The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-20 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

(THIS DAY.)

BCIW4STREET.
THI ORIGIN Or A FIRE.

Joseph Chaff, 13, and Jahn Donavan, 9, were brought up
before Sir Thomas Henry, charged with being found in
the dwelling house of Thomas Chapman, leather seller, of
Bedfordbury, without lawful excuse.
. . . . .

Thomas C.—bemoan said that about half-past 11 o'clock
last night (Wednesday) he was in his own room on the first
fluor, and heard voices in • carpenter's shop below. (The
ground-door is divided into two shops, in one of which
witness carries on his own business, and the other is
let to a carpenter.) He went down, and found
the place full of smoke, and • strong smell
of fire. He went back, and armed himself
a poker. He then entered the shop, and found
the younger prisoner under the shop and • quan-
tity of shavings all ablaze and the flooring and loose
wood much charred. to • few minutes more the whole
premises would have been on fire. He did not see the
elder prisoner. The younger prisoner said "Joey Chaff
got a key from his mother's that would open the shop. He
wanted to get a bit of wood to make a blacking-box, and
told him (Donovan) to watch at the door and let him
know if • policeman came. When Chaff heard some one
coming he run away, leaving him (Donovan) in the shop.
He gave the address of Chad in Shelton's-court. Witness
then sent for a fireman and the fire was put out. Witness
then gave Donovan into custody.
Police-constable Jameson, tU F, said he was called in to
take Donovan into custody. Afterwards went to the
lodging, of Chaff's mother. He found the door locked,
and could not get in. Some time later he met the mother
in the street, and she said the boy had been in bed for
hours. He went back with her and made the pi:goner
get m . lie pretended to be sound asleep, and to wake up
with difficulty, making greet show of drowsiness, and when
informed of the charge feigning the utmost astonishment.
Donovan repeated the statement he had made to Chap-
man, but Chaff denied that lie had so much as set foot in
the place. He admitted, however, that he was with
Donovan about quarter of an hour previously. Neither of
the prisoners offered any explanation of the origin of the
fire.

Sir Thomas Henry thought it most likely that the pri-
soners bad accidentally fired the shavinp in striking a
light to look round the place. At all events he should
give them the benefit of the doubt, and not treat the
case as one of arson. He should remand them both on the
charge of burglary, with a view to their removal to a re-
formatory.

CLERKENWELL
CLEVER CAPTURE OF A THIEF BT A LADY.

Robert Walton Murdock, aged 2.3, wbo desoribed himself
as a shoemaker, having no home, was charged with steal-
ing three pairs of boots, the property of lb. George Bel-
fart, of the value of 21:6e.Gi1.
_ _ _

Mr. George &Wart, *of 177, Upper-street, Islington, a
bootinaker, raid he sent his errand boy with three pairs of
boots to take to a lady's house in Canonbury. He did not
know the prisoner, though he had seen him waiting about
his shop for two hours. He did not send the prisoner to
the lady's house for the boots.
Mrs. Emma Iliddlecombe said she was now staying at a
friend's house in Canonbury-lane. She went to the prose-
cutor's shop and ordered three pairs of boots to be
sent to the house she was staying at. The boy de-
livered them, and about ten minutes afterwards the pri-
soner came and said he was Mr. Ballart's brother, and
that be was sent to fetch back the boots. She
said to him, " How do I know you have come
from him? You must go back and tell him that
I will not let you have the boots." He went away
and returned in about a quarter of an hour, saying that the
wrong boots had been sent, and that some ladies were in
the shop waiting to try them on, and he would feel much
obliged if abe would at once Five them to him to take
back. She gave the hoots to him, and after he had left
the house she followed him. As he did not go towards
the prosecutor's shop, she mentioned the facts to a con-
stable, and he took the prisoner into custody.
Police-constable William Faulkner, 332 N, said he took
the prisoner into custody, and he then had the boots in
his possession. When told the charge, the prisoner made
no remark.

Police-sergeant Goss, 14 N, said if a remand was granted
he would be able to bring other cases of a similar kind
against the prisoner. . . .

—The prisoner, who made no defence, was remanded
until Wednesday next.

MARLBOROUGH•STREET.