The Sun.
London, England, 1823-05-15 00:00:00

CHARGE OF HOUSE BURNING.

Bow-STREET.—,Yestertiay the Sitting Magis-
trate, G. It. MtlrsnuLt., Esq. was occupied nearly the whole
of the morning in the investigation of an extraordinary case of '
arson. The person accused was John Collie, the man whose
house in New-street, Covent-garden, was burnt down on Mon-
day night last, upon which occasion an elderly lady, who lodged
there, unfortunately perished in the flames. The present
charge was preferred by Mrs. Anne Gibbs, the wife of one of
the Conductors of Patrol of this Office, and from her testimony
and that of other witnesses the following circumstances were
conected

In September, 1811, Gibbs, who was at that time a cabinet-
maker, in a respectable way of business, had occasion to change
his residence for,premises more convenient, and Airs. Gibbs,
when passing through Nirhitecross-street, Cripplegate, saw a
bill in a window announcing that the greeter part of the
house was to be let. She found the prisoner was the oc-
cupier ; that he carried on a small business as a pastry-cook
in the lower apartments ,• anti that lie and an apprentice were
the only inhabitants. She hired the rest of the house, and re-
moved her furniture, of which she had a very considerable
stock, nearly new ; but they had not been many days there be-
fore she expressed to her husband a strong dislike to remain, on
account of the singular habits of the prisoner ; he had not more
than 31. worth of furniture in the whole house ; he seemed to
do little or no business, and was morose and distant in his man-
ners and behaviour. When they had been there about a week
he requested her leave to put three sacks of shavings, which lie
said he had bought cheap, in one of her rooms up stairs (he
occupied the lower part) and she consented. On the follow-
ing Saturday, Gibbs told the prisoner he was going to St.
Alban's on Sunday to see his aged father and mother. The pri-
soner asked if Mrs. Gibbs was not going also ? and being told
that her health would not permit he to go, he said it was non-
sense, the journey would do her good. She did not go to St.
Alban's but went out on Sunday afternoon, and on her return
at an early hour, she found the prisoner had removed the hearth-
stone of the room immediately over his oven, and was engaged
when she entered the room, which she did rather suddenly, in
stuffing shavings with a chissel into the crevices between the
boards, and also spreading them over the place whence he had
removed the hearth-stone. She asked him why. he was doing
this, and he said lie only wanted to dry the shavings. On Mon-
day night, just before bed time, lie conversed with her and her
husband, and when they wished hint good night, he said he
should go to the top of the house to look at-the Comet, which
was visible at that time. They heard him ascend the stairs, and
went to bed themselves. About one o'clock in the morning Mrs.
G. was awakened by the scratching of a dog at the chamber
door; and the animal whining at the same time, she called her
husband, and said she was sure there were thieves in the house
by the noise Pincher was making at the door. By the time lie
awoke, however, the room was filled with black smoke, and
Gibbs jumped out of bed, and on opening the door the flames
burst into the room. He closed it again, and exclaimed in
despair, " we are lost !" but at the same moment he recollect-
ed having a small working bench in the room, and forcing out
one of its legs, he wrenched away an iron-bar which secured
the window and opened it. He then took his wife naked as she
was under his arm, and dropped her from the window on a wall
belonging to a brewery adjoining. He followed in the same con-
dition, and they were rescued from their still perilous situa-
tion just as a stack of chimnies fell, which must have crushed
them to death. The house was on fire in every part, and in
ten minutes was burnt to ashes, not a thing being saved ; even
the faithful Pincher perished.— [Mrs. Gibbs, when she related
this fact, burst into tears.l—When the fire was first seen in the
street, the prisoner was observed standing opposite the house
with his arms folded, and being recognized by a young girl,
end asked where his lodgers were, he said they were safe ; they
had escaped, and gone away. This was before' Gibbs and his
wife were getting from the window.
The prisoner a few days before the fire, efl'ected a policy of
insurance upon " house and furniture" for 6001. at the Eagle
Insurance Office. He, however, absconded on the morning
of the fire, and never claimed the amount for which he had
insured. He was seen no more by the Gibbs' until about eight
yeiirs ago, when Mrs. Gibbs saw him in Holborn, anti imme-
diately seized him by the collar, but he threw her from him and
ran away. On Tuesday Avis, one of the patrol, was describ-
ing the person of the nine who had his house burnt down in
New-street, in her presence, and she said it must be the same
man. She was taken yesterday morning to a place where he
was appointed to meat other persons, and she gave him in charge
to Davis, another officer.
Davis said, that when he apprehended the prisoner there
was another man with him 'with a tin box, containing a policy
of insurance with the Sun Fire-office, eire.cted some weeks ago
for 800/. for the house and furniture in New-street.
James Briulley,one of the principal firemen of the Sun-office,
was sworn to the last-mentioned fact.
It was further stated, that the entire house in New-street,
with the exception of the shop, and a small back room, were
let out to ledgers, and the prisoner had scarcely any furniture
in the house. 'the tinder-box was almost tile only article
saved. It was added, also, that the prisoner had been burnt out
from another house at Shadwell.
The prisoner said nothing in his defence.
Mr. J. Isaacs, who, in the absence of the Solicitor to the
Fire-office, volunteered his services to conduct the prosecution,
requested that the prisoner might be remanded to give time to
procure further evidence. _ _ .

The prisoner was remanded for further examination on a
future day.

Gobbett's Norfolk Yeoman's Gazette, and an-
other Paper of the same stamp, have fallen into decay, and
died a natural death within these ten days. Who can doubt
that Radicalism is fallen into contempt?--(Bury Gazette.)