The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-23 00:00:00

THREE INCENDIARY PIRES_BY A FARMER'S

SUN IN EAST KENT.

SANDWICH, FRIDAY.
The little village of Stourmoutli, situate on the
south side of the river Stour, at a distance of about five
miles from Sandwich, was the scene last evening of three
incendiary fires, involving the destruction of considerable
property, and the work of a young man named Sherry, about
22 Yews of age, the son of a small fanner, whose entire pre-
mises have beets razed to the ground. The premises fired
were occupied respectively by Mr. Dowker, Mr. Harrison,
and Mr. Sherry (the father of the author of the mischief),
and consisted of the ordinary description of farm build-
ings. About 9 o'clock, Miss Elua Sherry observed
portion of the thatch of the barn on fire, but which she sue-
oreded in extinguishing, and then went indoors. On
ootning out in a few momenta she found the barn again
fired, and it had got too strong a hold for her to attempt to
put it out. At this moment, the premises of Mr. Harrison
and Mr. Dowker were also observed to he on fire, and had
not the labourers rendered prompt and energetic assistance,
there is very little doubt but that nearly the enure vil-
lage would have been destroyed. As it was, Mr.
Sherry's house, barn, stabling, and the fodder
stacks, were consumed, and Mr. Harrison's barn,
stabling, cow-house, waggon lodges, and offices, entirely sa-
crificed. Mr. Dowker's premises were fortunately saved,
owing to the promptitude and presence of mind displayed
by bin neighbours and their servants, nod by this means the
flames prevented from extending to the other houses of the
village, which consist chiefly of wood and thatch. The
constables attached to the Kent county force were soon on
the spot, and rendered material aid, and the engines arrived
from Canterbury just as the fire beam to succumb. As soon
as it was quite got under, John Sherry was apprehended
oo the charge of setting fire to the premises. He was then
uouler the influence of drink. This morning Superintendent
Stokes told him the nature of the charge, and he replied,
" I did set them on fire—at least I helped—but I won't
tell who was with Joe. I shall tell at some future time."
He was then quite sober.
This afternoon the prisoner was taken before the county
justices at Canterbury, when the facts of the case having
been deposed to,
The prisoner, in answer to the three distinct charges pre-
ferred against him, said—" I can say the reason I did it.
Yesterday I went to my father's to dinner. He maid, You
don't do any work at all. You come and get your food, and
that is all you care for. You shall never come into this
house again. Words ensued, arid he added, that I might
go to h— if I liked. My father turned me out of doors.
I bad no trade nor money, and what was I to do? I have
nothing more to say."
The prisoner was then fully committed for trial on each
charge at the next Kent mires.
It is stated that the prisoner broke the pump on his
father's promisee, sou to prevent any water being obtained,
and endeavoured to thrust the old gentleman into the
flames. He has been in the army, and twice in the police
force. The only reason that can be assigned for the pri-
soner's infamous attempt to fire Mr. Dowker's premises is
the fact that that gentleman refused to testify to the pri-
soner's moral character when he was desirous of getting into
the Kent county constabulary some time since.

The Algiers journals give an account of a grand
wild-bear hunt which took place last week at a place called
Arba, at a short distance from that city. In addition to a
number of French and Arabs, about 100 foreigners, a great
many of them English, and among them Mr. Cobden, were
present. Si-Teher, the Atm of the district, who got up the
hunt, showed great attention to the foreign visitors, and
gave them an entertainment. both in Arab and European
style, in a vast tent, pitched on a height commanding a
splendid view. The visitors, of whom 25 were English ladies,
took great interest in seeing the Arab part of the feast pre-
pared, consisting, among other things, of six sheep roasted
whole, of immense mgouts, and of the indispensable roes-
coamou. Al to the bunt itself, it was Dot very splendid,
though as many as 600 men were employed to prevent the
bears escaping from the two ravines in which it took place,
only two animals having been killed.
A letter from Jaffa (Syria) states that all
Palestine was deluged with torrents of rain in the corn•
mincemeat of the present mouth. Several villages were
inundated, and a number of houses thrown down, burying
the inhabitants under the ruins. On the mountain' of
Judea the olive plantations have suffered severely, both
the trees sail the soil having been washed away in many
places. At Jerusalem rain and snow fell in such abundance
as to Ell all the cisterns of the Holy Cite, to the great joy
of the inhabitants, who say that there kis not been such •
supply of water for more than 200 years.
A FLYING Lasr.—thi Thumlay evening a horse
belonging to Mr. R. Bourne, of Totnes, perfermed a very
extraordinary feat. The horse in question had been ridden
by Mr. Bourse's clerk to Ilmadhempston. and, on its ws7
home, ran away. Coming down Bridgetown at a great pace
without the rider, it made a flying leap over the Toupee
Bridge turnpike-gate, clearing a distance of eighteen feet
eight inches, and • height of something over Eve feet six
inches.— Western Time..
SOMITHING LIKI A RAILWAY DIVIDENIL.—Foe
the past year the Paris end Orleans Railway pave dividend
at the rate of 20 per cent. per annum, and this is but • mall
increase, namely 12e. Gd. per cent, over the previous year.—
lierapark.