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

CHARGE OF 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 hence 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-consumed
matches. The prisoner, with the police, came to my 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 tny 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 way 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
lucifer match of the same description as that found on the
prisoner.

Mr. Baron Martin said there was not sufficient evidence
o 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.

CHARGE OP RAPE.

Henry Rudledge was indicted for violating his own
daughter, Kate, a girl about 15, years of age, and Sarah
Rudledge, his wife, was indicted with aiding and assisting
in the commission of the offence.

Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Orridge prosecuted, and Mr. Ribton
defended the prisoners, who pleaded " not guilty."
Mr. Sleigh, having stated the case to the jury, called
Kate Rudledge, a rather respectable-looking young
woman, who said—l lived in St. George's, Lambeth. The
prisoner is my father, the female prisoner my step-mother.
I lived at Plumstead about 14 months ago. My father sent
for me from Ireland. I arrived on Oct. 14, 1857. It was
on the Friday after I came to my father's or the day
preceding that my father took liberties with me. It was in.
the morning early—about five o'clock. I was in the same
room with my father, who on that night slept with my
little brother, and his wife slept with me. I was awoke by
my father coming to bed, and his wife held me in bed. I
screamed, and was going to get up, when he called out,
" Whist ! " struck me with his open hand, and told me to
be quiet. At that time his wife was awake, and held me
by the feet for about five minutes. At that time my father
was taking indecent liberties with me. In about a week after
the first offence was committed he again repeated it, and
then continued to do so every morning for about five
months. The witness here gave evidence which was quite
unfit for publication.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—My father sent for me
from Ireland. I don't recollect my father leaving Ireland.
I was brought up by my aunt. When I arrived in Eng-
land the female prisoner was living with my father. I
have two brothers. One is on board ship and the other is
in some other employment. When I was in Ireland
I stopped with my aunt. I went to school in Ireland. I
can both read and write. I never went to dancing houses
in. Ireland. The only time I ever went dancing was at the
children's school parties. The female prisoner only as-
sisted my father once. I have told my father that his wife
had gone down stairs in her night dress to meet a man. I
did not tell him this till my father told me his wife had
left him. I, after he had told me this, informed him about
her going down stairs. There was a quarrel between the
man and my father. I gave evidence before the magis-
trate. The charge was discharged, because the magistrate
said I had perjured myself. My father told me to do so.
He told me to say I was in the garden, when I was not, and
heard all that passed. I never said a word about
it at the Lambeth police-court. My step-mother
left my father because of his ill usage. My father
has charged me with burning a Protestant bible,
but I did not. He threatened to beat mo if I did not
find the Bible. That was a day or two before I left to go to
my aunt's. My father used to threaten me with a sword.
I never recollect the prisoner asking my stepmother and
myself to help him to get it out of the sheath. It was an
old ono. Before I left home one of the chidren I had under
my care by some means burned itself. It was an accident.
I did not tell my father about it until three or four days
after, On the last occasion I went into rely father's bed

858.

my mint was sleeping in the same room. She heard.him
call me to come into his bed. She said. I might go, or he
would get in a passion. When my aunt and myself left
my father's house we left one of the ohildren in
the bed. It was two years old. The child was left
about 9in the morning. My father usually returned home
about half-past 6. I never said anything about the child
being left in the house to any person. It must have re-
mained from the time I left until I came home without the
slightest attention. I know Mr. Cotter. He is a Roman
Catholic priest. He recommended me to go to a certain
house in London. On one occasion my father threatened
to kill me if I did not come home. He was then given into
custody. After my aunt came to Plumstead we went to a
Roman Catholic Chapel. I used to do so on Sundays
before that.

Mr. Ribton having addressed the jury in behalf of the
prisoner,

The learned Judge summed up.

The jury had not returned their verdict when we went to
press.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
THE FATAL FIGHT AT ABBEY-WOOD.

Samuel Asqueth, aged 16, was indicted for feloniously
killing and slaying George Donald M'Donald.
Mr. Sharp appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Ribton
defended the prisoner.

The evidence adduced against the prisoner was precisely
similar to that given when the prisoner was examined before
the magistrate.

The house surgeon of Guy's Hospital, in his examination,
said, he was clearly of opinion that death was caused by
injuries received during the fatal affray.
In answer to several questions put to him in cross-exami-
nation by Mr. Ribton, who defended the prisoner, he said
he would not swear that dislocation of the vertebra, might
not be caused by the rough manner in which the deceased
had been removed from the fatal spot, but it was highly
improbable.

By the Recorder—The moment the spinal cord was in-
jured the party would become paralysed. He would be
unable to get up when he once fell to the ground.
The ease for the prosecution having closed,
Mr. Ribton contended that there was no case made out
against the prisoner. Nothing had been brought forward
to show that the injuries of which the unfortunate man died
might not have been occasioned during the time that was
consumed in conveying him from Abbey Wood to the
hospital.

The Recorder thought there was abundant evidence to
go to the jury.

Mr. Ribton then addressed the jury for the prisoner.
The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to
hree months' imprisonment.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.--(THIS DAY.)