The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-09 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT•

OLD COURT.
Crianee OF AlifO:',,Robert Niers, draper, aged 31, (re-
manded from last Sessions) was indicted for unlawfully,
,s,ctisly, and feloniously setting fire to his house, situate ira
MO-street, Marylcbone, on the night: of the 2TOth, Jan.,in
present year, with intent to defraud the Union
Insurance
Coreperil.
Mr. Ketasts stated the case for the prosecution thu.S.P—The
prisonsr at the bar, gentlemen, formerly carried en an esTtc?°:
sive business as a linendraper in Oxford-street, and where
remained until March, 183'7, at which time he was in good
credit. He quitted his house and his trade, and went to live
in High•street, Marylebone, where he remained until Ins pre-
mises were destroyed by fire. On going to High-street, he
the
opened his house in the same trade, but I shall be able to show"
you with a decreased business as well as credit, and w-lieb he
carried on until the night of Saturday, January 20, when the
plsce was destroyed by fire. It appears that when the pris-.
soner was in more presperous circumstances, when he war:
carry ing on an extensive business, and consequently where
his stock was larger, that he was insured for 1,500/. on 1.115
stock in trade, and which was effected in the British Fire
Office. He also effected another insurance for the same
amount in the Protector Fire office. In addition this, there
ass a small sum for furniture. These insurances were
subsequently removed to the Union, and were inereaseo•
It would be wrong to say, at the early part of this transactioe!:
although he had increased his insurance, that he conteinplated
the crime for which he is brought here to-day. Although, $5
I have said, that upon his removal from Oxford-street his
p
trade decreased, and continued to do so up to the 20th et
January, and which of itself is a very strong circumstance, it
will be better for me not to advert to it, but let you draw your
own inferences. There is one fact which I must draw
your attention to. About eight days before the fire cc'
cursed the prisoner went and reduced his insurance fro
3,0001. to 2,5001, and for this sum a policy was effected on his
stock in trade, and about 2501. was effected on his furniture
and glass. On the Monday following, after the fire had taken
place, notice was given to the fire-office, and they
Of course
proceeded to make inquiries as to the cause of it, and desired
the prisoner to sent in a specification as to the nature and ex-
tent of his loss ; and at the same time the fire. office instructed
Mr. Toplis, their agent, to inspect the premises, and make
the necessary inquiries. The prisoner, gentlemen, had been
for some time acquainted with a Mr. Campion, who was one of
the agents of the fire-office, and he was employed on behalf of
the claimant to make out his claim, and to that person he
gave, at very great length, a statement of the loss which h
althoughhad sustained. At no very great distance of time, although
much longer than is usual on such occasions, was this state'
meat sent in, and this presented a very curious appearance, for
seven or eight sheets of this document were devoted to the
furniture and other articles insured for about 4001., while the
whole of the stock was comprised in one gross item. A debtor
and creditor account was set forth, making the prisoner's 1056
3,272/. 9s. Bd. ; 147/. ss. 6d. on his fixtures ; household ford'
niture, 3801. ss, ; watches and trinkets, 45/. 7s. 6d. ; plateass.
glass, 24/. ss. ; thus making his whole loss 3,814/. 195. °,
This sum on th Ist of February he represented as ba"l
lost by the fire. The insurance office, not being satisfied nr't
this statement, sent to Miers to make out a further specificsci
tion relative to his stock, and this he did not do until the 3
of February, when an account was sent in, and laid bet.°r,
0
the office; in the mean time, circumstances of a suspieieti,
nature, which it would not be necessary to detail, came to tb
knowledge of the Board; but, in the fresh specification, se",..*
ral of the items which appeared in the first were struck nut.;
and which were known not to have been on the premises ;
result of this paper was still more unsatisfactory, and ,the
trite
custody. was, either on that or the following day, taken 'nte
h
custody. The Learned Counsel then went at length int° t d
particulars of the case; after which witnesses were examine
and the Court adjourned for the day.
The trial was proceeding on Saturday, and at late hour,
after some witnesses for the defence had been examined, I,
f
Mr. PAYNE suggested that, as it was half-past elefe r
o'clock, and there were upwards of thirty witnesses to call Ici'd
the defence, it was extremely desirable that the Court sh°
adjourn. The Court had already sat fifteen hours and a ,1"
ll
this day, and both the Counsel and Jury must be neceasarl
exceedingly exhausted. ; n of
The LORD Ciller JUSTICE acquiesced in the proposit'°The
Mr. Payne, and the Jury were once more conveyed to t
London Coffee house, under the care of Mr. Kemp, the offic,e
er_
of the Sheriff, where they will remain in the custody of the
Sheriffs until Monday, every care being taken to provide the
with all necessary comforts.
The Court then adjourned.