The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-07-01

ARsoN.-Lucy, slave belonging 20 WiihahA Sus
ton, was, ON yesterday brought before the Mayor
on the charge of setting fire to the dwelling house
of Mr.. james Il. Psay, and not Festus Malone ., a
stated in yesterday paper located on Cnufen hii'
ON the evening of the Gath instant Omcer Tyler
was informed of the affair by Mr. Jas. Leweien ana
arrested the girl on Tuesday upon warrant issued
by Justice Evans. The examination was opened
with the testimony of Mr James H. Peay.
MrP deposed o. follows: On the night OF the
oath IF June, was at work until IL o'clock, in
shop attached to the kitchen of my house. went
in at that time to 60 to bed. Itook candle in my
hand and went into the dining roou,-the lower
room is a wing of the house. found Lucy up
She was not in the habit of staying up 90 late Ibid
not think anything of it however believing that she
might have been attending to her household duties
The candle had nearly burnt out and told her she
had better get through with her work quick or the
candle would 60 out before she could retire. Ithen
went up stairs to bed My children sleep In the up
per room of this wing. There is lock room IN the
back porch, built between the main body OF the
house and the wing went in there as went up
stairs, and expected Lucy would lock it up before
she went to bed. She carried the keys OF the house
ter came to me and said that she smelt lghtwood
smoke, and that her room was full OF it. ran
down stairs As l went out of the dining room,
heard the swapping of fire, and discovered tnas II
proceeded from The lock room. Immediately got
the key, unlocked the door and found the interior
in a blaze. Lucy had followed me down stairs, ana
with her aid put out the fire. Some neignoors
also came in and assisted. found that some pre-
parations had been made to kindle the fire by the
position of the nalf burnt wood and embers. Some
shauings and chips had been placed behind q -four
barrel and some las that HAD prepared for rfndoU
bars soere laying across the shauings These laths
were not laying there before tho fire. They Ger.
tainly were placed there. The lock room was not
lathed or plastered. 1t was open pine wood work,
and must have caught very quick.
Cross-e1Gmined There was no one down stairs
when returned but the girl All the doors In the
house were locked up except those OF the dining
room aud lock. room when retired. The win
dows also were all secured. My daughter told me
the morning after the fire, that sbout OF months
before, Lucy showed her one morning large
burnt place in the lock-room, and said that some
one must have been trying to fire the house during
the night. l whipped Lucy some two or three
months since and she ran away to her master and
told him of it. He said she deserved another one.
Since that time her conduct has improved. AS
have stated she slept in tie room with my children,
and when asked by my daughter at the time of the
breaking out of the fire if she sm cit the smoke che
replied no. Lucy then lying in bed The
shavings might have caught fire from the dropping
of the snuff of the candle. When / went down
stairs found the candestick on the dinin room
table, empty Lncy produced short piece OF CHI
die which she said was the same that left in the
stand when retired, but knew it was not. There
was time for her from the time of the lighting of
the fire TO have gone up stairs AID laid the bed
There was no inlet to the house from the dining
room. When went down stairs l found all the
outer doors and windows closely fastened.
Mr.. Peay's brother testified to examining the
embers of the fire after it was qsenched, and was
confident that the fire had been prepared.
Upon this testimony the Mayor committed Lucy
to Jail to await trial before the Hustiags Court
the 10Th day of July.
The circumstantial evidence in this case is
tainly very strong against Lucy. These fendish
acts of revenge for just punishment are becoming
very frequent on the part of slaves towards their
master-and the utmost punishment prescribed by
law should be their reward Itis necessary to our
own preservation that the perpetrators of such
crimes should be made examples of.