wee osly nee tap to the three
butts, and it was turned so as to let the water off. .Pre.
viously it bed been very wet, and bad been raining all
; Sunday. I mot Mark Eaves for the prisoner at about 4
• o'clock in the morning. He went on borestack. The ni-
-1 loner came home between 8 and 9 ; he bad got on • light-
! coloured mackintosh, and a Meek hairy coat underneath. I
asked him if he knew of any one who had any ill.fesling
against him, and who might have eel the premises on fire,
and ahether Le was insured. He said he was insured. i
apprehended him on the 19th, and asked him if his pre-
mises should be locked op. He said they should. I
tcli hi-n to get up and come down, which be did. I
then told him I was come to apprehend him.
The chief constable Ord told me to get him
down so, as something might happen if he knew
wl.st 1 was come for. 1 told him I should apprehend him
, for softie.; fire to his premises to defraud the inurance.
He mid he could face anyone about that, as be was at
Wetimaton at his uncles that nMht, and be could prove it,
Ile treat there on the Sunday afternoon, and did Dot come
ausy till I sent for Dim.
C: ~+s-examined.-1 have been examined twice about this,
I and I gave an account to my superintendent. I told him
labout tl.e mackintosh the day after the last examination
before the magistrates. He asked me bow it was there was
• contredictioo between the witnesses, sonic laying he had
• dark and some • light coat, and then I told him. I had
been asked whether the dark coat was not dirty. Before I
den riled the coat as a dark, hairy coat I had heard the
I evidence of Fraocio. I have not got the coats here. I have
1 tot tried whether this mackintosh will go user the rough
1 I coat. We did not take possession of the prisooer's coat
James Graystone— I am an engineer living at Wrentham.
About half-past twelve on the Bth of November I was
arc used by a cry of fire, and I went to it as quirk as !could
I with tlie engine. We got there in about a quarter of an
; hour. There way a very short supply of water in the brook.
I Fiudiog it failed I went to the water butts, and there was
snrcelc any water in them. The tap was turned for water
ruunior out. The tube communicate with the boiler of the
eaglet, there was about tea inches of water in it. We
could not draw it out. It woe very wet the day before this.
I I called the attention of the police to the fact that the top
was turned. _

John Borrett—l am • carter in the employ of petiolate.
I lire about 300 yards off towards Soothe°ld. I had been
in his employ two years, ever since he had come there. I
had been on the east granary the Thursday previous.
Only Aldridge, myself, and the prisoner were on the pro-
misee. I went about with the cart. There were haute and
barley in the granary on the Thursday ; there wee so other
corn on that part of the premises ; there was • mangle. In
the west granary there were 20 combs of wheat,
and some meal. Samuel Kett was • miller. I
got to the fire • few minutes before one o'clock. I went to
the tube. On the Thursday on. tub wes full of water, and
one partly full ; the other OD. did not hold water. They
were all empty on the night of the fire. The boiler bad fir.
or sir inches to. About 18 inches is the general loaatity.
The door of the counting-house war unlocked. The count-
ing-bonne stands by itself. The coal•houee was not looked.
You can get from the coal-house to the engine-house, and
from there to the grinding floor. The door between the
eagme-hnuee and the grirdiog floor was generally barred
inside ; hut if not you weld get to the griadiug floor, and
from there to the west granaries. There are two
doors to the east granaries, which are generally trut
locked. A person acquainted with the promises e
get into the malt-house, a• the lock was broke., and
*Moot to the wet paw,. The keys of the seat