The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-31 00:00:00

INCENDIARISM AT ROTHERHITHE.

FINAL EXAMINATION OF PALMER, THE POLICEMAN.
—Yesterday, Wm. Palmer, the policeman, who has been
in custody for a month on suspicion of being the incendiary
who set fire to various houses and buildings on his beat in
the parish of St. Mary, Rotherhithe, and who was last
week committed for trial on the capital charge of setting
fire to the premises of Messrs. Pittman and Co., barge-
builders, where he was placed on duty, was agaiu brought
before Mr. BALLANTINE for the purpose of other charges
being investigated, and additional evidence.
MrLCurling appeared for the prosecutor, and Mr. Cham-
bers for the defence.

The investigation of four charges of incendiarism was
proceeded with, namely, the attempts to set fire to the
premises of Mr. Grice, anchorsmith, and Mr. Davis,
lighterman, in Rotherhithe-street, early in the morning of
the 24th ult. ; the warehouse of Mr. Christall, ship-
breaker, on the following morning (in all these cases the
fires were got out without any damage to the buildings,)
and the actual fire which occurred on the morning of the
a cement shed on the Tunnel-wharf,
when
i ning thewere
dwelling-house of Mr. Brooks
consumed.ad-
Many circumstances of suspicion'
have
in evidence against the prisoner,
4t h o
alreadyf
November
shedbe and
ebeen given
. the
and some additional testimony was now addiced confirma-
tory of that already published.
wstead a , policeman, 36 R, was called for
the
deposed that on the night the fire oc-
curred on Mr. Chrrstall's premises the prisoner requested
the loan of his lantern, and he accordingly lent him the one
Wfirsilltia ; m
anNde be
he (witness) was using. This was about half-past eleven
o'clock. The prisoner said nothing about the fire being ex-
pected to take place in Mr. Christall's premises, but said
he wanted to examine the back of Mr. Stoke's premises.
The evidence on the former examinatiops, proving that
the prisoner had been making inquiries as to the best means
Of access to Mr. Chnstalrs preuusesi that be foretold the

fire which afterwards-took place, and that be was subse-
quently found at the back of some premises 'in Dodd's
buildings, near a wooden shed, where he could have no bu-
siness, and to gain access to which he must have climbed
over a high gate and a fence, was then read. _

The testimony of a great number of witnesses examined
on former occasions, detailing circumstances of a suspicious
nature against the prisoner, was also read over, and two
new witnesses examined, but no new facts elicited.

Mr. Curling said he was anxious to call a witness, who,
as we understood, could explain some facts relating to one
of the fires, but

Mr. BALLANTINE said he did not think it necessary.
Mr. Curling said it was desirable to .find out everything
which would tend to elucidate the mystery in which these
transactions were enveloped.
Mr.' BALLANTINE said the solicitor must pardon him, but
his present duty, on the part of the Crown and the public,
was to ascertain whether the facts against the prisoner were
sufficient to warrant him in committing him for trial. '
Stephens, the Inspector of R division, who, as well as
his brother inspector Rawlings, has been censured by the
Magistrates for misleading them, put in several official re-
ports written on the mornings of the several fires, which
had been sent in to the Superintendant, and by him to the
Commissioners.

Stephens said that it having been charged against him,
that he on one day corrected some evidence given on a
former, " that he had made up his recollection for the oc-
casion," he would endeavour to convince the Magistrate
that his amended evidence corresponded with those reports,
in which the hour and all circumstances attending the dis-
covery of each fire were denoted.
Mr. BALLANTINE and Mr. COMBE carefully examined
the reports, and requested they might be preserved, as it
was probable they would be wanting on the trial.
Mr. BALLANTINE, on looking over one of the reports re-
lating to the fire on Mr. Pitman's premises, observed that
the hour was fixed at 24., which he supposed meant half-past
two. The figures 21 corresponded with those observed
chalked on the palings of Messrs. Speck and Redman on
the morning of the fire, and which gave rise to so much vi-
gilance on the part of the inhabitants.
Stephens said he knew nothing of that, and, in answer to
a question from Mr. COMBE, said the reports were written
by a man of the Force at his (the Inspector's) dictation ;
but they were all signed by him. The Bench would ob-
serve the figures 3/, meaning three-quarters past three, on
another report.
Mr. BALLANTINE said he had noticed that, but he could
not help observing that the coincidence of the figures on the
paling, and in the report, was something extraordinary.
The reports were then returned to Mr. Stephens.
Mr. Curling inquired whether it was the Magistrates'
intention to bind over the parish to prosecute, and from
what fund the expenses were to be defrayed.
Mr. BALLANTINE said this was a public inquiry, and
ought to be paid for out of the public funds. The pa-
rishioners had sustained great injury by the numerous fires
which had occurred in Rotherhithe, and he should think
they would feel no objection to bearing the expense of the
prosecution.

Mr. Curling said there was no fund in the parish out of
which the expenses could be defrayed, and if the church-
wardens were bound over to prosecute, the only mode in
which it could be done would be by subscription.
. Mr. BALLANTINE said be had no doubt the expenses of
the prosecution would be borne principally by the county.

Mr. Curling intimated that the parties whose premises
had been burnt should be bound over to prosecute, and in
that case the fire offices would reimburse them their
expenses. . .

Mr. BALLANTINE thought the most dignified course
would be to bind over the churchwardens, and that must
be done. In the course of further discussion the worthy
Magistrate said he could not but think that the person who
set fire to one place set fire to the rest, and that it was one
diabolical course of incendiarism. He could not but feel
glad that during the last month there had been no incen-
diary fires in Rotherhithe ; whether it was from the ex-
treme vigilance of the respectable inhabitants, who had en-
rolled themselves into a nightly association, and still kept
watch, or from another cause, be would leave the public to
form their own judgment.
Mr. Curling—lf you think, Sir, it is necessary to bind
over the parish to prosecute, I will undertake they shall
do it.

The prisoner was then fully committed to Horsamonger-
lane Gaol on five several charges, and all the witnesses,
having been called over, were bound in the usual sum to
give evidence against him. Mr. Morgan, the churchwar-
den, and Mr. Nottingham, the vestry-clerk of Rotherhithe,
were bound in the sum of 401. each to prosecute.
Thus has ended one of the most protracted investigations
which ever took place in a police office, and which has oc-
cupied nearly the whole time of Mr. Ballantine the Magis-
trate, for five weeks.