The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-21 00:00:00

ANOTHER CHARGE OF ARSON.

Thomas Henry, a respectable-looking man, aged about 28,
was on Tuesday placed at the bar of the Police-court, before
Edward Rushton and Ormerod Heyworth, Esquires. The
prisoner is a linen draper, and his premises are situate in St.
James's-place. He was accused of the serious crime of
having set fire to his shop on Friday night last.
Mr. Davenport, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the pri-
soner. Mr. Dowling, having briefly stated the case, without
going into any particulars, lest, as he said, he might drop
anything to the prejudice of the prisoner, called
Joseph Mansfield, who stated that he was shop-boy in the
service of the prisoner. He was at the shop on Friday last,
and remembered the shop being closed soon after eight
o'clock. Mr. Henry assisted to put up the shutters. When
the shop was closed Mr. Henry sent me to the Post-office.
Before that Mr. Henry sent me up stairs for his hat and coat.
Mr. Henry is a single man, and lives on the premises. He
put his coat on and I went into the kitchen, by his orders,
while he wrote a letter, and I was to remain there till he
called me. I was celled up in a quarter of an hour or twenty
minutes. He gave me a letter to take to the Post-office.
Mr. Henry went out with me. He fastened the door and
put the key in his pocket. There are three doors open the
back way, and one the front way. The servant was in the
kitchen, and could get out of the house by the back way.
One gas lamp was left burning at the back of the shop, but
the others were put out by Mr. Henry. We have usually
nine gas lights burning. The door which communicates with
the shop from the house was fastened by me: Mr. Henry
usually comes in through the shop. The goods were on the
shelves, except those which had hung outside, and those were
taken in and put on the counter. Mr. Proctor, the assistant,
was not at the shop that day. It was half-past eight when
we went out. I went off to the Post-office, and on the way
met Catherine Evans, and spoke to her. I heard of the fire
at the bottom of Park-lane as I was going. They said it was
opposite St. James's Church, but did not mention the name.
I went to the Post-office, and when I returned I found that
master's shop was on fire. It was all of a flame. I did not
see anything removed from the house or shop.
By Mr. Davenport.—A hale had come into the shop the
day before. I believe there was only one ; it contained
shawls I think. _

Ann Mansfield, servant to Mr. Henry, sister to the last
witness, examined by Mr. Dowling. 1 have lived with Mr.
Henry three weeks. There are four rooms in the house,
which are all furnished, except one of those at the top. 1
slept in one of the top rooms. In my sleeping room the fur-
niture consisted of one chair, and a bed on the floor. One
of the two rooms below this was a drawing-room. The fur-
niture was a sofa, a large round table, one chair, a fender,
window curtains, and a carpet. The back room was a bed-
room in which Mr. Henry and Mr. Proctor, the shoprnan,
slept. The furniture there was a bed and bedstead, but no
curtains, a table, a looking-glass, and two boxes. I was in
the kitchen when the fire broke out. Soon after the shop
was shut my brother came down to the kitchen. Mr. Proc-
tor was not at home, but he had dined at home at one o'clock.
He did not take tea at home. I did not go into the shop
after Mr. Henry went out ; I could not get in, for the door
is always fastened. I did not know of the fire till the police
came. I did not go up stairs at all after. master and brother
left till I heard the police, who called out " Open the door."
They knocked at the back. They opened the door, which
was on the latch, and got in. The officer said, "There's a
fire !" I said " Oh, there is not."
By Mr. Davenport.—A set of bedsteads came home that
day, and two mattresses. The master had been gone about
ten minutes or a quarter of an hour before I heard the alarm.
By Mr. Rushton.—The shop was well stocked ; it was full
of goods. There was a fire-place, but no fire was lighted in
it that day. This statement was almost immediately cor-
rected, the prisoner having reminded both the girl and her
brother that a fire was lighted in the grate that day. The
fire-place was at the back of the shop.
Catharine Evans examined by Mr. Dowling.—l know Ann
Ratcliffe, who keeps a fruit-stall, and stands exactly facing
the shop door of Mr. Henry. On Friday night I was sent
by her down Park lane to buy a Hook. I met Mr. Henry's
shop boy, and spoke to him as I returned, and I immediately
went from him to Ann Ratcliffe. I saw Mr. Henry five
minutes after I got to the standing. He was coming out of
the shop, and he locked the door. That was exactly at nine
o'clock. The church-clock was striking just as he came out.
I am sure that no one else came out of the shop but him.
He went across towards Great George's-street. Five minutes
after he went away. Ann Ratcliffe said, "Oh dear! look
at Mr. Henry's shop." I saw tire inside, and smoke coming
out of the shop. She looked through the keyhole' and saw
fire. She told me to run after Mr. Henry, and see whether
I could overtake him. I ran after him along Great George's-
street, past the market, as far as Nile-street, but I did not
see him. When he came out of the shop he spoke to Ann,
and said, " Good night, Ann, I'm going a courting to Ever-
ton." As I could not overtake Mr. Henry, I returned to
the fire, and stoped looking at it. I did not see Mr. Henry
till half-past ten o'clock. There were no goods taken out of
the premises.

Ai-in Ratcliffe, examined by Mr. Dowling.—The testimony
of this witness was corroborative of that given by Catharine
Evans.

By Mr. Davenport.—Mr. Henry's shop looked very well
that day. The window was beautiful: it looked better than
usual. Everybody stopped to look at it, it looked so well.
As I looked through the keyhole, I saw the shawls which
were hanging blazing up. I saw a very handsome sofa taken
into the place that day.
Inspector John Towerson, examined by Mr. Dowling.—
On Friday evening last, I left the station-house in •Seel-street,
at five minutes before nine o'clock. I arrived at St. James's
Church about five minutes after• nine. 1 saw smoke issuing
from the door of Mr. Henry's shop, and could perceive a
great light. When I saw that it was on fire, I despatched a
man immediately to pass the alarm through the town, and
to carry the alarm to the fire-police station. We forced the
door, and Nicholson, No. 84, got inside. I saw the end of
the shop in flames, particularly the left-hand side. This was
the further end from the street door. I also saw flames
behind the counter, on the left side, blazing up. I can't tell
whether the intermediate space was burning, but I rather
think it was. The space that was burning behind the coun-
ter was near to the front window; about a yard from it. I
was not inside long, as I came out immediately to keep order,
and to assist in getting water. There was a great smoke. I
saw the prisoner about a quarter past ten o'clock. He was
standing on the opposite side, against St. James's Church-
yard, speaking to Superintendent Leverett. I heard him say
he had made all secure, and that he heard the alarm of fire
at Evertor-brow. He said he could not find a police-officer

:0 tell him where the fire was. M'Donald asked him if the
place was insured. He said he was partially insured : he was

insured for £l,OOO at the Phoenix. The shop and part of
the rooms above were destroyed.
Inspector Alexander M'Donald said he heard of the fire
from the officer in Scotland-road at twenty minutes post nine
o'clock. I was in Scotland-road, at the end of AV Kee-street,
at twenty minutes past nine o'clock on Friday night, when I
beard the rattles, and ran to meet the officer who was carry-
ing the alarm. The communication is made from beat to
beat, and the officer runs all the way. His duty is to state
where the fire is ; but he never tells whose premises are on
fire; that is not considered necessary. The officer informed
me that there was a fire in St. James's-place, St. James's-
stre'et.
Thomas Brailsforth called and examined by Mr. Dowling.
I am clerk in Widow Sutton and Son's Phmnix Fire Insur-
ance Office. Mr. Henry insured his premises at our office
on the 25th of March last, for £lOOO. He insured £950 on
the stock and fixtures, and £5O on the furniture. Applica-
tion was made by Henry yesterday for the full amount. He
said the amount which he knew to be destroyed was £1360;
but the amount which he had on the premises was £l4OO or
£l5OO. He claimed from us the total amount of the policy.

He gave me the particulars in writing. It is signed by him
[The document was here put in, and, by desire of Mr. Dow.

. .
ling, the items were read. The items were very numerous,
comprising amounts for silks, satins, velvets, cloths, shawls,
&c., with £4O in money, making altogether the sum above-
named.] I had a conversation with the prisoner in the office.
Ile said his usual time of locking up was eight o'clock in the
evening. In consequence of having some new goods later
than usual that evening, he did not lock up till half-past
eight o'clock. He told the boy he would have the shop swept
out that night; but the boy said there was no water, so it
could not be swept. He told the boy to get a bucket of water
someway or other, and sweep it. It was swept. He then
told the boy to go down stairs, as he had a letter to write to
Chester. He put out all the lights except one at the furthest
end of the shop. He sat down near the fire-place, and wrote
the letter. When he had finished it he called the boy up,
and told him to take the candle, and go up stairs for his coat
and hat. He told the boy to take the letter to the Post-office.
That would make it about a quarter to nine o'clock. Shortly
after the boy went out, he went out himself, leaving the gas
burning. He went out intending to go to Great Homer-
street, and had cot as far as Rodney-street when he heard an
alarm of fire. He did not know where it was, and proceeded
to the New Haymarket, at the bottom of Great Nelson-street.
He was there told that the fire was in St. James's-place, and
feeling alarmed, lie got into a cab, and drove off as quickly
as lie could. When he got back he found the place alt burn-
ing. He supposed that would be about half-past nine o'clock.
He said his stock was much increased lately, in consequence
of his having purchased a large supply of cloth goods for win-
ter clothing, and be had been to Manchester to purchase
more on the Tuesday preceding the fire.
Mr. Davenport questioned this witness, apparently with a
view of learning whether or not the prisoner had been ap-
prehended in consequence of suspicions entertained at the
insurance office. It appeared, however, that the formal
claim for the amount of the policy had been written at the
office by Mr. Brailsforth himself, under direction of one of
the partners, and that the prisoner had signed it. No in-
formation was given from the office till Mr. Dowling called
there after the prisoner's departure, and requested to be in-
formed of the particulars.
Mr. Charles Fletcher, brushmaker, 96, Parliament-street,
examined by Mr. Dowling—l live next door to the prisoner.
About three weeks ago I saw some goods going away from
the prisoner's premises in a cart. I saw a very large truss
in the cart, and one or two others, smaller ones. One was
very large. I thought the prisoner was going to remove from
the premises from seeing so many goods going away, and that
was what attracted my attention to it. 1 saw the goods
brought out of the shop and put into the cart. I have some-
times gone to the prisoner'S shop. His stock, I should
consider, was rather small. I have a means of judging ; for
a friend of mine stocked a shop with £BOO, and it seemed
much larger.
By Mr. Davenport.—l used to go into Mr. Henry's shop
very frequently—every day. We were next door neighbours.
I do not judge of the value of a stock by its bulk. My
friends was a general stock, and Mr. Henry's consisted
chiefly of prints. My friend's stock consisted of silks and
satins, but there were not many silks at Henry's.
Mr. Rushton.—You are aware that there is one import-
ant statement in this evidence. There is the removal of the
goods.
Mr. Francis Maxwell, inspector of salvages, examined by
Mr. Dowling.—l was at the fire in St. James's-Place on
Friday last. I did not see it while it was burning, but ar-
rived immediately after. I carefully examined the remains
of the articles in the shop. They consisted of merinos,
cottons, stockings, some cotton handkerchiefs, one piece
of
silk handkerchiefs, and a variety of other things not of
in h
clu
in
value. I found only one bit of satin, very small, wh
consumed.
my judgment was the remains of a gentleman's neck scant.
There was also some ribbons and linen. There was no
remnant or particle of woollen. Woollens and silk are not
so combustible as cottons and linens,
rolled up tight it would not be easily
There did not appear to have been a large quantity of stock
and
entirely if an y article
consumed. I have had much experience in matters of this
nature.
The prisoners were remanded until the following day.