The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-08 00:00:00

THE ATTIMPT TO 81T PULE TO A HOU!.

John Inter who wee O,Tovioted I;;taeseion of
attempting to set fire to the dwelling-hoses of Jame.
Woodward, he being therein at the time, was brought up
fer judgment.
At the last sessions it was proved that the prosecutor
is scn•in-law to the prisoner, and in consequence
of the abandoned and drunken habits of the
prisoner he was refused admission to the prosecutor's
premises. A fire escape conductor observed bin during
the latter part of the months of October, on several occa-
sion*, at a late hour at night, loitering about the prose-
cutor's premises, and on one of them he put a quantity of
lighted paper into the letter-box attached to the street.
door, and had not a timely discovery been made, there
was every probability that the booms would have been
burned, and lose of life might have ensued.
At the trial the prisoner made snob a rambling defence
th►t some of the magistrates who were en the bench at the
time entertained some doubt as to his sanity, and the
Assistant-Judge deferred passing judgment for the purpose
of allowing Dr. Smilea, the surgeon of the prison, to see
him and report upon his state of mind.
This day a certificate was received from Dr. Smiles,
stating that the prisoner was of perfectly sound mind.
The Assistant-Judge sentenced the prisoner to be impri.
caned and kept to bud labour for 12 mouths,

THE POLICE COURTS.
(THIS DAY.)

MANSION-HOUSE.
SINGULLE CliAloll OP BROOM ni ♦ CRITECH.

William Potts, a boy 16 years old, was charged with beg-
ging in Bishepsgate Church on the previous evening.
The Rev. Mr. Roger., the rector of Bishougate parish,
stated that on Sunday evening at the clue of the ser-
vice, and just as the clergyman was about to leave
the pulpit, the prisoner went up to him and pre.
rented • letter to him. He was asked to go into the
vestry, and upon the letter being read it appeared to
represent that the prisoner had obtained • berth in a vessel
to take him to Newcastle, and that he wanted • little
assistance to support him until the vessel sailed. Some ques-
tions were put to hica,the answers to which were not at all ea-
tisfactory, and something was said about sending for the police ;
the moment the primmer heard this he attempted to
make a bolt, but was stopped, and taken Into custody, and
he then admitted that the statements contained in the
letter were all false, and that he had no ship to go to.
The prisoner, in answer to questions that were put to
him, said that he was • native of Newcastle, and that he
walked up to London in search of employment. It ap-
peared that the police knew nothing at all about him.
Alderman Flows directed that the prisoner should be
Wien to the union, with a view to his being sent home to
Newcastle.
________ _

CLERICENWELL
COMMITTAL OF TILL 11MALS BIIIIBLAIL

Elizaleth But, egad 28, • showily-attired female, who
described herself as a dressmaker, was again charged with
entering the back parlour of the house, 4, Wilstead-irtreet,
Somers-town, and steeling therein a timepiece and other
articles, of the value of 44, the property of Mr. Melville
Sheriff, tobacconist.

The 'facts of this cue have already been reported. It
will be remembered that the prisoner lodged in the same
house as the prosecutor, occupying furnished lodgings of
him. Oa entering his heck parlour he minded his time-
piece and other articles, and OR trolling in Polies-sergeant
killath, 36 Y, the prisoner told him that she had stolen
the missing articles. and he afterwards found the time-piece
concealed in the Chimney.
The primmer said she was guilty, and sated that she
might be leaieotly dealt with as it was her first offence.
The magistrate said the cam had been folly proved, and
sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned and kept to bard
labour in the noose of Correction for four calendar mouths.