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

FOREIGN.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. (Ihis Day.)

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41 51

(Before Baron Martin and MI:. Justice Willes.)
THE FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT GREENWICH.

fd ip
1 11
7i S
2 2f
31 301
27i 271

Richard Roper, 29, formerly carrying on business as a
corn-dealer, who had been remanded from last session, was
placed at the bar, charged, by the first count, with felo-
niously setting fire to his dwelling-house, certain living
persons being therein at the timA ; in the second count,
with committing an act with intent to defraud the Kent
Fire Insurance Office ; and in the third count, with felo-
niously setting fire to his house.
The prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Sergeant Parry and Mr. Giffard appeared for the
prosecution ; and Mr. Sergeant Ballantine and Mr. Robin-
son defended the prisoner.
Mr. Sergeant Parry, in opening the case, stated that the
prisoner formerly carried on business at 8, Royal-hill,
Greenwich, and on the night of Sunday, the 12th Sept., an
alarm of fire was raised, when it was found that the pre-
mises in his occupation were in flames. At the time of the
fire the prisoner's wife, who had only been confined two or
three days, with a nurse, was in one apartment, and
in the attic above two of his childrek were sleeping
with the servant girl. The prisoner occupied another
apartment in the house. The conflagration so rapidly de-
stroyed the premises, that it was with great difficulty that
Mrs. Roper was saved, but unfortunately the two children,
one 7 years and the other 1i years of age perished. Great
sympathy at the time was expressed by the inhabitants
of Greenwich, but in the course of certain inquiries made
to ascertain the cause of the disaster, circumstances arose
which created a suspicion against the prisoner, and the
present indictment was preferred against him. The prin-
cipal ground of suspicion was that the prisoner had insured
his premises in the Kent Fire Office for a year for £3OO, and
in the claim sent in for loss he put down the damage sus-
tained at the amount of £290, when it was discovered that
the prisoner had fraudulently removed and disposed of a
large quantity of furniture which he had entered in his
claim as destroyed. The _learned sergeant then at some
length went into the details of the charge, and called the
following witnesses :

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NEW COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
MARRYING EIGHT WIVES.

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 5, 1859

[Tho case was proceeding when we went to press.]

crockery from Mr. Roper's. On Wednesday before she
came four times. She brought things each time. She brought
a dinner service. I placed the property in a back parlour.
I knew a dessert service and a case of wax flowers
was bro.ught. There was also a sack containing books, two
lamps, and a set of three tea trays. They belonged to my
son-in-law, the prisoner. They were afterwards given up
to the police.
Cross-examined—He has been married seven years. He
was a kind father, and respected by everybody. The rea-
son Roper gave for sending the things was, that he had let
the shop. I asked him what he had let it for, and he said
£l5O with the stock. He said Mrs. Roper wished to pack
the crockery, as they were about leaving the neighbour-
hood.

Eliza Cowell, daughter of the last witness, after speak-
ing to crockery being brought, said—A day or two before
the fire Waterfall brought a writing desk. Roper told us
he had let his shop. My father is a tailor. He used to
supply Roper with wearing apparel. He always had a
good stock. Mrs. Roper also kept a good wardrobe.
The Court here adjourned for a quarter of an hour.
Mr. Charles Cowell, father-in-law to the prisoner—On
the Thursday before the fire, I removed the glass-shade and
flowers from the prisoner's house. In August I pledged
for Mr. Roper some silver and plated articles, and some
wearing apparel. I also pledged a coat belonging to Mr•
Roper. I got about D. I handed the money to Mrs,
Roper.

Cross-examined I never received any directions
from the prisoner to pawn the things. He was
never present when I received any of the articles to take
to the pawnbroker's.
Mrs. Cowell was recalled, and said she offered to let Mrs
Roper be confined at her house, but the prisoner said he did
not think she would like to leave her children.

Cornelius Davis—l am a relative of the prisoner. I used
frequently to visit his place and occasionally served in the
shop. It was very lightly constructed. The ceiling was
made of canvas, whitewashed over. From this the gas
lamps hung. The sides of the shop were very lightly put
together. The prisoner had spent a good bit of money in
improving the appearance of the premises.

An assistant to Mr. Barr, a pawnbroker, proved that in
August last a maroon velvet mantle, and other articles,
were pledged at his employer's shop, and remained there
ever since.

Henry Bull, another pawnbrokers assistant, gave similar
evidence.

Mr. Burt, pawnbroker, of Woolwich, proved that a quan-
tity of glass and decanters were pawned at his shop belong-
ing to the prisoner.
Inspector Wilson—l received a number of articles from
Mrs. Cowell belonging to Roper. There was among them
a dinner service, aid other articles, entered by him as de-
stroyed in the fire.

Mrs. Cook, sister of the prisoner, proved that he brought
a writing-desk to her husband's house previous to the fire.
It was wrapped in a blue handkerchief. Inspector Wilson,
after the fire, came for the desk. I had removed it to a
neighbour's house. I had previously been examined at the
inquest. In consequence of what the inspector said I went
and got it and delivered it to him. He put a tape round it
and sealed it. I told my brother about it the next morning.
He was very angry, and said he should open it to see if
there was any papers in it that would assist him in making
out his claim. He opened the desk, and took some papers
out of it.

Police-constable 92 R produced the writing-desk.
Charles Nash—l supplied the prisoner with a dinner ser-
vice of the pattern produced. The service complete cost
four guineas (charged in the claim £1010s.) It would con-
sist of 124 pieces. I also sold him a tea service. I charged
him four pounds for it.
Elizabeth Waterfell, the female servant of the prisoner,
said—l have been in prisoner's service about two years.
Shortly before the fire I removed the articles spoken to. I
went several times to Mrs. Cowell's.- I first took a dozen
plates. I took a few things at a time. It was in the evening
time. The prisoner told me when I took the things I was not to
say anything to anybody. Roper took the large dishes
himself. The wax flowers was removed on the Wednesday
before the fire. I recollect a lot of glass on the sideboard.
I missed it from its place before the fire. In dusting the
wardrobe I noticed a number of her dresses were gone. I
found a pawnbroker'S duplicate. Before the fire two sacks
of books were removed. I held the sacks while the
books were put in. Mr. Roper filled the sacks. I removed
the writing-desk on the Saturday before the fire to Mrs.
Cdwell's, by order of Mr. Roper. It was rather heavy, and
was wrapped in a blue cotton handkerchief. On the
Saturday before the fire, about 11 o'clock, the prisoner
sent me for some turps.