The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-07 00:00:00

THAMES.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE or ARSON.—Frederick Bick-
nell, aged 28 years, was brought before Mr. Partridge,
charged with unlawfully and maliciously setting fire to his
shop and premises ; and, secondly, with the same offence,
with the intent to defraud the London and Liverpool and
Globe Insurance Offices.
Mr. Charles Young conducted the prosecution ; Mr.
Stoddart defended the prisoner.
This was a most extraordinary case. The prisoner is a
foreman cooper in the St. Katherine's Dock, where he has
been employed 15 years, havinc, entered the service of the
company as an apprentice.
He has also for some time kept
a shop for the sale of crinolines, stays, vests, and other
articles, in Queen's-terrace, Commercial-road, near to the
Stepney railway station. He effected an insurance for
.£4OO with the London and Liverpool and Globe Insurance
offices on the 23rd of October, and it is exactly a month
since he received the policy. A fire broke out on the pre-
mises while all the inmates were from home on the Wed-
nesday night, and there can be no doubt the place was
wilfully set on fire. The stock on the premises was not
worth £2O.

Mr. James Griffin, inspector of the K division of the
Metropolitan police, said—On Wenesday night at 12
o'clock I was called to a fire at No. 3. Queen's-terrace,
Commercial-road. I found a police-constable keep-
ing the door. I entered the house with the
fireman, and saw taken from the shop window
board and floor those things which I now produce, and
all saturated with naphtha or paraffin. The inspector then
spread before him three crinoline petticoats, a waistband,
some glazed calico and two hoops, all saturated as he had
described. He went on to state that a fire was at that
time burning under the end of the counter the farthest
from the street door. There were a lot of old rags, and
umbrellas and papers under the counter which was formed
of deal wood with light mahogany top. The counter was
on fire, and it was trampled out by the firemen, and
also kicked out. There was also a fire burning in the
ceiling where the gas pendant was fixed, and two bed-
steads, bedding, and mattress stuffed with shavings were
on fire in the first floor front room. He went
intors w thea
sroom
below
chandelier. The
fl
bottle containing a pint of paraffin oil. He also saw
up ini t whichHe was
a saw the firemen bring
a
a policy of insurance for £4OO. On his second visit to the
house he could not find the policy, and believed the pri-
soner or his wife had removed it. On a second visit to the
house he discovered that one of the boards of the floor in
the back bed room had been raised. It was saturated with
naphtha. Dust, shavings, and rubbish under the board had '
also been saturated with the same inflammable substance.
There was a large patch of oil or grease on the ceiling
underneath. The inspector then produced some of the
ceiling, and, by order of the magistrate, ignited it. The
plaster burnt well, and in every position in which he
placed it. _

In answer to questions by Mr. Partridge, the Inspector
said if the fire had not been discovered at an early period
and quickly subdued, the house would have been con-
sumed. He apprehended the prisoner in the SL Katho-
riue'eDock, and asked him if ho intended to ask the insur-
ance office for compensation, and he replied, " Of course
I must."

and the case
dgicovpeantChed. Mr. C.
waOs tphreorceeve iddine
whenngce in o oonfiu
rrpmaarteieolnwwaass
Young said ho should ask for a remand to complete the
case against the prisoner.

The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at
60 days' sight is about 155 i per cent., and the price of gold
142 i per cent. At these rates there is no profit on the im
portation of gold frson the United Stkes.

The quotation of gold at Paris is about at par, and
the short exchange on London is 25.17 k per £1 sterling. On
comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £3
10id. per ounce for standard gold, it appe4ra that gold la
about the same price in London and Paris.