The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-14 00:00:00

INCENDIARY FIRE IN 4SSEX.

On Wedneday, Charles 'Wright, a boy of 14,
was committed for • trial -by the 'Saffron Walden
magistrates for setting fire to the premises of his
master, the Re*. J.Papillon, rector, of Leaden.
The first witness was Peter. Thomas Ladbrook,
who deposed to being in Lexden-street, about half-
past nine o'clock on Thursday week, when he saw
a fire at the rectory, and went and found it burning
in the cattle shed, which was consumed.. The
female servants came out of the house, and he went
with them to the stable to get the horses, cows, and
pigs out. The following morning, shortly after 11
o'clock, he was told Mr. Papillon's barn was en
fire, and he went and helped to extinguish it. On
Wednesday night, about nine o'clock, whilst in
Lexaen•street, talking about the fires, he saw people
running, and heard the cry of " Fire," and went
and found it' burning at a tumbrel shed, near Mr.
Vince's watermill.

Emma Smith, servant to Mr. Papillon, stated that
prisoner lived at the house, and had bowl out abaut.
a quarter of an hour before she saw the first fire,
but had returned indoors about five minutes before
it occurred, and told her it rained. The next
morning he brought her some firewood from the
barn for the oven, in doing which he would have
to go to the spot where the second fire took place.
Head Constable Downs stated that on hearing of
the fire at Mr. Papillon's; on the night of the 28th
April, he went and questioned prisoner as to its
cause, when he stoutly denied knowing anything
about it. He questioned prisoner die morning after
Mr. Vince's fire, when he denied causing it. Priso
ner afterwards abseqnded with his master's horse,
and he traced him to Boxford, on the borders of
Suffolk. He returned to Colchester that night, but
in the morning he proceeded to Assing ton where
he found Mr. Papillon's horse at a gentlemans
house. He traced prisoner to Sudbury, and thence
to Halsted, where he found him .at 7 o'clock in the
evening. He told him he was charged with setting
fire to Mr. Papillon's and Mr. Vince's premises, and
with riding away with his Master's horse, when he
answered " Yes." He brought prisoner to the Col-
chester borough police office, when he was told the
charge by the mayor, and said " Yes, that's right,
I did it,". and described how he had caused the fires.
He said that on the night of the first fire he went
through the chaise house, unfastened the stable
door, and set fire to the furze in the cow-shed with
a lucifer match, and returned to the kitchen ; next
day he took some wood from the back yard to the
bake-office, and went into the barn by the back
door, and set fire to the straw with a match, up in
the corner near the shed. With reference to-(A-tr•
Vince's fire, he said he went to the corner of ;the'
shed and set fire to it with a lucifer match, and
returned by the mill meadow. He thought 'at first ,
the fire was out, but when he got some distance he
saw it begin to blaze. When he set fire to it he
wished he had not none it.

The prisoner, on being asked what he had to say,
observed he was very sorry he had done it. He
was committed for trial at the assizes, but ordered
to be detained in the borough gaol.