Police.
The Times, 1824-11-20T00:00:00

MANSIONx-OouSE.-THE SPANISH REFUGEES.-In conse- quence of the report of' the case of Captain Gomez Venegas and his brother officer in the newspipers, a letter was received on Tuea. tlay by Mr. Elobler, from Jon.;:M ills, Esq., of Brighton, enclosing 3L for the relief of the unfortq*hate gentlemen. The writer says- " I do not doubt that my countrymen will stretch forth their hands to relieve thote who, relying on oar genend character, have thrown themselves upon us for protection. As Englishmen, as men; it would be a disgrace to oar nature, were we to suffer men so circumstanced to perish in our streets. I antieipate, therefore, that some subscrip- tion will be madc for their relief; but as newspaper reports cannot always be relied on, you will excuse myrequesting you to apply the annexe(d benefit to the objects, if the report of threir necessities be correct." '1r. Ilobler very willingly undertook the commTi,'ion, and went to see the two officers. He-found them in a miserable garret, but our notice of their condition had already been extensively circu- lated, and touched mansy a heart with pity. Several of the ornaments of human nature, with which this city abounds,had visited them and showered tiheir bountyupon them. The feelings of the officers wtrein- describably powerful: both of them shed tears,and declared that they had been saved by the noble-minded English t'rom perishing. Seve. ral letters have been received at the Mansion-house enclosing money for the service of the refugees. One, enclosing 21., is signed " A Alember (I hope not an unworthy one) of the Church of England. and a friend of civil and religious liberty." Another letter, enclosing a subscription, was received from " A Lady." "Mr. W Vood" sent 21. "A. B." sent 61.; "A Gentleman whose greatest expenses are incurred by the aisfortunes of his fellow creatures, but who always desires hia name to be kept secret," sent 31., and the journeymen of sMir. Ross, the hair-dresser, begged that their mite of fCm. might be accepted in aid of the unfortunate. Captain Veaegas waited upon the LoRD MAIYot, and received the several contributions, amounting to 151. 10s. He expreq'ed his gratitude in the warmest manner tor thie humanity with which his Lordslhin had sasnctioned the appeal to the generous Englisli public. 'The 1 OBD MAYOR said he was much gratified that the case had excited theattention of the benevolent, but he larnented that this exercise of humanity could only yield temporary aid to the unfortu- nate officers, who must, if some plan of a permanentnature were not adopted, be in a shorttime plunged into as deep wretchedness as that from which they bad just been relieved. This was, he had good reason to believe, not a solitary, case; and there was reason to apprehedfdtbat thete vere many more refugeest pining in want, and perhaps in despair. To be informed of this fact eatt, he knetw all that wRS zecessary to the people of every rank in l,ondon, to induce them to unite in establishing what it was evident was so extremely ,de.sirable.' IThe kind attention or the L,ORD MAron to the case of the re. fagees'bas called forth the most eloquent pralses of the foreigners who are po numerous in London. It induiced one to come forward, bot Gilly to miake bis own tnisfortLunesknown, and to isnplore relief, butt to prefer his tribute of gratitude ins a poetic effusiaon-for he has actfil in thede4ble capaclt~ of bard and'warrior, anid. nowintendli, if he ojieeta Wi'h proper encouragement, to devbte himscltentirely to thrseitsus',ntilhls native countryalsali haverateain ap6litical andl-of course a mo;al regeneration. fllsaane-i~ AMalaspina :he i a well. looking mnass abdat30 years of age.; and wlien his greeni spectacles were removed, wildness or inspiration, whichever the critics 1Ike, was vinible in bhis eye. -U'fortusratey, ihis dhegs corresponded with th ugrntiona of a poet's independenre: It wans tlsread bsirc: and Intate lie came before the Lard MVayor upon bel6g asked by, the M1arshal, whD was strisek withi hislaingular appearance, what lie wanted. With the most profittund respect, hepresented a written state- ment ofhis case. itappeared from his ertificateof serice;that healsit Waia refuagee from Spain. He had, ho gatd,livcdasa poStt in ttly; but he hail once been an officer in Napoleon's service. Thtere was8 a great nturrber of Napoleon'st officers who on the last return of 'the Bourbons were expatriated, and who oni the brealdng out of the Neapolitan revolution, joined the sevolutionavy parLy. Malaspina wan anionget the nurmber. When thnt revolution wag checked by the Austrians, he fled wi th his comipanions and joined the Spanish patriots. In. Spain they formed a band, unider Aiona, eMledl " the sacred band," whichi consisted of nearly 1,000 mnen, all of whom were officers. He pr4duced a paper, gcrtifying that he was one Of thiat determnined band. When the eftorrLi of patriotic Spain were cruished by the Bouirbons, he was. compelled to fly wvith the other reflugees, ind was not only seicludted in the proscrilptio of the Spaniards, but proscribed arid madle an outtlaw from Italy Hecm here, relying on thie national reputation of Englanad, and hrerg'cacx rOsitv to those who were fallen, even though they haud fouaght against her. - He had already (as we undierstood tiim) experienced th-at ge- nerosity ; but thle source wvas now stopped, and he wvas constrained to make his present application. He at the sanme time beged to presnt o te Lod Myora stnzaor wo, as a tribute of his esteLem The Loa MAYOR,althoug he fet muc for the condlition of the oorpoe, culdnotrefainfro laghing upon reading the de- AC.MEaTr~INeaePEAuLR eLORtD OAsSRAT, rvCORO- NATO AIER DI LOWDitA, IL StteS DI NtOVEMBRaE, 18124." ";sONETTO ESTEatPORANEO. Sell' ali del pensier lo spirito mio " Oltre varcandto la re-ion del tuono, "FPervido ardi, posar vicino al Trrono, "Ova sie deo Ntumi il pa4re e-Dio. " Cola di Gloria at (*enio oifrir vid' lo " Un moinumtento, d'adlaman te in dono, "U' di Garret mio scolpite sono L'opre vincitriri dell oblio' , ::Stuipii il Toninte, evotilcloate, "Dell' Ormne del. gran Mler ogni senticro: "'Al' Genioa alato tdjase 0iove allora D Ii liondra io caol i quest 'Uom l'iaspero "Poilcie 1'egntale non ai e visto ancora: "In segno dlella piuintprondIs "Stima srl oseequio.-Il Poeta Mfalaspina." WVe havep seen some Mayors whio would hiave been delightted withi this panegyric, as coinciding with) their 16ng-established opinions of their own merits ; sad others whose vanity would be offended at the publication of any thing of a ludicrous nature associated withi their duties,frotn the fearthat the dignity of the offie woald suflbr. WVe have no apprehension that his prasent Lordship is touchied with either of these wealeneasses, and therefore we insert, without hesitation, the translation of the poem : "'O THE INCOMPARtABLE MERIT OF L075r, GARRAT,CteOWNED MAYORC OF LONDON, Tt THlE SEONTH oF -ormOEsBERt, 1824. " ANXT ExORTErsoArOUS SOreN ET. " nth igs of thlought my fervid spirit, soaring beylond the regonsof huner,presumesl to alight near ithethrone where sits the Fathr ad te Rlerof the Godls. "There I beheld the Genius of Glory ofber as a gift an adamnan- tine mionumnent, on which were cngraved the immortal deeds of my Garrat ! "T'he Thunderer was surprisecl, and raised hiis awvful brow. I saw the mnighty star which gilds every path of the ocean streamn blaze forth. of,To the winged 6Genius Jove tlen said, I give the sovereignty ofLondon to this ma1n, for hiis equal hias never yet been seen.' "In testimony of the meet proifound e steem and respect, "TUE POET MIALASPINA." His Lordship gave thea poor poet a sovereign, andt recommend(ed him to the comrmittee formetl for the purpose of raising a stehscrip-. tion fowr the Italian refugees. His Lordship said he was infornmed thlat those gentlemen contenmplated an appeal to the public to raise a subscription for the purpose of sendingr the wliole ot' the refugees te South Am-erica, where there is :zniple rield for thje application of their talents and energies. The poet, whio drawsg "emnpyieal sir" in a garret at No. 4, H anover-court, Lelecester-fields, bos'ed low, andl retired full of gratitudle. The last of ihe funds of the Italian Committee will be d1ftribut- ed to day amongst the refugees (about 120 in number). They have been obliged each of them to subsist on seven shillings per w,eek, that sum being the utmost that could be given to colonelsi, captains advocates, profetssors, and magistrates. There are .50 Spanish re- fugees who have never receivedl any relief from- Governmnent. fiOW-STitET'._Q,n Thursday evening Johzn Clarke, an oilman, late atf No. 21, Mlount-pleastant, Coldbath-1tields, was brought beibre Sir RictitAUD BiRtN( by Upton, one of thie officers, on ' warrant, chiarged with havinig wilfully set fire to his dwelling-house, with in- tent to def'raud the ('ounty Fire-oifiice. The pirisoner is a miiddle. sized man, apparently abon,t35 ye-tarsof age. His demeanour while at the barf was perfectly easy, and free from- any thiing like emnbar- rassment or agitation. Air. Hlarmer attended as solicitor for the Prosecution, and Si1r. Barber Beaumont the managng director ot the Fire-office. anti other gentlemen o? that establishment, were present. The, prisoner wag withouIt professional assistance. Thomas lWrbstet was the first wvitness sworn. le raidl that he is, a col-dale, ad ad o th costalesof St. AndreW's, Holoborni, seringin is wn igh. Ili,houe i No I, Mount-pleasant, nearily op~s~ th houe ltelyocculed y te prisoner. About8,j'ctock o'n aMunayeenig...heblisetl ix eekago,but could not fixthe timec -he was in Itis shop, wheayonmn to was a,t e ledoor calleti out Clake' houe i onfire" Wtnes immiiediatcly ran over, %ad fudthe prisoner's shop-door open, and the bac part of the s,hop in one"sold lme. Ilie saw no persion there. Fnig thathefr raged so tremendously that he could do no good in endsuvouing to extinguish it, lte alarmed the people at the next house. A rmob sooni collected, and tlte engzines arrived. Tlse prisoner's htouse was burat to tlhe ground, but tlhe adjoining ones were not injured. He did not see the prisoner at all titat nizght. W itnes' saidt about tihe oneihbourhood that lie did not at all like the appearance o1f things - andkhe heard that the pris-oner, in consequcene, had said he would bring an action against him for slander. About a fortnight after the fire, witness met the prisoner for the first timne, and Isaid u1So, Clarke, I understand you mean to sweat me." Hie replied that he thought it very ill-natured of the witness to make remarks respecting his character, for hie always considered that they were oti good terms. 'The witness said lite had always thouglit him an honest, industrious tradesman, but hie certainly did not like the appearances at the fire. " flow was it," said the' wit. ness, "1that y05 did not atop to get your lodgers out, or at least to endeavour to do so?" The prisoner, in eply, sa-id that a itr or bar- rel of something had burst its Iiig shbop, and that he was sto alarmed and hurt by the explosion, that hie wvas tak-en out senseless by two gentlemen (one of whom lie named,) anid carrie-d across to the Cheshire Cheese public-house. Hlere the conversation ended, andi they went to apublic-isouse ad drank ale togethe,r. In answer to a question from Sir R. BIRSIr, MV-r. Webster said that nothing to his knowledge had ever occurred to create any thingz likte ill blood or enmity betweca hisb anid the prisoner. They hiad always lived in amity w~ith eaclt other. Aiary Anne, tite wife of Thiorma Patterson, of No. 15, M'ouno pleasant, sitated, that she lived directly opposite to the hlsoue occupied by the prisoner. On the evening oii'tlonday, the Ilthi of October, at. teni minuttes past eight o'clock, she was at thie winidowv of the lirst floor, when her attention wasg drawn to the prisoner's house by a sudiden blaze butrsting out in the hack part of the shop. The shop. door was open. She in as moment saw the ptisoner run out of thie shop, and isnmediate-ly run back again, and reach across tite counter. Shie drew away fromii the window at that moment, and saLw noc more of the prisoner. She slid not see hini come out of tite shop again. She afterwiardsi saw two men who were passing run in and attem'pt to put out else flam-es, btst, failing in tChat, they rolled some barrels from the door, and removed sonme mops and brootas whihel werebhanging there. She watched the fire until the hous;ewas level- led ith he gound andshe id n t sethe prisoner aniosig tlsose Sopha Brt, vey repecablelooing womnan, witli an inifant in er rms deose tht ste esiesat No. 4, Dorrington-street, Colbat4letls an isthewif ofan get to a Birminsgltam-ware. manufcture. On ite nght o the ire Ie was standling outside the Chesaire Cheesie public-house, where sihe weas going for somie beer, wlisen she saw the prisoner, whoseo house was opposite, come to the shop-doer, and look first up) and thken dlown thi' street. Hec then went back into the parlour, the door of which- wvas in thje centre of he ackparitin o tle sop,andthe-re were shelves on eachi sideextrdingroun theshop Shesawall att once a very great blaze of lght whch an iththerapdit oflighitning Touind the shelves on ech sde, nd up tte cns"which were saraiding there. Theligt rn, s i apeaed o wtnes,as if a train of gunpowdier hadbee lid n te hele.s Th flmewas yellow, and in sosne placesi a little blue. Then there was all at once a great explosion, and the fire "1ran" into the sthop wvhere the prisonier made his paint. The prisoner, when the fire burst out, was standing juLst inside usie parlour door. (Here the witness paused.) Alir,.Harmner.-EBegood enoagh'to describe in vIsa. tposition lie was when the fire burst forth. Mirs.RTurt.-1 dots't like to say. I had ratherlMr. Clarke tell you that himself, for he knows. I don't wish toinjure-him. MVr. M-armer.-No, that cannot be. A tnaii in ttise situation of the prisioner cannot he asked questions. You are here to speak the truth upon a very solemn occEision: and I am sure you will do so. Alrs. Burt sttll liesttated. Sir R. BiaNiE.-Do not be alarmied, Madero. You are sworn to speak the truthi. and the whole truth, and public justice requires that you ishould tell'all yo(u know witliout favour or affection one wuy or the other. God forbid thiat you should say miore than is true to the Injury of a fellow-creature; but it is impetalive Upon yolt to re- be wvhat they may. MIXrs. Burt then .sid-" I saw Mllr. Clarke at the parlos-r-door in a stooping possession, with something alight in his hand, (I cannot say whether it was brown paper merely, or a torch,) which he raised first to one side of the door towards tbh shelves, and then the other, and the light wlhich I htave desc.ibed foll2wed instantly at each place. The prisoner here lifted his eyes and hands, and smiled. Sir RIt. Brnx?s.-Prisoner, I really cannot help remarking, that it would be better in you to refrain from laughing; for surely this is no laughing matter. It is not decorous, nor do I think it tells at all in your-favour. Prisoner.-I beg pardon, Sir; I will net repeat it. Mrs. Burt continued. She called out " Fire I-Clarlte has set his house on fire!" and tlhens ran lionse to caU the men who were at work in the tactory, to assist in putting out the fre. She saw dMr. Webster 'kuocking at the next door as she went away. She knew the prisener well, hiaving occasionally dealt at his shop. She liadl never the slightest quarrel with himn. Sie told the particulars of wehat she had seen to her husbaud, who de- sired her to tell no one else, for else would only get into treuble about It. She never had told any one else except 14lr. Barber Beaumont, who canse to her on Wednesday upon the subject. She had said to some who liad asked her about it, that Clarke set his house on fire ; but she hladt never told any of the particulars,cxcept as before stated. In answer to questiona from the prisoner, dIue described in what manner he waa dressed on the-night in question, and saitd that. she did not see him reaching up as if to move things away, tier did she see adesk tinder his arm when he ran out. The priso-er was pro. ecedinv to ptVt etiser questWong, sAsen Sir R1. M!Rs sE said, " I utI derstand you have ne legal arivLser here; is it se?" Prisoner.-It is, Sir: I was taken quite unprepared, or I sboula have becii provi4ed in that respect. Sir RzcArswt BMit-r.-Then would it out be better that yoc should reserve any questions, or whatever you may have to say *ihs answer to the charge, until you have the lwnefit of 1egal advice ? Your situatiob serens co me a perilous-one, andIl should reunc3 nli you not to say more at present. The Pris .ner (bowing.)-I thanK onu, Sir. Mr. HAErmer said, that he hadntiany other -witnesses to ce.' bi7te ac the prisoner apj-carmd to have *oanztaken by surprise, he shosiut propose to stop for the prewent. and by afiuture-day lte prisonev would be better prePared to me4 eils charge. Sir RICuMnt BrlTnIsE -sid, heo ust have pofof the insuraacz before he could commit, that ieiisg the essence of t7se charge. IMtr. Charles Acland, clerk to thie CrIunty Fire.offlce, prored that the prisoner waus iosa.-ed io that oflice- after thle filowing ratc:- stock, 600L: house, 250L. and firrni urs apparel, &c., 501.; in al1, 3DOI. lev io us to last itdsu mmer, hs stock was Insured for M0Il. At that57qs;arrerhedoubled the insurunce upon his stock-, md fir the first tirr,c insured the hou se. He icad since the fire sent in his clinni for the fill amount of 9001., and stated that his lss exceeded 'hat sumr. rhe prisoner was comTnittcd for furtherexamination. He plead- ed very earnestly to be admitted -to b:il, observing that some of t!e first tradesmen in the city of Londozi would betcame security for bins to any amoant; but he Was told that svc 3 thling was quite impos- zible. POLICE.