The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-31 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS—(rufs DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before the Copotatt SzaczAtur.)
CUTTING AND MAIMING.
Joieph Gardner stood itdieted for cutting and maiming Sa-
muel Knight, with an intent to ad him some bodily harm.
The prosecutor stated, that he had bean acquainted with the
prisoner t.t7 three years; he met him on thi day laid in the in-
dictment, in White Li'br.-street, Chelsea, with a knife in his hand,
which witness desired him to pit aside, and at the same time he
laid hold of his left arm; whereupted he stabbed witness, then
seized him by the neck, and endeavoured to throVi him c:Cwn; he
flidi gabbed witness inside the right thigh ; the prisond.wat

I Veilthe time.
fect.y se,
The prisoner in hii hence said, that he had been for a long
time in his Majesty's serVicti et 4 bad received a wound in his
head, which at times affected his senses. Ile was nearly blind,
and subject to fits. That he was robbed on daft in question,
and was, in consequence thereof, in a 'violent passiom
The Costmon SisAGEANT summed up, and observed, that the
charge was of a serious nature. If the Jury were of opinion that
it had been done with malice aforethought, it would amount to a
capital offence. It appeared that the prisoner was in a violent
passion at the time, fecnn what cause remains a secret ; but the
fact of his having been in a rage excluded the idea of malice afore-
thoUght. —Verdict, "Not Guilty."
ARSON.

(Before MID Justice Paax and Mr. Baron Gannow.)
Charles Thomas White, aged 23, stood indicted for felo-
niously setting tire to and burning a certain house, situate in the
Parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields. There were two other indict-
utenifi foi the tame crime, varying the terms of the charge.
Thepritithet pleaded Not Guilty, and addressed the Jury, hoping
that if any of them &flanged to. the parish in which the occur-
rence took place they would Withdrew. It appeared that none
of them belonged to that parish. •
Mr. ANDREWS opened the pleadings.
Mr. ALLEY stated the case. The,..indictment, he observed,
was diversified, in order to meet the facts of the case. One
count charged him with committing the crime with an intent to
defraud the British Insurance Company, another with an intent
to injure his neighbours, a third to ipjure his landlord. On the
30th of May last, the prisoner raised the Insurance of his proper
from 6001. to 2,8001., end in two months after, the house weety
discovered to be on fire. A person named Lazarus, and his
family lived in the house, and the prisoner on that occasion
accused the servant maid of it, in consequence of which the
matter was thoroughly investigated at II Police Office,
and no evidence having appeared agal..nst the girl,
the matter was dropped at the stiggestion of ON_ prisoner ;
that fire was happily extinguished, but soffit remnants Of link,
were discovered, which induced the supposition that .they Yati
been the cause of the fire ; and it having appeared that some
person like the prisoner had purchased links the day previously at
Mr. Bradford's, the circumstance operated strongly against him.
The learned council having detailed the circumstances of the se-
cond fire, as will appear in the eviderue, called the following

witnesses.
Michael Shine was a watchman in the parish of St. (ilex's-iii'
the-Fields, heard au alarm of fire on the night of the 4th Of Au-
gust, at the house of the prisoner, 265, High Holborn; when he
went to the house the door Was shut, and Mr. Lazarus, who
lived in the upper part of the hem, opened it for him,
he went down the kitchen stairs, and saw that the tire commenced
beneath ; could not say how long it had been on fire ; he got was
ter and quenched it; he broke up two steps of the kitchen stains
to see if there was any fire remaining ; other persons poured down
water from the upper part of the house. The fire appeded to
him to have arisen from fire hanging down from the gas. In
about half an boor afterwards he returned, and a fireman showed
him part of some links : on seeing that be Nam satisfied that the
fire was occasioned by links. A model. of the house was then
produced, and the witness described the fire as taking place under
the kitchen stairs : there was a ladder placed against the closet
door : he-saw the prisoner and Mr. Lazarus when he went in; the
prisoner had a grey frock morning gown on him; he went into
the back parlour, and saw nothing amiss.
Cress-examined by Mr. Ant:metros—Witness had been much
talked to about this since the examination at Marlborough-street ;
gave evidence at that office respecting the flame burning down, to
he best of his belief ; but this evidence was respecting the fire on
the 18th ; for he was not examined as to the fire on the 4th.
Samuel Furman, examined by Mr. A L LEY..--AVIS watch-
house-keeper of St. Giles's ; and discovered a fire at two o'clock on
the morning of the 4th of August, at the prisoner's house ; his
(witness's) brother, and a person named Reilly, were there before
him, as were also several gentlemen ; the fire was almost out
when he came ; on going down stairs, he observed to the pri-
soner ; " there is something wrong about this fire ;" all
underneath was burnt to cinders. He asked the prisoner if he
suspected any one in the house? The prisoner said, that previous
to the fire, the table in the front kitchen had been set on tire by
some person ; he (witness) examined the table ; it appeared that
some liquid had been on it, as it was burnt in the middle ; he
asked the prisoner who had the care of it ; the prisoner said, that
no one but Mr. Lazarus and his servant had access to the kitchen,
and that be suspected the servant had set it on fire ; Margaret
Drew was' called down stairs, and there was some altercation
about who should give charge of her. Lazarus said he should, as
she was his servant ; he then made a search with Reilly,
when the latter found two pieces of links, they were about eight
inches long; on examining the stairs he (witness) found a quan-
tity of pitch, which seemed to hare fallen from the link which
fitted the place on the stairs where the pitch was. He then went
into the kitchen, and asked the prisoner whether he had any links
in his house ; prisoner replied, that he never had ; the girl was
then taken into custody; there was no gas conductor behind where
the fire took place. On the 11th of August the prisoner and
Lazarus carne to witness; the former said that he had been dining
with his mother the day before, who told him that there had been
links in the house six or eight months ago. Witness said that he
wanted to go to Mr. Bradford's, where he understood some finite
had been bought. He asked Mr. W. what he wanted links for
six or eight months ago ; he said he had a party of friends who
were sitting in the yard, end as the candles were blown out, the
links served to light them again; on the following day the pri-
soner, with some others, went with witness to Mr. Bradford's ;
Lazarus said to Bradford, " Am I the man who bought the
links ?" Bradford replied, " You are not ;" it had been said by
Bradford that the links had been bought on the 4th of August,
between eleven and one, the prisoner replied, " I can prove by
two witnesses that I was in bed at twelve ;" Bradford said,
" I could tell better if I maw the person in his morning gown ;"
Lazarus said, " I will go home and put on any different dress ;"
witness said to the prisoner, " You'll have no objection to go
home, put on your morning gown, and let Mr. Bradford see you ?"
the prisoner replied, " I shill do nothing of the kind, for I will
not make a puppet-show of myself;" witness saw the prisoner in
his morning gown on the occasion of the fire, when next he saw
him in that dress the sleeves bad been cut a little shorter.
Philip. Reilly examined by Mr. ANDREW I.—Was present at the
fire on the 4th of,Auguat, and there found the remnants of links
(which witness now produced) ; examined the kitchen next day,
and found several drops of pitch and tar on the floor between the
kitchen grate, and where fire was on the staircase; these drops
appeared of the seine composition as the links ; witness cut them
out and they burned.
Thomas Dodwell examined by Mr. Austr.-Isa shopman in
the house of Mr. Bradford, and recollects sonic person buying
links on the 4th day of August last, between eleven and one,
believes the prisoner is the man ; the remnants of links now
produced are very like those which witness sold; the person who
purchased the links, was dressed in a grey morning gown. Wit-
ness saw the prisoner in his morning gown, on the 4th of October,
in St. Giles's watch-house; it was very like the gown worn by
the person who purchased the links, but it was cut shorter in the
skirts. Witness recollects that the prisoner came with another
gentleman on the 10th of August ; asked if Mr. Bradford was at
home; witness said he was not; prisoner replied, " my name is
White, and I came about the links." Witness said, "we want
none." Prisoner said, " I don't mean that, hut 1 have heard that
you said I had purchased some links of you." He (witness)
replied,a
sass,
i
"hood' could I say so, when I did nut know you; some
person bseieg a gray morning gown, bought links here. Prisoner.
that is the dress 1 wear. The impression on witness's mind
that the prisoner was the man ; he did not tell him so, be...
cause he did not wish to impute it to him. The links had been
taken away in a blue bag.
L Is
I;
Ru
ev4 parson vspurchasing al
oilman
in Broad-street,ili dfSd
Cross-examined by Mr. Anowsus—lt was his. master who
sold the links.
By the Court's—Witness has seldom been asked for links since
the establishment of gas lights, except by boys on the sth of No-
vember.
William
,Gexamined
is
and by Mr.
recollectsA
two links, on the 4th of Aug. between 11 and 1 o'clock, or a little
after ;he paid four-pence for the links, and carried them oar in a
Btaotr.
blue bag. He (witness) saw the prisoner and
someother
person on the Itth of August; Lazarus asked him if he
person who had purchased the links, he said T • *wee the
no. his witness co-
, rohorated the evidence of Furzunin, as to what at that
interview, and added, " I have seen the tea
place
at the watchhouse in his morning dress, and he Very.min 'll re-
sembles the person who bought the links of me."
Exaniined by Mr. Pommts—The coat which the prisoner

wore it the watch-have soar a little eltorter thatt that which the
person wore who had purchased. the links.
By the COURT—There was no body else in the &hop at the time
except witness's boy.
Humphrey Lazarus examined by Mr. Attic-v.—ls a jeweller
and general dealer, and lived, on the 4th August in the prisoner's,
house ; he occupied the first floor, two rooms on the garret, souk
the front kitchen; had a wife and family there; the gas-cocks were
in the front kitchen, to which prisoner bad access to turn the gas ;
on the 4th of August, after he (witness) went to bed, be was
awoke by the smoke ; on getting up, he put his head out of the
who had rung the bell. Foreman.
window, and cried out " fire !" then went down stairs, and opened
the detioa:l,
;fowr
when
ne
Itlveantcalminethyne4,:h
questioned witness's girl respecting the fire ; she denied
in the passage, and said " Mr. White, I really
he went in with him to the parlour.
im
teprl:shecuouteee
her
;m3,etirthit_e
.;: and he (witness) was of course obliged to give her
Ifr:vomultidmenlovat
psereisnonotherilnaA2..o4inflanto.l
at
e.
near replied, "ills. White,
when be said " If I wislre
do not know what you mean ; you
first make me take up the girt, :nd now yon tell me you wilt not
prosecote , • witness attended at ts: Police Office, the girl was
discharged or the Ist of August ; ober:veil a ladder placed to the
ttsi, door at the top of the house ; this bider' used to be in the
kitchen ; he removed it from the trap door, but it remained on
the stairs until the fire ;he never bought links Bradford's shop,
nor put any under the stairs.
_Cross examined by Mr. Anotruus—ls not a workli:g jeweller;
by a general dealer he means that he buys cloth and ever 7 thing ;
the place under the stairs where the fire broke nut belongs
Mr. White attended the police office next day along with witszees,
but was not examined. When the girl was dismissed from the
charge of setting the house on fire she was detained on a
charge made by him for stealing some things ; she was
tried and acquitted at the last session ; witness was not
allowed his expences. The garret-room in which he slept was, of
all rooms in the house, the most remote from the fire, yet he
perceived it first, and, gave the alarm ; thinks that Mr. White
was coming out of his room as he came down stairs; the trap-
door was open from the Ist of August until the 4th, yet he never
told the prisoner ; he left the house on the Bth ; his property re-
mained there, and was distrained for the midsummer rent by the
prisoner.
Juliet Lateral, the wife of last witness, corroborated his testi-
mony, and stated that the prisoner's family and her's had been ow
the best terms previously to the fire.
Catherine Taylor, examined by Mr. ANDRE*S.—Is servant of
the prisoner ; the ladder was generally kept in the kitchen, bet the
boy having occasion to go on the cock-loft, he asked his master if he
might take up the ladder ; hisanaster said yes, and the boy took it
up on the Ist or 2d of August • on the night of the fire witness's
master and mistress went to bed at twelve. He went about ten
minutes after. Iler master and mistress went out to Fulham for the
two days following the fire ; she remained in the house, but did not
g(> to !wed at night, iu consequence of the request of Mr. and Mrs.

Ltotarus.
Crow-examine!' by Mr. Anot.enus--ifer master was engaged
in the parlotur with a Piend previously to his going to bed. On
the night in question she ',vas alarmed by the cry of fire at one
o'clock. Master and mistress 1,...N1 been at the Coburg Theatre on
the ad, and did not come home unti; two o'clock that night ; was
very wet ; he did not get up next day unti; 12, nor breakfast' till one.
when witness removed the breakfast things; he was reading in the
parlour ; the saw him after between that and Ginner, both in the
shop and psrlont ; she did not see him going out at all ; he wore
his morning gown on that day; the sleeves were subgequently re-
paired, but she could not say that they were made shorter.
Margaret Drew examined by Mr. Awnazws—Wu servant to
Mr. Learns when he lived at the prisoner's; did not set the house
on fire, and lied no pitch on her hands at that time.
Cross-examined by Mr. Pitsuars--.-Remernbers having' been
examined by Furzmart, the officer, on the night of the fire; wit-
ness's hands were ell dirty and wet, but it was from having been
putting her boots (which were wet and dirty) on previously.
Mr. Furman said it was pitch that was on her hands, but wit-
ness Ladd it Was not; she lived nearly twelve months after, and
had no difference with him ; but he accused her of having burned
the table some time before ; on the night of the fire witness went
to-bed about 12 o'clock, and met the prisoner on the stairs ;he
bid her good night; it was customary for Mr. White to go down
every night to turn the gas.
Be-examined by Mr. Artnarws—At the time of the fire wit-
ness had clothes and other property in the house.
By the Cover---Witness did not set the Louse on fire ent of
spite to Mr. Lazarus ; had no quarrel with the prisoner or his

family.
Joseph Coxhead, examined by Mr. ALLEY.—Ie a bookseller,
and attended at the prisoner's house at the time of the first fire;
considered the stock which was then in the house, worth 100/. ;
had frequently seen his stock before, and had never observed any
alteration that would encrease it from 100/. to 2,800!.
Wm. Hopkinson, the landlord of the premises proved that they
insured f n 700/.
A Clark froin the British Eire Assurance Office produced the
policy of insurance entered into by the prisoner, whereby he in-
sured hie property to the amount of 3,b00/. on the 30th of May;
another clerk proved that the prisoner hid at that time cancelled
another policy for 1000/.
Wm. Wilson, a bookseller in High Holborn, did not eat:odder
the stock of the prisoner worth more than 800!. at the time its
question. This was the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner was about to enter on his defence, at the time re►a
went to press.

NEW COURT.

Philibert Matthew, watch-case maker, Hyde-street, Blooms-
bury-square, was indicted for transposing from ace gold watch
case to another, the Hallmark of the Goldsmiths' Company. Yee-
diet— Guilty.