The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-16 00:00:00

CHARGE Or ARSON.

John Cavanagh, 36, mason, was indicted for feloniously
setting fire to a house in the occupation of Wm. Cropper,
at Bermondsey.

The prisoner pleaded not guilty.
The following was the evidence offered against the pri-
soner:--

Mr. Cropper said—l am a bricklayer, residing in Snow's-
fields. I held a lease of a house in Ship and Mermaid-row,
Bermondsey. I have known the prisoner for three or four
years. He has been in the habit of working for me. He
had been working for me about a fortnight before the fire.
On the day the fire took place I found fault with him for
leaving his tools about. On the 29th of November I was
in the house in question showing it to a person. It was
perfectly empty. On the morning of the 30th I was aroused
to go to the place. When I got there I found five of the
stairs smoking. They had been on fire. There was a
quantity of greasy rags on them and a lot of half-esumed
matches. The prisoner, with the police, came tory door
and first informed me of the fire. _ _

Mr. A. Jones, residing near the premises in question, said
—I was returning home early on the morning of the occa-
sion, when my attentin was arrested by seeing flames issue
from the window. I called out to see whether there was
anybody in the house, and then ran home and called up my
son, and returned to the fire, and saw the prisoner come
out of the house. I placed my hand on his shoulder and
asked him if he had been in the house ? He said he had
not, and then wanted to go for a policeman. I refused to
let him go, and very shortly afterwards a constable came
up. The constable asked the way to get into the house. The
prisoner took him round to the back of the house, but I
said, " You know the back door is fastened." He
then said something about the front, and on the
policeman putting his hand on the gate, he said, "Why
the gate has been opened." I had previously seen him
pass through it from the house. When we got in we found
the stairs on fire. There was also a quantity of greasy rags
burning near them. The prisoner threw some water on
the fire.

James Currence—l am a police-constable. I was at the
fire at Ship and Mermaid-row. I saw Jones and the pri-
soner standing near the gate. I went in. The stairs were
burning. There were some greasy rags burning, I saw
the prisoner throw water on the fire. I found the gate
open ; about three-quarters of an hour before I had tried
the gate' and found it fast.
Dennis Plaw, another constable, gave similar evidence.
Mr. Jones told me to keep my eye on the prisoner. I was
afterwards told by Mr. Cropper to take the prisoner into
custody. On his 'nay to the station he said, " What is
Jones going to say about it" (the fire). I said, " I don't
know." I searched him, and found one lucifer match in
his pocket.
Another police-constable produced some rags, and a
Kieffer match of the same description as that found on the
prisoner.
}jr. Baron Martin said there was not sufficient evidence
to convict the prisoner.

The jury accordingly returned a verdict of not guilty.
Mr. Baron Martin, in addressing the prisoner, told him
it was a case of great suspicion, and advised him to be more
careful in future.