The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-26 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

THE FIRE AT THE " DAILY TELEGRAPH" OFFICE.—
Herbert Poole, a young man lately in the employ of the
proprietors of the Daily Telegraph, was placed at the bar
charged with wilfully setting fire to the premises of his
employer.

Mr. Lewis, of Ely-place, appeared for the prosecution.
He said he had no person ho could call as a witness who
actually saw the prisoner commit the act, but short of that
he thought the evidence he should adduce against the pri-
soner would be such as to fully bring home the offence
of arson to the prisoner. Having stated the nature
of the evidence he had to produce, Mr. Lewis called
Mr. Whitehurst, who said—l am manager of the Daily
Telegraph newspaper. The premises occupied extend to
both sides of Peterborough-court. They are insured in three
of the principal fire offices. The prisoner was in the employ
of the proprietors; bad been so for five months; be was
called a time keeper. He bad charge of a book (produced)
in which it was his duty to enter each man's name with
the time of his arrival and leaving. Ho had no business
in any other part of the establishment without letter or
message was given him to carry. About five o'clock
I heard there was a fire on the premises. I
went to the paper warehouse immediately. The
paper warehouse is on the second floor, and is used for the
purpose of storing dry and damp paper, which is served
out to the machinery department below it. No one could
leave the paper room without being seen by those in the
machine room. There is no other access to the machine-
room by two open stair-cases from the machine-room,
but there is, however, another entrance, which com-
municates with the lobby in which the prisoner was
stationed. On going into the warehouses. I saw the
fire had begun at the furthest corner of the right hand
side of the room; fire was also apparent as having taken
place in the centre of the room. The fire was under con-
trol in twenty minutes, but it was put out finally in about
half an hour after it first commenced. On Monday, the
12th March, the prisoner gave me a report of a fire which
he said he had discovered and put out on the Saturday pre-
ceding. I thought the fire had been a malicious act, and I
sent for the police. The fire occurred in an occupied part
of the premises, and very near the carpenter's lumber room.
On examination it was found that the fire had raged in
throe distinct places. In my opinion the fire occurred in
five different places. The foreman kept the key of the
place, but a labourer had access to it, as some repairs
were going on. I had my own opinion about the matter,
so I did not make any inquiry about it. I believe there has
been another fire on the establishment, but that occurred
I believe before I became manager. I have only held the
appointment since Christmas.

Cross-examined —I have not heard of threats on the
part of some of the people employed. There have been
one or two anonymous letters sent the proprietors, but
they have been thrown into the fire.
Edward Brandt—l am engaged in the paper department
of the Daily Telegraph. I left about 4 o'clock on Saturday
A lad named Hamilton was the only person left in the
paper department when I quitted it. There was no fire
when I left, and everything appeared perfectly safe. The
prisoner had no business in the paper room but to deliver
messaget. When I left I passed the prisoner's lodge, but
did not see him.

Henry Hamilton—l saw the last witness leave the paper
room at 4 o'clock. Just before I left the prisoner came up
to me in the paper room, and asked when the men had all
gone. Everything was then safe. My time is not entired
in the prisoner's book on Saturday last, but Brandt's name
and time is there set down correctly.
James Kemp said he was the gasman employed at the
Telegraph office, and on Saturday he had been at work
outside the office with an assistant named Latham. On
putting away his tools he heard some one running down
the stairs leading from the paper warehouse to the machine
room, and, on .looking to see who it was he found it was
the prisoner. He had a wild appearance, and seemed in a
great hurry. On looking through a small glass placed in
the paper-room he saw the fire raging, and immediately
he raised the alarm in Peterborough-court.

'William Latham corroborated the evidence of the last
witness.

Fleming, the fireman, gave his evidence with respect to
the fire, and the examination after the flames had been ex-
tinguished, and his impression was that the fire was not
an accidental one.
The prisoner was remanded.