The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-30 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY, JUNE 28.

CHARGE of ARSON against JOHN GOTTIE.
trintTitEn. PARTICULARS.J
Jahn Gottk was indicted for wilfully setting fire to a house
in the parish of St. Luke in 1811, with intent to defraud George
Penton Carr. He wat also indicted for the same offence in the
present year in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. An
affidavit was put in on the part of the prosecution, stating that
George Penton Cart, of Edmonton, was so ill as to be unable
to attend ; but as there was some informality in the affidavit,
Mr. Justice Buititouort consented to postpone the trial for
three or four hours, and in the Interim a messenger was ordered
to be dispatched to the surgeon for a more satisfactory affidavit,
and the Learned Judge remarked, that unless fuller inflame-
tion arrived respecting the health of the party, they must go to
trial three hours hence.
At one o'clock John Gottie was again put to the bar, and
pleaded not guilty to the indictment, which was of considerable
length, from the recital of the various items which composed
the terms of his insurance upon his house and stock, ins White-
croas-street, St. Luke's, for 7001., at the dikes of the Albion
and Eagle assurances.
The prisoner is a plain elderly man, and he was dressed in
the ordinary attire of a mechanic. He appeared perfectly com-
posed and almost indifferent as to the reading of the indictment.
Mr. BOLLAND stated the case to the Jury.
Anne Gibbs was the first witness, and she detailed the filets
as they have already fully appeared before the public, and given
in our former papers. The principal features of which were
her taking lodgings of the prisoner in September 1811, at his
house in Whitecross-street ; his apparent votVerty and destitu-
tion of furniture, for which he-accounted by saying he had been
recently burnt out at Bermondsey. His representations after-
wards that he had some handsome furniture come into the
dining-room,which he was fitting up for a gentleman, and her
subsequent iscovery that no furniture was there—her finding
sacks of shavings in the garret—her telling him on the morn.
ing of Sunday, that she was going to spend the day at Shad.
well, on which he appeared alarmed, and asked if she knew any
body there ; she said yes, and asked why he matte the inquiry;
to which he replied, his only reason was, that a friend of'
his had been burnt out there. The prisoner said he was go:
ing out to spend the day, and he promised to leave the key for
her at a public.house; when she came back, however, the key
was not left, and on going to the house she found the bolt had
been pushed out as if to fasten the door, but as it had missed
the box she gained admission, and saw Gotta forcing shavings
under the floor, and having a vessel like an oil-can by his
side. Site tapped him on the shoulder. and he appeared
alarmed, and said he was placing them there to dry. Site
observed that he had no flour, and on the Monday saw shay-.
ings strewed about the cellar and several sacks piled up—.
on the same night she saw placed on the shop counter the
trunk which used to be kept in the prisoner's bed-room, the lid
was up,' and there was copper money in it ; late in the evening
she heard the prisoner go up to the garret ; on his return he
came into their room, and said lie had been to look at the
comet. Soon after they were in bed the dog barked; and she
and her husband discovered that the house was on fire, and for
some time they gave themselves up for lost, but miraculously
escaped by forcing out the iron bars of the window, and get.
ting from thence to the tops of the adjoining windows.
W. Gibbs, husband of last witness, confirmed his wife's
statement, and that all the goods the prisoner possessed were
not worth more than seven or eight shillings: That he had
failed in his first attempt to force the iron bars from the
window, and gave himself Up for lost, but at last resolved
on another trial and succeeded. That he lost all he possessed
bythe fire.,

. -
Mr. Wm. Beetham, secretary .to the tagie,offlcei proved
that in 1811 the prisoner was insured in that Company, and
made a claim to the amount of 4601. he afterwards reduced it
to 240/.1 but he never prosecuted his claim. William Stuck, proved that he examined the house after the
fire, but although some of the floors remained, there was no
vestige of furrutitre:
Mrs. Stuck, wife of
,the last witness; proved that the
sonar's linen was taken'to his house, and on the Saturday he:
fore the fire he directed it not to be sent haute as usual.
John Carmichael proved that the prisoner told him the fire
was occasioned by the falling in of the oven, and that he had
escaped by forcing an iron bar front his window.
Joseph Stapleton proved the prisoner's shewing him his bed
room a few days beftwe the fire, at which time there were iron
bars in the window, which Gotte said he meant to take tlowir..
That on the night of the fire, he slept with Gotte, and being
alarmed by the tire, he went to the window, and found two of
the bars bad been removed, and he escaped by that window.—
He thought Gotta wits asleep when the alarm of fire was given;
sa the witness bad trouble to arouse him, and he had difficulty
in squeezing himself through the window..
Walter Biggs proved that the prisoner wished hint, if Inquiry
should be made, to state a falsehood as to having furnished hint
with 501 worth of goods.
Mrs. Brooks proved the prisoner and another man having
brought a trunk to her house, and presently after the saw his
house on fire.

Mr. Manahey said he lived with the prisoner at the time of
the fire, and that the stock end furniture were not worth more
than forty pounds.
Three other witnesses were called, hilt their tatimonY added
no new fact, and the case for the prosecution being dosed, the
Court adjourned for ten minutes, to give the Jury an. oppor.;
tunity to refresh theniselves.
The prisoner called evidence to iuipeacli the testimony of
Mrs. Gibbs, and some of them gave him good Character.
Mr. Justice BURROUOLI charged the Jury, and recapitulat:
ed the evidence. He observed that the case mainly depended
on.the evidence of Ann Gibbs, who had toade. a strong ease
against the prisoner, if
,they believed het evidence; but they
must be satisfied *die was deserving of credit,,before they would
Convict the prisoner of so serious an offence'. -
The Jury, after deliberating an hour, returned, at 20 minutes
to eleven, a verdict of—Not GAIN.
The Governor of Newgate addressed the Bench, and said
there was a detainer lodged against the prisoner for another
offence (we understand for setting on tire the House in New.
street, Covent.garden).
TheJuDoz said he must of course be detained.

bIIPDLESEX SESSIONS, Jtrart
PRINCE PAVIA. raTrfltltAZY AND M. DX IigTTERA.
M. File Maria ize Bettera appeared this day at the bar, when
Air.CONiT, the Chairrnatt, addressed him nearly in the follow-
ing terms :•:-" You were yesterday brought to this bar, Sir, for
the purpose of being Maher detained upon the warrant which
I now hold in my hand, until the ensuing sessions; but if you
had not then been supported kith Counsel, eta you ably were,
the Court had not the power of detainingjou upon this war.
rant. In declaring yeu to be now at liberty, let Me caution you
most sincerely from throwing out threats against any person
living in this country, but more especially against; any fo.
Feigner distinguished here as the representative of a foreign
Potentate; their persons are particularly sacred 'amongst us in
England ; and moreover, no msn towards another can here with
impunity, be permitted to use threats. A repetition of such
conduct en your part may subject you to be called upon to
give so heavy suretiesfor your future good behaviour as most
likely will again immure you within the walls of a prison."
Monsieur de Bettera (in very bad English) declared that he
never bad threatened, nor intended to. threaten, the life of the
Prince Esterhasp Here he got warm in his own justification,
and spoke as mixture of English, French,,and German ; but
from what we could understand, he meant to say ,that his per.
secution arose fromthe misrepresentations of a Airs. Wilkin-
son, who had been under the protection of a Mr. Iteldero, and
afterirardi the Mere omit of a person who had the ear of
Prince -Esterbasy.
.Monsieur de llettera, who. was attended by ,several re.
fßectable gentlemen, was desired to stop in mder to have an
interpreter, when a gentleman stepped 'forward in that ca-
pacity ; but upon his telling the prisoner that. he came to
translate what he' to say, Monsieur de Betters moved him
from hitn, saying, that he would make himself understood to
the Court.

CorisT then called the prisance from the bar, and he
approached to the clerk's desk immediately under the Chair-
man, when a conversation in the i'rettch language took place,.
which, front our situation, and a full, noisy court, we pretend
not to give correctly. Prom what passed, however, we,ondere
stood the Chairman to repeat his former friendly advice, and
lif.'de Betters to strenuouslyinaist upon justice being thmt to
hint for the injuries whieh he had received at therhandi of
Prince' Este:hazy, through the intrigues of Mrs. 'Wilkinson.
and others.
An end was put id the conversation by " Ron otarin• n-0111
tansy; and M.'deldettent Withdrew with hitt friend..
Neither Mi. liolland nor Ale.Adelphus were in Court during
the proceedings.