The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-10 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A HEREFORD
TRADESMAN.

On Monday the city magistrates were occupied
for several hour, in investigating a charge against Robert
Atkinson, a young man who Ilse for some time past carried
on business se • grocer and provision dealer, in Broad-street,
of having, daring the night of the 29th ult., wilfully set fire
to the premises in his occupatioe. An elderly woman
named Atkinson (the widow of Robert Atkinson's father),
was also included in the charge, es she was the only other
person in the house at the time of the fire. Owing to the
prompt arrival of the esgines, and the judicious course
taken by the superintendent of police, the fire was extin-
guished without doing much damage. Had it been other-
wise, it is fearful to contemplate the destruction of property
that must have occurred, with probably the Ices of life,
as the cellar—in which the fire broke out—of Atkinson's
house rues partly under the premises of Meemt. Duggan
and Chave, chemists and druggists, much of whose stock
is of course of an inflammable nature. After the fire had
been extinguished, the superintendent thought it prudent
to take possession of Atkinson's cellar, and on Rubes-
quently making a careful examination he discovered •
condition of things which raised a strong presumption that
the fire was not accidental. The contents of the cellar were
of a kind that would readily burn, viz., faggots, boxes of
wood, Inciter matches, candles, &c.; but the strangest part
of the matter was that these articles, with various others,
formed a succession of tiers, into which Inciter matches,
grbased strips of wood, candles, a bottle containing pertain oil,
&c., seemed to have been systematically introduced. The su-
perinteudeot gave evidence at length in support of the prow
cution, and produced a model of the contents of the cellar in
the condition in which he had found them ; and he was
supported by • man named Mend, who has had great
experience at London fires, and who expressed a Strong
opinion that the contents of the cellar had been wilfully
fired in two or three separate placer. It was also proved
that some few months ago the prisoner, Robert Atkinson,
had applied to the local agent for the Scottish Union Firs.
office to insure his stock and furniture for 1,0091. ; that
the order was taken, and the policy actually made out ;
bat that subsequently the agent doubted the propriety of
the insurance being carried out, upon which • district in-
spector of the office, who had formerly been in the grocery
trade, was rent to examine Atkinson's stock. His opinion
was that the value of the stock did not much exceed
100 f., and the policy which had been made out was therefore
cancelled. After this Atkinson applied to the agent of the
Westminster Fire-office, with whom he had an existing
policy for 100/., to increase the amount to 500!., and
this order wee executed and the policy in force at the time
of the fire. It was further proved that the value of the
stock was much the isms now as at the time of its in-
spection by the district officer of the Scottish Union, the
only notable change being some addition to the stock of
bacon. At the close of the inquiry the magistrates com-
mitted both prisoners for trial at the next IllSiZllll, but
consented to take bail for the female, for whom much
commiseration is felt, as she is believed to be wholly
innocent. Mr. Gwynne James appeared for the prosecu-
tion, and Mr. G within for the defence, the court and its
precincts being crowded throughout the day, the excite.
meat at the atrocious act charged against the mole prisoner
being very great.

A child murder case was tried yesterday at the
lammed Leeds assizes, before Mr. Justice Shoe. The primmer
was a woman named Janet Carrie, aged 30. She had
been cook at an eating-hones in Halifax, and on the
morning of the 9th of December she was delivered of a
child, left the house the same morning with her infant
folded to her bosom, wandered about during the day, slept
at an eating-house the same night, and next day was seen on
the banks of the canal, into which she wee observed to throw
a bundle. The body of the child was discovered near the
place on the following day. The evidence appeared to
be direct, but the jury, after an hour's cossideratioe,
recorded a verdict of Not Guilty. The defense was, first,
th►t the child bad not been identified as Currie'.; and next,
thtt it might have been stifled ander the mother's shawl ;
and, as her learned counsel said, with "trouble upon
trouble," she might then have thrown the body into the
beck.

A. Parisian journal, speaking of French life at
the chateaux and in the city, says :—" Many ladies and
gentlemen still linger in their chateaux. The other day, in
a retired party of Normandy, were noticed 10 or 12 entre.
breaks, landaus. chars.a.bancs, and other vehicles. The
horses were decked with ribbons, little bells, and foxes'
tails ; the postilions wore shining hate with broad bnms,
high boots, sad jackets trimmed with lace. The
Mimi, charmingly attired (everything must be
luxurious). wore coquettish round hat, and feathers,
with ample pelisses and fere. The gentlemen sported
long beards and long hair ; they smoked cigar, and
carried game-bags, destined, no doubt, to be Mad with
some sort of game. Everybody as usual appeired to be
suffering from ennui—we don't like the country. People
dress as we see them in the pictures of the thirteenth or
fourteenth century—in a long and narrow robe of black
velvet embroidered with flowers, or in brocaded silk with
tassels and gold ornaments. Bracelets and necklaces of
cameos or in lapis koalas and precious stones of various
colours are much worn. The female hair is kept up by
bands studded with pearls, edged with ermine; and pretty
feet are enveloped in marvellously white shoes, with very
high red heels."

The Gazette of last evening contains the text of
the treaty of commerce between England sad Austria. The
ratifications were exchanged at Vienna on January 4. The
treaty is to rennin in foto, ten years from Jwasazy 1, 1867.
The via' of textile manufactures having been deranged by
the American war, the duties may be revised on January
1868. Great Britain engages to recommend to parliament
the abolition of the duties on wood and timber, and to re.
duce the duties on wines in bottle to the same rate as if
imported in wood. There are clauses reheat to export
duties on rep and import duties on herriep.