The National Register.
London, England, 1813-01-17 00:00:00

17

'lle witness left the house immediately after with his wife and
chi/.lren, and in !v.'s than an hour the premises were entirely consumed.
Ile thought that 'Mrs. Smith was rather in liquor.
The wite of the last witness gave evidence, which confirmed that of
tier husband, and stated, that the prisoner was not in the house at the
time of the fire. She had seen the prisoner's wife frequently in-

tox icated.
John Wool saw the house on fire, and stated, on his cross-examina-
tion, that the prisoner in the morning, burst into tears in his presence,
at a 'while-house in the neighbourhood. This witness said, that two
or three days before the fire, he sew, between the hours of eleven and
twelve o'clock at night, the prisoner sending oil a large quantity of
goods from his Lowe. IVitness lived near the prisoner's house, and
had seen Mrs. Smith drunk more than six times. The prisoner appeared
much concerned at the consequences of the fire.
It was stated by Elizabeth London, who had been a—servant in the
house, that she had never used any shavings in lighting the tires, tur-
pentine wood was the article she used for that purpose. Mrs. Smith
was, she said, accustomed to drink, but not to such an excess as to
be incapable of knowing what she was about. Upon the day pre-
ceding the fire Mrs. Smith did not chew any symptoms of intoxica-

tion.
The evidence most material was that of lames Pelham, a carpen-
ter, who deposed, that he brought, by wafer of the prisoner, a sack
of shavings, on the morning before the fire took place, to his house,
and placed it in the cellar. He had also conveyed a sack of shavings
on the night before this to the same cellar, by the direction of the
prisoner, any sight of which, upon his second visit to the cellar, he
did not see. The servant girl here stated, that she never saw any
trace of a shaving about the house ; and Pelham said. that the
prisoner told him he wanted the shavings to light the fires of the
hoose.
The next evidence was Matthew Bull, which was also most im-
portant. This witness said, that the prisoner had called at his shop
in I. feet-market, and purchased a gallon of turpentine. The wit-
ness observed to him that turpentine was very high, but the prisoner
mentioned that he had known it higher, and having ordered a large
bottle to be tillsd with it, said he would take it home himself. Wit-
ness offered to send it, but the prisoner objected, as he said he was in
the habit of being his own porter. The prisoner also desired the wit-
ness to make up some pitch for Kim, in seven pound bundles, an.'
seeing links hanging in the shop bought two of them. It appeared
in the course of the evidence, that the person with whom the pri-
soner usually dealt for turpentine, oil, &c. lived almost opposite to
his house, and no application had been made by the prisoner to him
for any of those articles. It also came out that the prisoner had,
three weeks before the fire, sent his son to his grandmother, and his
bed and bedding along with !fin. Upon the night before the morn-
ing on svhich the fire tool: place, the prisoner, %alio was in the habit
of us:aline his young Men, desired them to go down to East Smith-
field to a public-house, and prepare a auger there, and tohi them he
should be with them in due time ; accordinely he arrived at East
Smithfield at twelve o'clock, and supped, aid appeared in great spi-
rits.
They continued to drink till four o'elot k in the moroing, and
the prisoner was so drunk at that hour, that the loallord thought it
necessary to call a coach. The prisoner wished to sleet) in the holve,
and when he was toid that he could not he accemea: dated, he said
that he would go to a house \\ hich Is:lunged to han at Ilouudsditeh,
and rest there. He accordingly went to Houndsditch.
The Secretary to the Assurance Crinpatiy upon being informed of
the circumstances of the fire, nisde the necessary inquiries, ant; ob-
tained suali information as roused his susoicion4. When he re-
ceived a notice hem the ioasouer, mentioned his Surprise at the
quicknes; with which the flame:; made their way, tspecially aa wool-
len articles were calculated to check fire. Upon which the prisoner
told him that he would let him knc,w what he leo! con( ealed from
every human being. He then made hie' acquainted with. every cis-
soloist:owe relative to the pin in ahsviees, !wino-oats., &c. and said
that the foe havieo, commileieated to ill cr,:nbustibies, must have
burnt with greet vapidity from :.tech provceat•on.
It was stated by a Surveyor, taiat the cot Laos at fl• w, for Ole
purpose of pochiag the spoon:, for whic'a it wss mentioned in the
clef-epee that the pit; h was intanded, did uot, in his opinion, want
any repairs of that kii,ri, ie; the spouts secre leeden.
A person, who hid formes iy psi: ted 0.43r.:`; in the prsoner's
hoose, sail, that all the turpentiee he had ttsel with the paint,
feted no More th tit three piots, so that a gallon ceold not have been
intended tin- immediate we in that way.
Here the evidense for the prerecutien dosed, and that for the pia._
souer was oroeeeded by a written statement of the prisonei,
expresaed lie, horror at the ides el a crime so diabolical es that oath .
v. Jodi be was charged, and his coefiaeru c in the efficacy of the
evidence he had to °plasse to all the circurnstaiases that had
()coupled the. Court up to that moment. A titlllibCf of witnes.,es
v, re then lerouslit forware, ..!l of w bore, concurred in the ilescrip-
Con given of Mrs. Smut h's I ,;,;a egs, and the excellent ehatnetar of
the prisoner. It was proved tint the prisoner was in the habit of
bringitve hone article; whki i he purchased, wirie his owl haodo
lta[isiad'ustey, vet the stare of his CirCUIDS!7»C:;S;