The National Register.
London, England, 1819-03-14 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

LENT ASSIZES HOME CIRCUIT.
Hertford, March 8.
INFAMOUS CASE Or ARSON.

James Head, aged 40, and Martha, his wife, were in-
dicted for having set fire to a ham in the occupation of
Jaint Overell, of %%rakely, and burning thereby an im-
mense quantity of corn, his property, on the 27th of
August last.
Walford opened the case for the prosecution, and
proceeded to cal: evidence.
John Ovetell taid, he kept au extensive farm, and re-
sided in the hamlet of Wakely. The prisoner had been
in his employment, and he discharged him on the 18th
of May last. His barn was set on fire on the 27th of
August following, and completely burnt down. The
barn was separate sonic distance from his dwelling-
house. In the year 1817 his premises were set fire to in
a similar way.
J. Turtle said, he resided at Buntingford. On the
night of the 27th of August he was alarmed by infortna-
nod of a fire at the premises of Mr. Overell. Ile rose
from bed, and rode to the spot. The fire, which was
blazing, appeared to have commenced at one corner.
In about two hours after he had been there, Jas. Head
appeared upon the premises, and kept walking about,
and talking very much of the former fire at his master's,
in 1817. Ile talked also much of the then fire, and wit-
beta was induced to observe him closely. The prisoner
caught his eye, appeared embarrassed, and shuffled
away, to break off the conversation.
George Mickley said he also went to the premises of
- Mr. Overell the night of the fire. lie saw the prisoner
there, who spoke to him, and said it was a sad job that
a fire should thus happen again on his master's premises.
His wife, he added, was unwell, and had got out of bed
in, the night, when he (the prisoner) said he thought
there was a fire. His wife replied it was nothing but
moon-shine, but he thought it was a contiguous farm
which was on fire. The prisoner appeared to the wit-
ness to be confused and agitated. He lived about a mile
from the place where the fire took place. Witness did
not think it possible, from the situation of Head's
dwelling, that he could see a fire while fie lay on his
hcd; but admitted that the atmosphere might be illu-
minated by a blaze where the fire was not directly oppo-
site to the view. _ _ .

Thomas Britton resided at Mundell, close to the pri-
soner's house. The latter called hint up on 'he night uf
the 27th of August from bed, by an alarm of fire. Wit-
ness arose, and accompanied hint to the premises of Mr.
Overell. The prisonet told him on the way, that when
be first called him up he was naked, and that his wife
threw his clothes to hint out of the window, when he
inn them on by the time he (the witness) had got dressed.
Riahard Tew (an interesting boy) said he was the son-
indlaw of James Head. Martha !lead was his own ma
ther, and he lived in the house with them. He slept up
stairs in a room outside his finites, and through which
the Inter must have come to go down stairs. On the
irnAlit of the 27th of August he was awoke by a person,
whom he knew to be his fattier, and who went down
stairs and out of the house. Ile retu.ned in about a goat.+
ter or hall an hour. He knew his voice well, and heard
Lim distinctly say, " I have left a brave light behind
rue." Witness soon after this went to sleep, bin was
again, in a short time, aroused by his mother, who called
e:t, " Dick, get ; your master's (Mr. Overell's) farm
is on fire." Witness threw his father's smock-frock out

of the wiodow to him.
Ann Bowyer said, that her husband was in the cm•
ployment of Mr. Overell in August last. Her husband
had money to pay the prisoner after his discharge from
the prosecutor in May last. He accordingly came to
their house, but her husband was not at home. Witness
asked him if he came for his money ; he said, yes; but
it would not be much when he had it. Witness said it
would be some for him, as it was for them ; when he
inzr.iediaicly replied, D—n his old blood (meaning
()retell), he wants my knife in his throat, and another
or two want a knife as well as he." He also added,

" l'il be d—d to hell if they don't have it, and he ((he-;
fell) must not live. He wants another light over his
head, and he must look d—d sharp if he dues not have
it." Witness asked hint if her husband ever heard him
use such expressions, when the prisoner replied, " No;
hell a hit; the less sour husband knows, the better it
will be for him." 'Witness had known Head and his
wife fir 8 or 9 years, but had no immediate intercourse
or acquaintance with them. She never had angry words
or quarrelled with either in her life.
Under the direction of the learned Judge, the prose-
cution as against the wom.in was here totally abandoned.
ZVender, the Bow-street nfiker, said he laid
down on the bed limn whence the prisoner said he had
seen the light of the fire, and thought it impossible lir
could hate seen it front thence.
The prisoner. in the most sokmu manner, protested
his innocence.
Mr. Justice Park addressed the Jury, who, after a
consultation ofabout ten minutes, pronounced an arreit-
la as to Martha that!, but found the prisoner James
!lead—Guilts.
His Lordship procceled immediately to pass upon
him the awful sentence of death; and in the most so•
lemn manner implored him not to indulge any hope of
mercy in this, world, but lose not a moment in seeking
his peace in the world of eternity, to which he must
shortly be comigned.

WtNciiivrric, SATUkOAT, MARCH 6.
CIVIL SIDE.

The A s6v.es of Mb COMM' commenced on Tuesday,
before the llon. George Smiley liulro3d, lint.,and the
Ike. 'Was. Drapee, Best.

•TIIE •NATIONAL REGISTER

Alarander Deverrux v. Boyce, M*l4 and Walls.
This was an action to recover damages for injories
sustained by the plaintiff, in consequence of the upset- I
ling of the Express coach, of which the defendants are
proprietors, and which travels from Gosport to London.
fhe plaintiff, who is a navy agent and linendraper at
Gosport, was riding on the box with the coachman, in
the month of July last. This coach changed horses at
Hill-pound, about six miles from Farehani, on the road
from London, and travelled free from accident until
it reached Fareham, when the off wheel horse began
to kick and plunge violently, the reins broke, and the
horses struck into a gallop, when, coming in contact
with some rails on the left-hand side of the road, the
passengers were precipitated from the roof and box, and
the coach broken to pieces. By this disaster, the plaintiff
had suffered two dreadful compound fractures in his leg,
the joint of the wide was entirely destroyed, and other-
wise very much bruised. At the lapse of nearly a month
after the accident, as soon as the state of the plaintiff's
body rendered advisable, baud! when his life was doubt-
ful, amputation of his leg was made; and on the hun-
dredth day after the misfortune occurred, and since which
time he had lain at the Red Lion inn, at Farehatu, he
was conveyed home in a convalescent state.
%V. Fox, assistant to Mr. Shute, deposed, that he saw
the plaintiff at the Red Lion,Fareham, to whom he heard
.Mr. Atfield (one of the proprietors) say, that Mr. %Vitus
ought to have been ashamed of himself for putting such
a vicious horse into the coach; he requested Mr. Dever-
eux to have every thing requisite for himself and his at-
tendants, and he had no doubt there would be a meet-
ing of the proprietors, after the plaintiff's recovery, and
all debts which he might incur would be liquidated.
John Charles Devcrcux stated, he remembered Mr.
Watts coming to his brother's (the plaintiff ), after the
latter's retorts home, and saying to him that he came front
Mr. Boyce, in consequence ofa letter plaintiff had writ-
ten, enclosing some bills; he said Mr. Boyce was ex-
treme;), sorry fur the accident, and he came to know
what plaintiff's intention was about the bills, and the
dmiines lie expected for the deprivation of his limb.
Plaintiff wished the offer to come from defendants.
Watts said he could make him no offer till they heard
what plaintiff had to observe. Plaintiff replied, that they
must discharge the bills that had been tendered them.by
the 33 of November, and allow him HAL per annum.
Ile said he could not give an answer to that then, but
would lay his proposition before Mr. Boyce.
Mr. Shiite, surgeon, of Gosport, related the nature of
the dreadful fractures of the phtintiff's leg: he attended
him during the whole of his illness, during ti weeks of
which period the plaintiff's life was very doubtful, and
he was in attendance on him, daily, for two hours and a
half. His bill amounted to 160 guineas.
Mr. Harris, Landlord of the Red Lion, was called to
prove his bill : it amounted to 2761. I tis. for too days,
including chaise-hire, nurses, washing, upholsterer's bill,
incurred by plaintiff's precarious state at that inn.
—Verdict, OA