The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-05 00:00:00

Brigade. I have been so for 19 years. On the 24th and
25th Oct. I minutely examined the mini. I was of opinion
that the fire commenced in the cellar, under the ladder. I
saw some holes in the shop flooring, but it is just possible
they may have been occasioned by some rubbish falling on
it. There was a large quantity of straw under the lailder
nearly consumed. The fire must have burned very fiercely.
If turpentine had been placed on the straw it would increase
very considerably the strength of the flames.
Cross-examined—It was very difficult to get rid of the
smell of turpentine. If some of the burning straw had
dropped from above through an aperture into the cellar,
that would ignite the straw below ; but I don't think the
cellar would present the appearance it exhibited when I saw
it. The rubbish, when I went into the cellar, had been
turned over.

Mr. Heisch, professor of chemistry at Middlesex Hos-
pital, said if straw saturated with turpentine was entirely
consumed, no smell would remain.

Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—You mean to say that if a
thing is entirely consumed nothing remains. (Laughter.)
Witness—Well, it amounts to the same thing.
Mr. Carttar, the coroner for East Kent, put in the state-
ment made by the prisoner when he was examined, by his
own request, at the inquest held upon the bodies of his un-
fortunate children.

The statement was real by Mr. Hemp, the clerk. It
went on to say the fire was perfectly accidental, and that
the.lives of the children were lost in consequence of the
shop door being burnt open long before the arrival of the
fire engines. The things removed from his house were
sent away merely because he was about leaving the neigh-
bourhood, he having thought that he had let his shop.
At the time the inventory was made out he said
he was in such trouble he scarcely knew an
article mentioned therein. Ho took no active part in
making out the list of his losses. The statement went to
show that the furniture and stock was fully worth the
amount insured for.
This closed the case for the prosecution.

Mr. Sergeant Ballantine then addressed the jury for the
prisoner.

A large number of witnesses gave the prisoner the
highest character for honesty and kindness. '
The learned Judge summed up the evidence.
=The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

NEW COURT.

(Before the Recorder.)
MARRYING EIGIIT WIVES.

Gloucester Gale, described as a clerk, aged 32, was in
dieted with feloniously intermarrying Celia Maria Wyse,
his wife Eliza Cecilia Gee being then and now alive. There
were five seigrate indictments against the prisoner for
marrying other women, >ving his first wife alive at the
time. The prisoner in a faint voice pleaded guilty to all
the charges, and begged for mercy on account of his ill-
ness and the trouble he had undergone.
Mr. Sleigh, who was instructed by the Associate Insti-
tution for the Protection of Females, appeared for the pro-
secution; and Mr. Metcalfe defended the prisoner.
The learned counsel then stated the facts of the case in
aggravation of punishment He said the prisoner was
married to his first wife on the 11th of January, 1849. The
second wife, who lived at Marble Hall, Egham, he married
at Islington Church, on the 30th of November, 1857 ; the
prisoner married in the name of George Gordon, and lived
with her at the time the officer took him into custody from
information received. He did not deny the charge, and
he was brought to London.
The next was a young woman, named Lydia Birch.
She was married to the prisoner in the name of George
Thomas, at Trinity Church, Chelsea, on the 3d of
January of last year. He left her in February, pre-
tending to go on a voyage as mate of a ship. She saw
him again in April, ho having taken apartments for
her and sent for her out of the country. He having
stopped with her about a week, left her. He
next married a young woman, named Sarah Ann
Drewett, in the name of George Greer, at St. George's,
Hanover-square, on the 3d of May, 1858. He lived
with her five days, under the pietence of going a voyage to
sea as mate. Shortly after he againmanied a young woman,
named Martha Gover, at the church of All Soul's, Lang-
ham-place, in the name of Edwin Swain. After stopping
with her about a week at the time, he left her to go
to sea in October last, and she had not seen him till
captured. He again married a young woman named
Fanny Terrell, at St. Saviour's Church, Southwark, in the
name of Edward Gordon. He only lived with her one
day. He told her he was first mate of a ship, and was
going to sea for three months and would return, but she
did not see him again until he was taken into custody.
Mr. Metcalfe, for the prisoner, urged that although he
had £1,600 by the second Wife, he had made it over to her,
and she would have the enjoyment of it.
The Recorder, addressing the prisoner, said it would be
useless to talk to a man who had made so many solemn
vows in so short a time, for you have married five wives
from November 1857 to December 18.58, therefore you must
be severely punished. The sentence of the Court is that
you undergo penal servitude for the space of four years.
Tho prisoner then left the dock, seemingly surprised
at the sentence.