The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-22 00:00:00

OLD E.IILEr.

Tr.Bfit‘Rv
B.:fore Jol:s S t, Esr ER, E 7. ih' Common &venni.

Rfardse Windecr was indited for feloniously, wil-
fully and maliciously setting fire to her house, with
intent to consume and destroy the same.
Mr. Daniel Weynis, a pencil-maker in Princes-
street, said, that he observed a great smoke about
his house en the morning. of the 9th of February,
and on opening the window to 5-2 e where it pre-
ceeded from, he ncticed tl.e prisoner walking in the
yard belongint to her house, in a very composed
manner, with.her usual dress on. Having no doubt
but there was a fire in her house, from the smoke
that issued from the windows, he immediately alarm-
ed the neighbourhood.
Peter Murry said, he was a lodger in the Swan
public-house; when the fire took place. lie had re-
tired to rest some time, when he was awoke by a
thick smoke that istned into the room. He got up,
and on opening the door of his apartment, found the
house was en fire.. 'The witness then effeeled his
escape by getting out o. the window, and gave the
aideut.. Ife observed no fire at any place but at the
hotter) of the stairs, which were inflames : he oh-
ierved the prisoner walking in the yard, under the
appearance of much uneasiness.
13arnard.M.Donnald stated, that he lodged in the
sarrez of the pri..oner's house, and had a wife and
four children. On hearing the cry of fire, he got up
and carried out two of his children ; wile fol-
lowed with the other two. When he got inte the
street, he saw the prisoner walking about the yard
*ith much composure. The witness's wife imme-
diately abused her, and asked her why she had not
'riven the alar:n when the house was first on fire ?
The back par'our was in flames when the witness
cane dowu. About a fortnight before the fire took
plaU,, 11e brswti the prisoner say she v.
tressed, and she wanted a9statuice. The wi told
her, that the Brewers who placed her in the house
would seize the property upon the premises, if the
arrears were not paid. She immediately replied,
it--n the house I will consume it before the) shall
get the money;
The wile of the last witness corroborated his evi-
dence.

John Cock, a fireman, stated, that he came at
two o'clock irr the morning. He went into the back
room and fonnd it in a blaze ; the staircase that led
to the beer cellars was also on fire. There was a brick
wall between them, and a distance of five feet.
The witness was of an opinion, that it was impos-
sible for the fire in the parlour to communicate with
that on the stair-cast.

Peter Fish, another fireman, affirmed, that the
fire had not the least appearance of an accident ; as
it had broke out at two different places at the same
time.

Several other witnesses appeared. to eliminate the
prisoner, and in addition to the evidence given,
stated, that she had beeaseen shutting the windows
of the house, to keep in the smoke.
Mr. SYLVESTER addressed the Jury, and ob-
served, that the offence for which the prisoner stood
indkted, was as black a crime as could disgrace
human nature, aggravated by that cruelty which
must debase the feelings of the most abandoned.
The house in which the prisoner lived, was the pro-
perty of the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of
the City of London, who had let it to Mr. Dicken-
son, a brewer. The
.last-mentioned person, had
originally let it to a man named Benjamin Illin-
worth, who passed for the husband of the prisoner,
and who was now in Newgate for debt. II did not
appear, however, that the prisoner was aktuated by
any favourable motives, either in behalf of the per-
son so confined, or the good of the house in which
she resided. At the time her resign was to have
taken place, there were no less than nine lodgers in
the house, all quietly reposing in their beds, and
they were only warned to make their escape by the
smoke that issued into their bed-chambers. Provi-
dentially their lives were saved—perhaps, contrary
to the wish of the perpetrator of the offence. Such
was the appearance of the prisoner's conduA, from
the evidence adduced ; the Jury would, however,
consider, calm and collated, if the testimony ofthe
evidence already given appeared just. If there
was any circumstance that appeared in the prison-
er's favor, they would not fail to apply it to its
proper end, as the life of an individual was depend-
ing on their decision.
The Jury withdrew for a short time ; and on. their
return, pronounced the'prisoner—Guiity.

COIN EXCRANCE, FEB. 21.—The supply oFwheat
to-day is not great ; having many buyers our sales
were brisk, at prices nearly as last week. Barley
not in plenty, but sells lower, and inclines down-
wards, as does malt. Peas are a trifle dearer, and
beans rather decline. Oats are rather more plen-
tiful, and they may be noted as our last. Hour
1. does not sell lower."

Ills Majesty's ship Cpthia, of 18 guns, Captain
Wright, arrived on the 18th Feb. at Portsmouth,
from Gibraltar, and has gone into quarantine. The
Secretary of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent
is reported to have come home in the above ship ;
also several of the mutineers who were sentenced
to death at Gibraltar, but pardoned, and. seat
home by his Royal Highness.

. ..

Arif FAL DirEiLIGENtt. •

• eolvsmoorPs, FET'. 11.
Arrived here the rourg transport, Lent.
Street commander, with ordnance stores -and WO
invalids, from the Cape of Good Hope, which
place she left 29th of November last. She has
brought home as passengers the following officers :
Mr. Erskine, Deputy Adjutant General at the
Cape; Lieutenant Monro, Aid-de-camp to General
Dundaa; Dr. Trier, Apothecary t.) the Forces ;
Lieutenant Poyntz, 65th regiment ; Mr. Tytler,
81st regiment ; Mt. Davidson and Mr. De Lille.
Sailed this day to St. Helens, his Majesty's ship
Intrepid, of 64 guns Captain Hargood.
Came into harbour his Majesty's brig Starling,
Lieutenant Guyon commander, to be paid off.
Remain at St. Helens, his Majesty's ships of the
line, Le Hercule and Intrepid. At Spithead, the
squadron as per last, with the exception of the In-
trepid and Starling brig ; and at the Motherbank his
Majesty's ships Cynthia and Adventure transport,
both from Gibraltar, and in quarantine. Wind
southerly, and blowing fresh.
Captain Wright, of his Majesty's ship Coale,
is one of those pliant officers who constantly shared
the toils and fatigues of the war with Sir Sidney'
Smith in Egypt.

FEBIGARY 20.
Arrrived from the Motherbank, and anchored at
Spithead, his Majesty's ship Cynthia, released from
quarantine, and remains with his Majesty's sh:ps
Neptune, lair, Calcutta, WoollOch, Chi:hater, Blanch:,
Lorre, Amu: or., Dryad, .efiollo, Kirginie ; and brigs
Morgiaaa, Port 111ahos, Ain., and Charger.
Remain at St. Helens, his Majesty's ships Le
Hercule and Intrepid ; the latter is bound to Chat-
ham to be paid al.—Wind S. S. E. and variable.
PLYMOUTH, 7ED. 19.
Arrived thereat:hill, Hall, from Seville, and the
Betuyi Eirch, from Waterford.
Sailed t& Ranger and the Eagle cattzrs, on a
cruize.

DOVER, FEB. 19.
Sailed this morning for Calais, the Swift passage
vessel, Capt. W. Blake, with Mr. lteinauj, Mr.
Biger, Mr. Wellopoesket, Mr. Weber, Mr. Perkes,
.1. Wilson, Esq. Mr. Beyon, Mr. Morgan, and a
number of other passengers.
Arrived from Calais, La Retsommee passage vessel,
with Alexander Davison, Esq. and family. Also,
from Calais, I.e Charlotte packet, Capt. Sueur, with
mail and passengers, amongst whom were Gillery
Pigot, Esq. and Charles Weston, Esq. Also
from Boulogne, with Charles Thelluson,
Esq. and Mr. Forbes.
The Minerva, of New Bedford, laden with tot--
ton, has put into this port much dammed, from
New Orleans, bound to Bourdeaus.

Sailed the ifsailand packet, Capt. Hammond,
with the Mail.—Colonel Crawford, Mr. Read, atid
a few other Gentlemen, were passengers.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS AT GUILDHALL,
To.:4oartc.w.
DID IDS: ADS. sr. w.
D. Dyson, of Tottenham, Maid:El.:2c, grazier.... 0 ID
W. Tavlt r, ofF.ltham, Kent, d •aler in roast 0 14.0
NV Gavels, of Mount-row, Pctiv...nyilie, listery—Aa Ole-
k vper 0

BIRTHS.
At Ipswich, on Thusschiy lain, the lady of F Collins., Esq.
of a daughter
Friel4y, th lion. Mrs. Ryder, of a daughter.
MARRIED.

On &aunt:iv, at St. Margaret's Church, Wilaminster, by
the Rev. Mr. Champneis, Wm. irtoxam, Esq. s..th o:S:r M
thew Biuxam, M.P. to MlB+ Ann Burnett, daugiaer ut. Sn Ku:
bert Burnett. -

_ .... _
Mr. Laurence Charlesson, jun. of Crtitched-Friars, to Mial
Sparrow, of the Tower.
At Gillingham, in the County of Dolce, John Ccomisi,
Esq. of Stour' Prevost, to Mix Godwin, of Gilliugiiam.