Star.
London, England, 1830-12-18 00:00:00

MAIDSTONE.

John Seamen, aged 49, was indicted for wilfully and maliciously
setting fire to, and burning a stack of straw, the property of Isaac
Jordan, at Word, in this county.
The evidence was generally considered as decisive against the prisoner,
as far as circumstantial proof could allow, but to the surprise of the
Court, a verdict of " Not Guilty" was returned. He was ordered to be
detained on another indictment.

TKUILIDAT.

John Dyke, alias Jan Figiii,wWsliticted for feloniously and mall.
dourly setting fire to a barn and outhouse, containing wheat, peas,
beans, At. the property of Michael Stokes, farmer, residing at Beamed,
in this county.
Mr. Go axe: (with whom were Mr. ADOLPSIIII and Mr. D. Pot.
Locz) stated the use to the Jury, and called the following winnows
Michael Stokes—Am a farmer at Beamed, in this county, and over.
I seer of the poor. Oa the morning of the 10th dNovanba a Ire broke
out in my ban, which was burned down, together with a shed adjoining.
The barn contained wheat, peas, and beans, to the amount of SQL A
travelke, named Basel, slept in a waggon.bowe near the premises, and
he ve me the slum first.
by Mr. Sonienr.—Never bad any quarrel with the
prisoner.
Wm. Ackinst.—My father has a farm about a mile from Mr. Stokes.
On the awe morning that Mr. Stoker's property was set on fire, my
father's barn was burnt alma

Mrs. Hewitt.—l live at Boasted; know the prisoner John Dyke from
a child. Oa the evening of Monday, the Bib of Nov. the prisoner:came
to our house about seven o'clock, and remained talking for nearly two
hours. He said, "I am one of those rioters." There had beta riot.
log in the country before that. Asked him what he meant ; and he
replied, " I ant tee of those who write." He then said be had been
cartons. to ton, to his sister.ln.law. He asked how we were et-
as
Beamed. We said there had been a mee
g. and the gentleman Lad agreed to give half a crown a day. and the
people were peaceable. After a few minutes be asked how Mr. Stokes
got on. I said Mr. Stokes had three children; but Mr. Stokes was a
bad man not to assist my family The prisoner said, " Stokes is a bad
man ;" and he said he saw Lmthy's building on tire. My husband
said, 4 Mr. Stokes said to me a person might fire a ball at my stack from
the rood, and set them on fire;" and asked the prisoner If he thought
that could be. He made noreply. My husband asked him if be knew
how them balls were made ? He said they were made with gunpowder,
aoudads, vitriol, and spirits of turpostine. My husband asked
him bow it was done, and the p ooa replied " Oh, touch
it with • little tettcafortia." He left our house at nine o'clock to go to
his grandfather's. He came again at three o'clock in the morning of
Wednesday. He tapped at the window, and my husband got out of
bed, and said to the prisoner " What the devil do you here, do you
mean to be taken ?" The Prisoner handed a weapon in at the window,
and said, " I wish you would give this to my grandfather." I them;
heard the prisoner's voice say, " Aces's stacks are alight, and
en will Woo see Stokes's stacks on fire also." My bus.
band said. " Who did it ?" and the prisoner said, 64 I law a mats
up there." My husband lay down for a few minutes, and open
looking up I saw a &Ems. of light, and immediately after a men liv-
ing next door milled out, " Hewitt, Mr. Stoker's barns are on fire ;" I
opened the window and called out, fee Mrs. Stokes sod her babies came
running down to our house. On the following morning I found a
:msong sort of dagger, at the bead of the bed. (The wham ides.
weapon which was a sword made so fit to a stick.)
Wm. Hewitt, husband to the last witness, corroborated the testimony
of his wife.

Win. Hamel szarnined.—l live at Foamed, la Suffolk, and work in
the farming line, and when not in work I travel about with matches
and lass. I remember the night when Mr. Stokes's fire took per.
Hs bad given me leave to sleep in one of his waggon-houses. I pat
myself into a bag, and lay down about men or sight o'clock. Same
person came intei the wagges.bouse, was
told me it was then ball-past
three. I went to sleep again, and was awoke by a rattUng and snap-
ping, as if there was a Ire. I called Mr. Stokes; the shed was then en
are, and I misted to got it under.
John Cobb.—! knew Dyke at Thurnhain. A man named Hart
worked on the same farm with him.
F. W. Martin, Esq. a Magistrate.-4 reside at Egerton-bouse,
Ashford, about thirteen miles from this town. Heard of this be, and
I think it was before ft occurred, that the prisoner applied to me for ro.
lief, under the name of John Ping.
Jobs Head, a braser.—l know tbe prisoner, and saw him in the pa.
doh of Chard some time before thin its. The prisoner drove a heifer
for ins to the Bulades head, ils mid ale he wen going to a place within
shoat two or three miles of Bairetand.
Edwin holoy.-1 see a constable * the county, and apprehended
the primer on November 111, gent 111 miles from Maidstone. I asked
him who be had ben at llorossil last P Ms mid, an Weelaccday, No.
lumber 10. I mid. 1 Map you law Mr• &rare% firs. Me said be`
did. I 'eked him where !as fit, the, Ws*. He said he was *boat
baits tads from the Sm.'
The prison's, in his deism. &Wed the dial% as said that as urea
as be saw the lire he ems in M in alit to ambit In putting it out;

previous to which he told Hewitt that the barn of Mr. Stokes was on
Ire, and that he saw a man there, and unless the alarm was instantly
given the whole place would be in dames.
Witnesses were called on the part of the prisoner, with a view to
throw discredit on the evidence of the witness Hewitt ; and those wit-
nesses concurred in stating that the expressions imputed to Hewitt,—
namely, the wish to see Mr.. Stokes's premises on fire, and himself in
the middle of it, and also that if be (Hewiu) knew who had set the place
on fire he'd be d—d but he'd blow him,—were distinctly sworn to.
Mr. Justice BOSAWQVZT having summed up the evidence,
The Jury, with very little hesitation, found the prisoner Guilty. He
was Immediately removed from the dock.
A report arrived in town this morning, that a fire broke out last
night in the neighbourhood of Canterbury. Duke, an officer, attached
to the London police, has started for the spot.