The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-25 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIHCUIT.—MoDsroNE, MARCII 24.
CIIIL RIblE.--BITORII lax LAM, CIIIVV Jo Mies AND A 81PRCIAL irk?.
MR MAYOR AND CORPORATION OF ROCHESTER v. LEE.
The above cause was resumed this morning, when
The Lord Chief Justice summed up the whole of the evi-
dence with great care, and clearly explained to the jury the
nature of the several issues they were required to dispose of.
The jury did not delilwrate more than five minutes, when
they gave a verdict for the corporation upon all the issues.
The various legal proceedings in this matter have already,
it is said, entailed an expense of many thousand pounds
upon the parties, hut it is expected that the present verdict
will finally set the question at rest.

Frederick James Burgis, who was convicted on Friday
of forging a receipt, was brought up for judgment, rind Mr.
Baron Parke sentenced him to be transported fur seven

MIDLAND CIRCCIT.—CovENTr.r, MAnen 22.
The judges arrived here yesterday and opened the com-
mission. The calendar presented the names of 41 prisoners
for trial, but th,• cases were quite devoid of interest. The
business of the assizes was concluded by mid-day, and
their lordships at once proceeded to open the commis-
sion at Warwick.
WARWICK, MARCH 22.
Mr. Baron Alderson arrived here to-day about four, and
opened the commission. The business was then adjourned
till ten o'clock on Monday morning. The calendar, es
regards the number of offence' is heavy, there being entered
above 120 prisoners for trial ; these include rape, burglary,
wounding with intent to do bodily harm, manslaughter,
embezzlement, and other minor of•nces. It is expected
that the business on the civil side will be light, and that
the mutes will be got through by Tuesday.
NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—CAMBRIDGE, '.►inners 24.

A Rsov.

......
George and Thomas Whittaker, father and son, were
indicted—the father fir having set fire to a certain dwell-
ing-house in the parish of the Holy Trinity, Cambridge,
and Thomas Whittaker, the son, for being accessory lwfiire
the fact, with intent to defraud the West of England Fire
Insurance Company. The prisoners pleaded not guilty.
The learned counsel for the prosecution stated the case
to the jury at very great length, illustrating his remarks by
frequent reference to a model of the premises on the table
before him.
Mr. William Crow examined by Mr. Burcham—ls the
owner of several houses in Cambridge. Knows the prisoners
at the bar ; owned a house burned on the t2nd of No-
vember, situate in Sidney-street, and occupied by the
prisoners. They did not keep a servant. Shortly after
last Midsummer he had to distrain for rent. Remem-
bers the house adjoining being pulled down about
two years ago, and the prisoners complained that this
process had shaken theirs. In a conversation about
this time, he told the prisoners that the house was not
insured, and if it fell down through the other house being
taken down, the owners of the old house roust build it
up again.
Cross-examined by Mr. Prendergast. Whittaker
claimed of him compensation for damage done to their
goods by the building next door; sent in, through Mr.
Hollingsworth, the surveyor, a claim upon the owners of
the savings bank fur 3001. for damage done to the house;
this did not include damage to Mr. Whittaker's furniture,
nor, he believed, damage for probable loss of rent. His
tenant threatened to leave unless repairs were made. These
repairs had not been made. lie had promised that they
should be done if the rent were paid. lie had distrained
for his rent and gut the amount, but the repairs were not
made.
Several witnesses, who were present at the fire, deposed
that on asking the elder Whittaker how it occurred, he
stated that the gas exploded in one of the lower rooms of
the house, knocking him down, and setting fire to the
place. Whituker's face was blackened very much, as if by
soot, and he walked lame. On examining the fan-lights,
however, it was found that they were not broken, and se-
veral persons, who were deemed competent to form a correct
judgment shout the matter, gave it as their opinion that
gas flame could not produce the blackness which was ob-
servable on Whittaker's face. Neither his face nor his hair
was burned or singed, and there was no discoloration on his
hands. Some of the witnesses spoke to conversations with
Whittaker, in which he complained of being treated badly
by his landlord, and threatened to be revenged. It was
also shown that the prisoners for some days previous to the
fire had been removing their furniture to a house in Hub-
son's-place.
Mr. Henry Rancc—is a*solicitor, residing at Cambridge,
and is the gent the West of England Fire Insurance
Company. Witness produced the register in which are en-
tered all policies of insurance effected in this locality.
Charles Lewis, actuary to the company, produced the
polity of insurance, to which he was the attesting witness.
The policy was read by the clerk, which showed that the
household furniture, &c., was insured for 2001., watches
and trinkets in dwelling house 40/. ; china, glass, &c., in
dwelling-house, 35/. ; fixtures and prints, ditto, 351.; stock
in trade, SOW.
Mr. Rance continued—About nine o'clock in the morn-
ing of the fire young Whittaker had called upon him, and
said that most of this household furniture had been removed
but that the whole of the stock-in-trade was destroyed. Saw
him again on the evening of the 27th, when he put in a
written claim—
Total km £1,02010 G

-Stock BOO 0 0
Furniture 33 3 0

£833 3 0
The goods in the showroom, of which Mr. Knowles held
the key. were valued in the claim at 3181. 11..
Mr. Cornish, surveyor of the West of England Insurance
Company.—By order of the directors, came to Cambridge
on the 2nd of December. Next day saw Thomas Whittaker
at Mr. Rance's. Witness told him it was necessary for him
to sign a declaration to be inserted in the claim; and also
to go through every item in the claim. He said, they were
about to quit 63, Sidney-street, becauso it was not fit to
live in. Paid 601. a year rent. On the jewellery pledged
and in the hands of Knowks, be had paid off 461. Some
picture., prints, &c., were then with friends for sale ; no
goods hal been sent to his brother, at Bury; they removed
the goods in the day sometimes; slept in Hohson's-place
the night before the fire ; left the house in Sidney-street
about eighton the night previous. Went over the house
to see all was safe. The first he heard of the fire was a
knocking at Mr. John Swan's door. I went to the window
and said "There's a fire at Rutter's, the baker." Got
dressed and went to the fire.
_Witness said it was neces-

sary to have an inventory, and thinking it better to take
it himself, be went unexpectedly to llobeon-place, and
found a very considcrable quantity of furniture, very many
pictures, 21 drawings, 476 prints, drawings, and engrav-
ings ; a bundle of engravings, principally heads, number-
ing 300, and 333 volumes of books, and carefully packed
up, loose pamphlets, &c., estimated from the rate of charges
in the claim ; the goods in llobaon's-place must have been
of the value of between 2001. and 300/. Went to a stable of
the Whittaker'', in Park-street, and found many large
boxes of glass, china, &c., most candidly pocked. Found
at Mr. Roeper's two seep large engravings ; at Mr. Peters',
four oil paintings; at Mr. Yorke's hurl sad et
prints, and six others; at Mr. Wisbey's lbws
30 and plats sad agrayisp, all the