The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-01
COMMUNICATION.

A fpecal Oyer & Terminer was held at FIatbu!h
in Kings county, on Tueldsy and "Wednesday lan for
the trial of William Cornwell and Martin Hill, two
boys the former about II years of age and the a:ter
about 2, on the charge of Arfon, for burning The
Earn OF Hendrick l.. Suydam, in the town nf Book
lyn, on tbs evening of the 10th of November
About o'clock in the afternoon of Tuelday, the
grand jury brought in a bill Of indictment aganfi
William Cornwell only, for the Arfon, Martin Hill
having been ufed as a witnefs
q Nhey WIRE both indicted for grand larceny for
ae+ling between 50 and 80 dollars from the Gore Q.
Esae Weeks, on the fameev.ning
= Soon atfer the grand jury came into court, Wn'
at.orriveil was put to the bar and arraignsd He
pseadguilty, but his honor Judge Tomkins who pre-
nded, out oftendernef, to the Prifoner and derou:
that Re heud have all the kgal advantages which his
youth could Afford directed the plea Of not guilty 10
be recorded, which was accordingly entered. Hi,
honor then aligned council for the prifonsr Mr.
King and MIR. Clarke
Mr.. Rker, the diaria attorney, then moved the
SQUIRT that the trial hOud proceed, blu, on account oi
the latenefs Of the hour the court adjourned till 10
O'clock the next morning.
on "wednesday at the opening Of the court the pri-
iofer wnagain put to the bar. The jury we're cal
led, and or Of tie Jurors were challenged by the
pfiloners council, aud CT aide After IL Jurors ap-
Peirng AVID being fworn, the diria attorney opened
hs eau's ahd na'ed 10 the Jury miputfly the faa,
which he mould produce againn the rriloner to con.
Vice them veil that he had burnt the barn. as thar
he had capacity to render him an obeSl of LEGAL
psnifhment.
MIR. SuydhaHl, the owner OF the barn wa, called
as switnefs and proved that his barn. together with
property to great amount, and other buildings has
been burnt on the night Gated in the ndiament.
Martin Hi!i was then called. The council for the
psioner obje9ed to him an incompetent wtrs E,
on the ground OF infancy. On examination b. the
hl man u0z1
and appeared to have JUN fenfc of the eon(.ou.o.
esss ct committing perjury, whereupon h. wa.
fworn,
fIs teaihed that ne ard Cornwell had fri entered
thr tore OF Mr.. Weeks and forced open the drawer
OF the counter with knife. That they took on, h..
twssa 20 and go dollars, and defcribed the money
With grers ersensfs. He ltated that they had con-
sealed the money in Mr. Cornwtlrs cellar.
After this they concluded to Iet FIRE TO fome barn.
He Rated chat they had before bought a e,odi. 20
enable them to count the money that the candle no,
burning well they had thrown il away, and bought
another Of Ms. Ram, where tkey ALTO lighted it
he further mentioned that il went out lsyeral times
and was often lighted by Hill the witns(,, az dif
sersnt places, which he particularly mentioned, nd
alo the different periods OF time. He faid the IaA
sme the candle was lighted, Cornwsll went into
Chieheffers fore and liz il. He slfo mentisned fe
veral other facts in al of which he was lupported bv
withegcs Of ths utmoa refpeaability. Mr.. Spragg
law the prfoner lghf the candle at Chieheners, ard
Juitice Csrrftlon faw him pafs with lighed candle
IN company with boy about the 6ze q Hill, and
whom he had no doubt was HilL The money was
siio found IN the cellar Of Cvrnwes father, and was
produced IN court. IL sxaely safwered the def.
sriPtiou Of that whish rad bsen nolsn from Mr..
Weeks.
Both Hill, the wsnsf', and the prifoner, on Being
.1snined fePars'ely By the msgiarsts, had eonfsed
lhsr guilt
Judge Fsruan and the other magi0ra,e,, before
y bore ts~ sriisnss AID Hill had been ezasaiaes