The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-12 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.

George John Ford, a printer, was brought before M&.
Alderman Hunter, charged with arson.
Baker, the ward beadle of Cripplegaf.e, stated, that on
Wednesday the Coroner of London called an inquest to
inquire into the cause of a fire which had recently oc •
curred in Braim's-buildings, Beech-street, Barbican, by
which two houses were burnt ; and the prisoner was
given into his custody by the coroner, with directions to
bring him before the magistrate. The jury had found
a verdict that the prisoner had wilfully set fire to the
premises. _ _

Mr. Alderman HUNTER asked if any one appeared to
prosecute him for the offence?
Baker said the witnesses were in attendance, and there
was a gentleman on behalf of the Imperial Fire-office.
The gentleman referred to rose, and said he attended
to watch the case, but he had not received any instruc-
tions to prosecute.
Mr. Alderman HUNTER asked the beadle if he had any
witnesses who had not been examined before the co-
roner ? Baker answered that he had not.

Mr. Alderman HUNTER said the case appeared to
have been sent before him by the courtesy of the Co-
roner of London, but as a warrant Gf commitment would
be issued by the coroner, and the witnesses had been
bound over to appear at the Central Criminal Court, it
was needless for the magistrate to travel over the same
ground. His abstaining from doing so involved no
failure of justice, and he should allow the prisoner to
stand committed on the coroner's warrant.

The Coroner of London shortly afterwards reached
the office, and said he had heard from the beadle the
result of the proceedings, but he wished to explain to
the Magistrate the reason he had sent the case before
him. The prisoner had caused two houses to be burnt,
one of them being his own house. The burning of this
was a felony by the statute, but not by the common
law, and therefore he, as coroner, could take no cogni-
zance of that offence, and sent the matter before the
Magistrate for inquiry. At the same time he must be
permitted to express his surprise that the solicitor for
the Imperial Fire-office had stated that he had no evi-
dence to offer, no instructions to prosecute. He expectud
the fire-office would be the first to support a prosecution
and take care the ends of justice were secured, and he
was surprised to find the solicitor was not prepared to
say what course he would take. He bad committed the
prisoner only for burning the house next to his own,
which was an offence by the common law as well as the
statute law.

The solicitor to the fire-office said they were not in-
different to the matter, but had not determined what
course they should take. He thought the remarks of the
coroner were uncalled for, as the Queen was the prose-
cutor.

The Coroner asked him if he shut his eyes to what was
passing daily round him ? Did he not see public bodies,
and even individuals, prosecuting charges in police-
courts, by the aid of counsel, to take care that the ends
of
,justice should be attained ? . .

Mr. Alderman HUNTER asked if the witnesses were
still in attendance ? The beadle said they were not.
There was only one remaining, who would depose to a
conversation he had with the prisoner.
The ALDERMAN said he had heard enough to justify
him in:detaining the prisoner :for further examination;
and he therefore remanded him.