The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-08 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE, Nov. 7.

MANSION HOUSE.—FIRES IN THE CITY.—
It will be remembered that, about a month ago, a
fire took place upon the premises of the Patent Pa-
raffin Light Company, in Bucklersbury ; and that,
in accordance with the desire expressed by a depu-
tation of inhabitants (on behalf of whom Mr. Hub-
bard, solicitor, whose offices adjoin the Paraffin
Company's, acted as spokesman) requested Mr. Ser-
geant Payne, the City Coroner, to hold an inquest
upon the fire, and at the same time directed the
City Solicitor to attend and watch the proceedings.
The Coroner held an inquest accordingly, and Mr.
Pearson, City Solicitor, now attended to report
the result ; Mr. Hubbard being also present on be-
half of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood ; and
Mr. Tindal Atkinson, instructed by Mr. T. H.
Smith, Frederick-place, Old Jewry, on behalf of the
Patent Paraffin Light Company.
The Lord Mayor inquired of Mr. Pearson what
had been the result of the inquest.
Mr. Pearson said it would appear from the ver-
dict of the jury; and he proposed that that verdict,
as well as the coroner's summing up, should be read,
and that afterwards Mr. Tindal Atkinson, who had
made a promise to the jury that the suggestions
should be carried out, should state what course his
clients were prepared to adopt.
The Lord Mayor agreed with Mr. Pearson that
that was the proper course to adopt.
The summing up and the verdict were read ac-
cordingly, the latter being to the effect that the fire
was accidental; but that there had been great ne-
glect, and an absence of proper precautions, and that
Paraffin oil could not be stored in large quantities
without danger.
Mr. Hubbard then addressed the Lord Mayor.
The verdict of the jury, he said, had placed the
Paraffin Company in the position of a party con-
victed, and called up for judgment before a superior
court. The company had accepted the verdict, ani
it was for the Lord Mayor to say what further
steps should be taken.
The Lord Mayor thought it better that Mr. At-
kinson should first state what had been the result
of the promise made by him to the jury.
Mr. Atkinson said Paraffin oil had recently come
into extensive use, as a cheap and brilliantly burn-
ing oil, and it could not be the wish either of his
lordship or the city solicitor to fetter the freedom
of trade in any way while it was carried on consis-
tently with the safety of the public. His client was
quite ready to adopt any suggestion that could be
made so as to ensure safety in the conduct of his
business.
The Lord Mayor —Then I will make a suggestion
at once which ought to be satisfactory both to him
and his neighbours. That is, that he shall only store
the oil in small quantities, and shall keep it in a fire-
proof building.
Mr. Atkinson—He has endeavoured to carry out
the promise which I gave to the jury, and I believe
the largest quantity of oil that has since been on
the premises is ten casks. He only intends to carry
on his business wholesale, and your lordship can-
not surely wish to drive such trade entirely out of
the city any more than the trade in other articles
of an inflammable nature, such as turpentine for
instance, for while paraffin does not ignite under
130 degrees, turpentine ignites at 90; and besides
paraffin oil is not at all like naphtha—the material
concerned in Lester's case, and which ignites at 62
degrees.
Mr. Pearson—l must pretest against your re-
opening the question, Mr. Atkinson, for if you do
I must go into it also.
Mr. Atkinson—Then I will only say, that my
client is prepared for the future only to keep ten
casks of oil on his premises.
Mr. Pearson—l think I know where the point
pinches, and what I am about to say will most likely,
and as is usually the case when one proposes any•
thing fair to all, be unsatisfactory to both parties.
Will Mr. Atkinson undertake that the filling of
the cans shall take place in the fire-proof room?
Th,:t appears to me to be where the point pinches.
Mr. Atkinson—l am afraid that could not be
done without a light, and with a light you say
there is danger.
Mr. Pearson—But you might obviate that by
using a Davy's safety lamp.
Mr. Smith—My client wishes to carry on his
business as a wholesale, and I cannot advise him to
give up his right to sell as he pleases.
The Lord Mayor—l think the suggestion made
by the City Solicitor iS-perfectly fair and reasonable.
Mr. Smith—We will try to fall in with it.
Mr. Pearson—Then, I will attend at the place
whenever Mr. Smith pleases, see what is intended
to be done, and report it to your lordship.

Mr. Smith—l shall be happy to meet you.
The Lord Mayor—lf you accede to the City So-
licitor's suggestion, never to fill any cans except in
the fire-proof room, and if you use a Davy's lamp,
then I think you will have complied with all rea-
sonable precautions.
Mr. Pearson—Then, I will see what they do, and/
report to your lordship on the subject; and mew-
while, I presume the matter will stand adjourned,.
The Lord Mayor—Yes, let it be so.
Mr. Atkinson—Yes, but it must be without pre-
judice to our rights if any of the inhabitants should
take steps to act for themselves.
Mr. Pearson—Of course, without prejudice on
either side.

The proceedings were then adjourned, and the
lathes quitted the Court after thanking the Lord
d'ayor for his courtesy.

bUILTMALL—VRIOPITPUL
Robert Underwood, a respectably dressed man,
about 37 years of age, described as a chemist, re-
cently in the employ of Mr. Cayley, at 18, Smith-
field-bars *as brought up before Alderman Mechi,
and placed in the felon's dock) charged with having
tiolently assaulted a Child, 12 years of age, of the
name of Mary Bolden, and with having ravished
and carnally known her against her
Mr. Wontner, of 18, Skinner-street, Snowhill,
said—lt is my duty to attend before you, sir, in a
prosecution Which has befiii instituted by the com-
mittee ofthe Farringdon Girls' School, and although
the inquiry may be attended with circumstances of
the Most painful character, the committee have
thought it right to have the prisoner's conduct
thoroughly iuvestigatqd, Jt unfortunately happens
~ the prisoner
that there are iw o girls with wnom
has been guilty of the grossest conduct and that
they are both of them over the age which would
have rendered the offence one of felony. The pri-
soner therefore escapes the consequences of tbo
j graver criminal charge, which he would otherwise
have had to answer, whether the children gave their
consent or not. I therefore propose to proceed un-
der a recent act of Parliament, which enables you
to deal summarily with persons guilty of aggra-
vated assaults upon women or children. The details
of the cPse are such that when you have heard them
I feel assured you will say they are sufficient to
establish the fast that a moat aggravated assault has
been committed upon the complainant, and that the

prisoner shall be committed to prison to expiate his
fault.

Mr. Martin (chief clerk)—Have you had your at-
tention drawn to the Bishop of Oxford's Act?
Mr. Wontner—Not with regard to this particu-
lar case. The difficulty of dealing with the case in
any other way is that the other child who inveigled
the complainant to the prisoner's house is only 12
years of age, and a sort of co-conspirator, and she
is not here.

Mary Bolden said—My mother is a widow, and
I live with her at 16, Fox and Knot-court, King-
street, Snow-hill. I go to St. Sepulchre's
Charity School, where there is another girl,
named Emma Knapp. On the 18th of last month
she asked me to go with her to a chemist's shop in
Smithfield. I consented, and she took me to Mr.
Cayley's, and I saw the prisoner behind the coun-
ter. Emma Knap took me up stairs, and about five
minutes after the prisoner came up and kissed me,
and then crossed the room and whispered to Emma
Knap, after which he returned and set me upon the
table and Emma Knap put the sofa pillow under
my head. (Complainant here described the offence.)
He told me not to cry, and gave me twopence. I
did not give him permission to place me on the
table, and when he took me up I kicked my legs
about, but did not tell him not to do it. I did not
cry out very loud. My mother discovered what
had occurred about a week after.

Cross-examined—Emma Knap told me she had-
been in the habit of going to see the prisoner, who
used to set her on the table and give her twopence
each time. She also told me that he would only
set me on the table. She was present all the time
I was on the table from first to last. She took up
her petticoats and told me to do the same, and I
did, and the prisoner then unfastened his dress.
When he gave me the twopence I thanked him and
went away. I have not been to him since. I did
not expect he would do anything more than put me
on the table.

Mary Ann Bolden said—l am the mother of the
complainant, who was 12 years of age on the 27th
of June last. She has always been a very well con-
ducted child, and never kept bad company. I dis-
covered the condition of my child in consequence of
observing portions of her dress in a peculiar state,
ard, upon questioning her, she told me everything
she has now sworn to.

Wm. Smith, a City detective officer, said—l appre-
hended the prisoner in Havelock-steet, Caledonian-
road, on Sunday afternoon, and when I told him
the charge he said the girl was over age. He said
he knew Emma Knap, but the name of Mary Bol-
den was not familiar to him. He said he had left
Mr. Cayley's service, and that he was on the point
of going to Doddington, in Cambridgeshire, when
I met him.

Alderman Mechi—How long has he been at Mr.
Cayley's ?
Smith—l believe about two years, sir.
Mr. Charles Mundy said—l am a surgeon in,
practice at 86, Snow-hill. I examined the com-
plainant on Thursday evening last, and found she
was suffering from a complaint of a certain charac-
ter, and her person bore evident signs of violation.
I examined the prisoner on Saturday evening, but
could not find any trace of such a complaint upon
him ; but it is quite possible for him to have had
such a complaint at the time the offence is said to
have taken place.
Mr. Wontner said—After this evidence, sir, I
submit there is sufficient to satisfy you there was
resistance on the part of the girl to justify you in
dealing with the case as I have suggested.
Mr. English, of Coleman-street, said—l contend
that the evidence, on the contrary, is in favour of
the girl's consent having been obtained. Ido not
come here to defend the prisoner's gross and
abominable conduct towards these two girls, or to
deny that he has acted towards them in the man-
ner described, for if he has rendered himself
amenable to the law he must take the consequences,
and submit to the punishment he deserves, but it
must first be shown that he has committed
an offence against the law, which must not
be twisteJ out of its course to punish immorality
which has not been recognised as a criminal offence.
The girl in this caoe evidently knew the purpose
for which Emma Knao took her to the prisoner,
and it was equally clear 1;1
iat she was perfectly
willing to earn the twopence in .4.:Jie way it had been
stated, for when she received the; amount she
thanked him, and went away. With regard to
the offence alluded to in connexion with Emma
Knapp no charge will be made in that case either by
her or her friends, for she is not forthcoming ; and
Mr. Wontner's observations on that case, therefore,
fall to the ground. In conclusion, I must express
my utter detestation of fly prisoner's disgusting
conduct, but at the same time I confidently submit
there iv no case made out for you to act upon.
Alderman Mechi—l quite agree with your ad-
vocate, prisoner, as to his opinion of your conduct,
for he has not attempted to paint you fairer than
you are. If the capital offence had been completed
I should have sent you for trial, but knowing what
I do of such cases at the Central Criminal Court, I
have determined to deal summarily with youunder
the act of Parliament su,,agested. I shall act only
upon the evidence before die, totally disregarding
the admissions made by your solicitor. I cannot
sufficiently express my abhorrence of conduct such
as yours, particularly when I consider the awfully
demoralising effect it must have upon these poor
children. The sentence I intend to pass upon you
is, that you be committed to the House of Correc-
tion for the term of six calendar months with hard
labour. (This decision was received with a burst of
applause from a very crowde d court, but it was quickly
suppressed bythe officials.) Alderman Mechi furthe r
said—ln conclusion, I must say that the conduct
of the committee in taking the case up in the man-
ner they have, reflects the highest credit upon them.
The prisoner was then removed.