The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-03 00:00:00

THE WM: T. If ARTWAILL.

TM. area an info.;:tiMitileil ny-Genenil against
the defendant. for th, recovery or penal, KM dot on account of his
sinning nook alterations in the stamp which is placed on govern-
mcpt paper. It appealed that a goantity of paper had het:i sold
by the tiefenilant. and that the stamp hire the mark of 741 b. while
it r.onti.incil no more than SUspieion arining tl:nt the defend-
ant ltd ictem!cd to defraud. an application was made to the Stamp
lifire. and it ws. a.certsineal that the man, hid bcco issued only
for :•'4,h. a frnmi sit ink committed an the retinue.

The z:O7. Its ITC I.IiAL conducted the proaceution.
Bir. J envis, for the delet.ce, contended the t the mistake might
hare been made by the clerk of the Stamp Office, or by come per-
win in th employ of the defendant, and that tncrc was no natio:co
to bring home the from! to I:co.

Thelot.tc r !IA!. repPed, And
The Jury rtinzatil a vzrd:ct to U Crown.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

WINTER ASSIZES.

HERTFORD, Dgc. 2.

Ymterday there Amines commenced before Mr. Justice Bincrogh
and Mr. Baron Gomm, Tito arrived in towu early this morning,
aml pmcceded to the church, where Divine Service wait performed,
after whitest the Learned Judges proceeded to the Court-house,
when, alter the uruol preliminaries hod been gone through,

Georer Milts, alias Me/ham, acd Joseph Illaegue, alias Andrew,
were capitally convicted of breaking and entering the dwelling_
house Joseph Anderson, Esq. at rail-street, in the said
county. Oethy—Multi. Sentence thereof recorded.
The prisoner Mills was a principal witness at the last Assure,
held here, to prove an alibi in favour of Haines, now confined in
our gaol, under sentence of death. for the robbery of Earl Cowper's
steward. One of the Learned Judges recollected the circumstance,
and expressed his surprise at beholding Mills in another part of
the Cnurt in the present instance.

Thos. Sogiyrts and fr. Miles, were capitally convicted. on
separate uidtctments, of sheep-stealing, and sentence of Death
will he passed oa them at the termination of the Maize.

OLD BAILEY, TIICESDAT, Dec. 2.

This morning the Old Bailey Sessions commenced, before
the LORD M•YOlt. Mr. SerVelifit A 111•111 N. &c. At ten
o'clock Mr. Justice ItAILEY, and dlr. Baron II v ttocx, har-
ing arrived,
James lioiley. aged 38, was placed at the bar, charged with hay.
in set fire to a dwelling-house, with intent to injure and defraud
Thomas Omani Elrington and Wm. Dundee.
Mr. LAW opened the indictment, and 3lr. Bs °BERK/ address-
ed the Juty, and detailed the facts as given in evidence. The
prisoner, it appeared, hail insured the premises at the Beacon Fire-
Office, and subsequently claimed from them 300/. for money Int.
goods destroyed, Re. The facts in the case were pregnant with sus.
pieun against the prisoner ; but it would be the province of the
Jury to say. whether the evidence was sufficient to bring the charge
home to him. Ile had expressed the strongest animosity against
the prosecutor, and had removed his family from the premises on
the night previous to the fire.
illiam Dundee, the first witness called, was examined by Mr.
Law, and stated he occupied a house in Argyle. place, in which he
and his partner. Elrit.spon, carried on their business ; the prisoner
occupied a shop and ;manta from them, with a kitchen on the
basement story. The model produced is a correct representation
of the premises. There is no comisunisation with the prisoner's
premises to any other Tan of the house. There had been a com-
munication, but which had been stopped shout four yeah ago. It
was built up with strong brick-work previous to the tire. On the
night of the of October. went to bed about (deem o'clock.
About half-put one o'clock witness perceived a slight smoke in his
bed-morn. Wife was with hint, but not able to conic here at pre-
sent. The smoke having gradually increased. opened the window
of the chamber and the 114.0 r of the bed-room ; haying observed
that the smoke which be first thought proceeded from a lamp, did
rat; and that there was stroke all over the house. On going into
the drawing-room I made sufficient noise to be heard, and then
heard some person running over the house. and heard a noise from
shutters Ihreed open from the prisoner's shop into the street. The
family being alArrned, we went out half-domed. and observed the
prisoner about 2:40 yards (min the daelling.house. Haring left
our family for protection with Mr. Hillman, opposite, returned to
the house, and observed coining front the prisoner's shop consider-
able smoke, also from the area,'occupicd by him. There were two
men outside, whom I desired to break open the door whilst 1 ran
for water. I then heard voices inside. But having procured
water, on my return, I went to the shop-door, and saw fire in a
coiner of the shop over a. staircase; the fire had erased, and much
heavy smoke continued. The firemen haring come with me, we
went to examine the drawing-morn over the shop ; the flooring was
wood. not plastered, and the fire mutt have speedily reached it.
Witness went over to Hillman to see his family, and when there.
was told the fire had broken out again; having returned and look. d
into the shop. I observed two distinct fires close to the cupboard
in which the former fire had been. There had been altogether the
greater pan of the floor and fixtures burned by the 'ire which hall
issued from the hole over the kitchen. The prisoner had some dif-
ferences with him about that time. The premises wet.r lenri to
him, and witness was told he had expressed himself most violently
inwards him in the presence of a Mr. Reeves. The next imming.
I told him his conduct had been very improper, and expressed a
hope he had been sensible of his error. Ile replied he was not.
Afterwards I got a warrant teem the magistrate at Marlborough.
street to apprehend him, but a Mr. Thompson having told me he
had expressed some regret, I did not put it in execution. The
prisoner's wife dressed plainly, almost always in one silk gown.
during the whole time they occupied the place (near four years).
She did not use more than three different dresses, and those suit.
able to his occupation as a green.groar, in a small line of business.
Mr. Dundee, cross-examined by Mr. Anotrit us—l am a
wine-merchant, doing business on these premises and in the
City; our stock exceeds in value 20.000/. ; heard that persons of
rank had dealt with the prisoner; his knowledge of the dress of
prisoner's wife was confined to seeing her at the house; never
saw her dressed to go out to her friends. The prisoner paid 521.
a-year when witness took the premises from Mr. Thompson, and
the rent was not raised. Witness did not know where the prisoner
or his daughter slept. The noise of my walking over the floor did
not so much awaken my faro* as the Calling esulashem ; ea the
top of the stairease there werebundles of wood for lighting fires.
The prisoner was close to the house at the time the noise of the
shutters, already described, was heard.
Wm. Sharrow, a watchman, stated that, as he was going his
rounds, he heard persons in the prisoner's house about half-past
nee o'clock. At two o'clock he beard a child cry. On his return
from crying the half-hour, Mrs. Hailey cried out, "Watchman,
here MUM be fire—we are suffecat d!" I looked into the place,
and law Mr. Halley, the prisoner. There was a small glimmering
light by the bedx.de, which seemed to me to be a rushlight. Mrs.
Cl%handed me a babe in its night-clothes, which witness
t to his watch-box foe security. The engines, and several
persons, came on the alarm. Many of the persons dispersed,
and in about half an hour afterwards the second alarm of hive took
piece. The shop was completely on dre, but the engines soon put
at sot.
On crees-examination, witness admitted that the prisoner had
oecasionalkeven him some money, and on the night of the fire
had given him sixpence. The voices be heard were not distin-
guisksble to witness ; does not know whether of anger, or of care
for the child ; Mr. Halley was in his shirt when Mrs. Hailey
bonded the child.

By the Junoz—in answer to questions. There were several
watchmen present when I took the child ; any person could have
got into the premises through the window ; they could have forced
their way into the shop and inspected the place ; it •as full ten
minutes before the tire was discovered after the shop shutters were
got down ; there were many of the firemen there on the first alarm,
who went away when there was no fire perceived.
Nixon, a watchman, stated he was in company with
Foulis, another watchman, about three o'clock on the morn-
ing of the fire ; saw ■ shutter forced into the street, and per.
ceived smoke coming from the area-grating and shno.door ; he
cried nut " Fire, fire !" at this time. ut the corner of King-street,
opposite the premises. Vie observed the prisoner put his leg out
of a window, and saw his wife and child standing inside. Here
witness corroborated the statement of the preceding witness as to
the situation of the fire, and saw that it was buadlcs of wood and old
fruit-barkets that had been on tire. After it was put out he per.
reined there was smoke appearing to originate front the kitchen
below. The engines were set on again in half an hour, and spee-
dily put it nut. The prisoner appeared distressed when in the shop,
but did not take any part in putting out the tire.
Cross-examined—Admitted that the shutters had been opened,
by the pins having been loosened in the inside.
James Staples, fireman of the Union Office, stated the door had
Lcrn opcned on their approach to the house, by the prisoner, who
had ► candle in his hand, and he was then undressed. %times.
cor•obornted the testimony of all the othcra as to the situation of the
lire over the idairciase.

Smart, engineer to the County Fire Office. slated, that,
when he examined the cupboard in which the lire had taken place,
it was fastened so that it could not be easily opened. There was
nn furniture destroyed by the fire, and he was of opinion that the
two fire. had been distinct, and not the one prweltwerf by the other.
The fire from the kitchen must have been burning some few mi.
oaten, from the immense body of fire that came front t t and wit.
ness did not see any communication whatever between the tire ir,
the shop under the drawing-room and that which afterwards came
into it froin the kitchen.

Several other firemen belonging to the tliferent offices pre simi-
lar testimony as to the arm fire, and also u to to the nature of the
&e. in tl ebonite.

. _
Several witnesses were examined for the defence, who paned
that the prisoner's circumstances were not in such an embarrassed
state ns would be inferred from the evidence for the nrotiectithm.
and that they had seen Mrs. Hailer wear silkolns“es. It ass
alto ',timid that the prisoner exerted himself, and assiocd during
the her ; that Noblemen dealt with him, and persons of distinc-
tion, who paid hie.' Lime sums weekly.
Mr. Wild, of Ilerwiek.sitcet, Soho, knew him to be a respect-
able man, and that he carried on a KOMI InII4i:ICSA. 11 is %h.lll
well worked. and it was by no nicaes a common place, hut bore
the appearance of, and was a superior frititerer's 1,11.1 p.
Mr. Char:den deposed that he knew the primmer tier eight years
as an honest industrious tradesman.

..... .....
3lr. Frazer, of Itroad.street, tioldetwuptare, ais.o knew the pr:.
rarer for eleven years. Ile was a rcpt etuble man, and he ner,:r
knew him to commit himaelf during that time.
At seven o'clock the learned Judge commenced Ida charge to
the Jury, and recapitulated the whole of the eviaener.
Tl:e Jury retired hatltliherate, and at half-Fat ten o'clqck they
returned a verdict Q 4 Net Guilty.

FIRE Is RE1:61.11-*$ PARE.—Yeatcrtlay, about twelve
o'clock, a fire broke out in two large cottafr,es, in Saint
John's-mid. rear Lord's Cricket-ground, the property of
Mr. Todd, an eminent builder. From the lest informa-
tion we could rain, the fire was occasioned by the neglect
of the carpenters not tsking due care of the fire before they
went to dinner. One of the cottages, which is very spa-
cious, was burnt to the ground, and the other very much
damaged. Great praise is due to the firemen for their px-
ertiotet. We do not exact!v know who is faulty, but not
a drop of water could be procured for needy an hour after
she arrival of the cosines.