Stafford, Saturday, Aug. ...
The Times, 1824-08-09T00:00:00

--- anusnize, rwtiuzn jpyer armu kvzfmlearn aige,wr. two lads of 18 or 20 years of age, were charged with arson under 9 Geo. I., in malicioasly burning on the 9th of November iast, a cotton- mill at Drayton Basset, the property of Sir Robert Peel, and occa.- pied by MIr. John Hlunter. rhe prisoners were then remanded bn account of the absence of P.achael Fletcher, sworn to be a material witness for the prosecution, without whose evidence no bill could be presented with advantuae to public justice. At these Assizesf Rw. chae] Fletcher having bcdn aecured and detained, a bill was present- ed (against Tyler only,wvhicb was found, and he was put on histria. MIr. CURVOODs tated the case as afterwarls detailed by tLe wit- nesses. AIr. John Hunter said-I live at Faseley, and occupy a mill at Draytos Bmasset in this county, for the manufacture of seling cot- ton. On SaturAay night, tle 8th of November, or early on Sunday, the 9th, there was a fire at the mill, and the whole of the interior was burned , except the steuam-engin. The fSrewas discovered iR the upper part of themill. I had beentherein the niorniogof Saturday. In this placc was lumber,: w,tc cotton, oil, and frames. Lamps had been uIsed on Saturday morninF, but they were put out about seven, and none used afterwards. In the room adjoining the upper part of the mill was manufaetured cotton, and a desk where copper money was sometimes kept. Exasmined by the JUDGy:.T hce vrwas no work in thfmill after seven o'dock on Saturday, in consequence of the excessof water, which prevented the wheela from working. The. p03dnetwao mnrmy employ. flaebact Pletchser, the yoUt2g girl abovec refkrrea to, who had been detined in custody oni suspicion of being concerned in the fire, was the swrn.Sltsai...IItow he rioner. On thte night when the Imiii was urn Peel', anti beworked aE Booc- hillFactry. bekwlefrshe actoy, aouthalf-past seven, I saw hm. H ciato myhous, an r~mani'dtillafter ten, whien hewetawy. t te nxt oor peplewers singing hymns, and I wen out wiceto ber thm. Th sec nd ie, I sawv again the prisoner a ithi a lantemn hid under hsace.I asked him~ where he wa.s going. He replied, "1 It does not matter to you." He went over the wooden bridge in thse way to Mr. Huniter's mnill, at about eleven o'clock. While I was Ins bed I hieard the cry of' " F;ie !" The ne-xt day', akfter dinner, I saw the prisonier on the timber facing the hou8e of Henry Jenkins where I lodge, lHe sent in for somne ap- plea, and gave me one, ati anothier appTentice girl another. He loolked frightened when I went to him ; uad I said, "1What a shock- ing thiing thie flre is l"' He made no answer. I repeated the samne words, and the man said, " Hold your tongue, or I shall he found out." WVe walkedl together to the'Navig(tidon.bridge ; then I again said, "What a shocking thing the fire wa-3," and wondered i4ow any one could get into the factory-. He answered, "Any one may eesily get in, for the keys lay, inside the gates." T atsked how he dtid'it ? iIc said he got Waste', Trubbed it with oil., andl set it on fire. I said, "' What~r a loss it will be to AMr. I-mu-iter." He said " It wiln be no loss to him: there is a fire-office will make it good again." f theii asid, what a spite it Was aginst Mlr. Huniter !" fie said, "1 It will be no spite, for the office will make i-t good." lie told me, Lf'ter he had set it on fire, he threw the lantern and candle into the mill-damti. As we were walking, hie said he Was v'ery sleepy, for be lied not beeni in bed all night, and muse go home. Hie then left me. In thec evenin4 of the samedavy,aa I ar. 11tryFlin- dlell were goine to the Navigation-bridge, we met Tyler on the road, antI went with himn to Tramtvorth. As we v,ere retuniing over the bride, e pt hiisad dwn te bnk.Thie first time he felt no- thin: heputit dwn aain andshoted "1All iq safe."' I turned to 6ok bu-hewoud nt lt m, ad said " It wvould do mie no Cros-eamnedby heprione.-t wa nSunday night that we entto atswoth.On onay igh yo gve me something to drink: but I Wms theni againist ;41y ondr.Two other girls- dirank with us. The girls wanted to go to Tamworth, anid they, Tyler, and I went together. The girls, Who were apprentices, said 1 we should be lockedI out, andl Teagreesi to stay with them. John and ThormasWildman and we three girls then went together into a hovel, anda remained there till live in thie imorning. WVe then all went to Faseley. I went to thte mill, antd afterwards to my lodgings. Mlr. Edmundl Peel turned mne away. The prisoner dlesired that the Witness might be asked whether she obtained a shawI under false lpretencem Mr. Justice LTTTr.EnAT.S.-1 canniot ask- that question, an she may be_prosecuted ifishe says she dlid. TPhe Prisoner.-Ity Lordl, she is forsworn shae says I gave an apple to an apprentice, and the girl was not an apprentice, she was out of' her time. (A laugh.) She says it was 11 o'clock when she saw mpe it was half-past niin e. The Witness.-Yes, butour clock was not riXht by thechsurch. The Prisoner.-There is no church in Faseley. The Witness--It is aechapel, myv Lord. ( A. laugh.)I The Prisoner.-lut ther-eis no clock to the chapel. The Prisoner.-Did3 you see me in Henry Jenkinis's houtse with a lantern ?-.No, I saw you withi it in the open air, wvhen they were Singing hymns in the next house. Was I 'not at Jenkins's when you came in 9-No, vou were not. Did you see me witlli a light ?- I saw it buttonied 'up thiroughI the top of' your jacket. Uould not the peoplein the house see it as well as youx ?-No ; for I[only was at the dloor. Wh"ere didI I have the light from ?-That I cannot tell. 'The witness re.examined.-4 went both Sunday andi Monday to Tamworth. It wa-s on Mfonday, night that he put his ha-nd down the bank, and shouited "1All is right." Examined by the JUiEn~.-.4 do not know justly wha' age I am. I may be between 17 and 18. 1 can't sary how long I have lived in Fuseley. I had lived betbore at Lichfield. I left Lichfieldl because t'tiere was no work. I have three brothers and sisters ; but I die not know where they are. I can't Bay how long I had been out of' work when I left Lieblfield. I zot work as sooni as I came to Faseley. I have known Tyler sinceWhitauntiae twelvemontis. I became ac- quainted with him on theMallnday I caine from Iuichfieldl. I have had ino quarrel with him ; I ant sutre I have not. I never was very intimate with him. He never toild moe any isiing but abont this fac- try. I didi not r-emain at Jenkins's after the mill was burn ed. I was turned away, antI on the Tues-day went homne to Licli field, and got work at sonie neighbouring mills. I becamne acqiuaintea 'With Ann Harrock at those mill,i, andl went to lodge with her. I re- member comin)ghometsomy lodgings eery ill onetday. I wasnotEOut of spirits. AMr. Justice LCTTLEDALE....Take care what you say. W;ere you not out of' spirits ? Witncssq.-I was out of&prts q a not very aweli, and I was ues.Ihad eonversaions wPirh Mary Fergusson about ihe mill, and told her what William told me. She taxed mie with having said I was one wvho helped to do it ; slhe said shie thoughit [wvas in the miess as well as the rest.She said I told her Ihel-wed to do it,and how I (Iid it, and every thing. I said I didi nor. ?lse mentioncd particulars which she saidi I had told her, so thie woman of the housie, whiile I was in bed with her: how I hart rubbedl the cotton with oil, and set it on flre, andI then threw thie lantern into the millptiol. WVilliamn Tv. ler had never taked to me about his, own affairs till now. WVe were intmnate friends at the timne, but not farther th-an speaking. I knew 11,r. Hlunter, but never worked with- him nor spoke to him. The factory' I worked at was not far from hiis. Whben I left Lich- field I weni to Stockc pre. I went soon after Mar', Fergussor toldi what I have saidl. Wrilliam Faulkner Was taken throughi the town, and they told me I had tsaid lie was one who) helped to tlo it. I de- clared I had never named him, and I never hadl. I was frig~htened, and set off that nigzht to Stockporr, where I renmained till I canie hither. I worked there at Air. Smitli's, but not at i'ulr. How- ard's, nor had I told m-y fatlier I -)-a to be found, thiere. I do not know that he directed any one to go there for me. Thomrasq Turner.-In November last I lived with .'l r. John Hun- ter, and used somnetimes to lock up the mill. I Iloced it up.abouti six on the niight of the fire. No light hiad been utsed in the upper part of the milt, but a candle was used in the lowver. It had been ptut out, and. all Was safe in the lower apartmentt when I locked the door. I htung the key-s on the inside wail of thie yard. An alaym of fire was given at one or two o'clock on Sunday inorninsg. I got up directly; no one was abourt the mill ; the gates and doors wrere unlocked, except the door of my' own apartment, of whichi I had the key. The fire broke out in thie uppermost chambers of the mill. There wa3 no tire where the cani- dIles had been used. John Evans.-I was foreman to Air. Hunter at the time of the fire. I workced in the uppermost room,where the fire broke out ; and thlere was no lighit in it af ter seven in the morninfg. Two men worked with a candle at, the water-wheei. 1 was tiie irst who saw the fire ; it came opt at thte roof. WVaste oil, old frames, and pieces of machi- nery were kept in the Yoomn. Rachael Fletcher, recalled by the JUDGot.-Before I asked the pri- soner how he sat fire to the mill, he had said, "1 Girls could not hold secrets." I said 1 could hold a secret as well as any one, and then he told me. Johni 'Vildmsin.-I know the prisoner. On the nighLt of the fire I saw bins in thes Mi11-lang, at Charles, Aldiridge's, about II o'clock. WVilliam Faulkner and tithers were there. We left Aldridge's about 12 o'clock, when I prsrted fr-om thess. They went aa.Na about half-past 12 1 qaw Faulkner and the prisoner again coming down the lane- In an hour after the mill was on fire. Cross-examined by the prisoner.-You and Faulkner asked me if I woul go eatswithyou;but decined a I was going to Tam.- wort bya cat. aulker as vry uchin liquor, and wanted to Examied b the.Iuno.-Mil-lae is not the regular road from Thoms Brret.- liv atBon-isil.On the night of' the fire Isaw Faulkner, the prisoner, and Brso,about 12 o'cloc:k; I left them when I went away. Cross..examhsed by the prisoner....I saw you at Aldridge's at 12 o'clock. The prisoner.-That is the truLth, my Lordl. MarY Briscoe.1I live at Bone-hill. On the night of the fire I went to Aldridge's to fetch my son. The prisoner was there ; I brought my son away at 12 o'clock, and lef't the prisoner. Henry NVVinter.-In November last I was a watchman at Tamn. w6rths. I was on the bridge on the night of the tire ; ut one o'clock I met'reyleir sa-d Fauilkner coming into the town with a smiall bundle in a handkerchief. After going my round, I returned to the sautec place, and saw a fire. Mirs. Sarah Smitht.-I live near Faseley. Between six and seven o'clock of tire mrnoing of the fire, I saw thie prisoner near my house. I asked hiim if he had, been to see the fire ? He said he had. I asked if it was burned down ? He said all was but the walls. He had come by it between one and two o'clock, and tall was then safe. He -was going from Faseley-, and towards Taimworth, where he lived. The Priwoner.-William Faulkner and three mnore were with me. The Witness.-I do not recollect seeing them. Mr. Hunter re-called..... was present at the exanfination of the prisoner before'Mr. Latne. His examination Was talten in writing; itwsroad over to him ; and I believe he signed it. No promi~se or threat was used towards him, but he was cautioned not to crilsinate himseif. The examination was then read, and was In substance as fol- IOWS :-- I will tell you the truths, let it make against me or for me. On the Saturday before irbe fire I went to Fasetey, about six O'clock, wyith William Faulkner and several others. Af'ter taking some beer with them, I went to the house where Rachael Fletcher lived, and stayed there till between nine and ten). I then went to the Grape anid Dragon, and mect the other lay again, and staYed there till half pastten. Faulkuieranhl thien went toAldridge'sas a friend's, where we called jusit for a pint of beer, and stayed till 12. F,aulkner then said he was sick from liquor, and would like a wvalk, and we wenit over the bridge to the Rock-gate, where we stopped anti balked to a man, and then went on to Tamworth. It was just one when I got on the bridge aod went homie. 1Mr. James Daffell.-l am a constable, and conveyed the prisoner to gaol. As we were at the Red Lion, at Stafford, I went oDut ; when Iaiebck, I heardI him say to the compa ny " There was some cotton waste in one corner of he roomi in the mill, and isouse paper in the other."1 Whet I came in,tshe conversation ceased. Ilafterwards asked where the waste was-,? He said" He did not know, except svbst the wenches toldI him." The Prisoner.-T}te people were asking me how it was dore ? I said, I did not knowv. [hey asked me tlen, if I had nQt ,)eard from others. Benjamin Uriffiths.-1 was employed in AznsAl to clear a well in I Mr. Hunter's mill-yard. Therel found a lntera and a bit of can- dle in it. The lanten with the candle vlwmj produced in court. This was the case for the tlbsecution. The prisoner, being ceUea on -for bis defene, put in a written paper, whici he requested mightbe read for biam, as he was unable to read. It was accordingly read by Mr. Bellamy. In this paper the prisoner solermnly declared his innocence, and gave a similar account ofhis proceedings upon tl;e night sfthe fire as he hart given before the mastrate He hoped the Court would not believe Fletcher, as she was a common prostitute, who bad been turned away for seducing two apprentices to lie all night in ehe fields, and had obtained a shawl on false pretenes, and absconded. Hfe submitted his case to the merciful consideration of the Judge and the Jury. Mr. Justice L 'IIrr.EDALE asked if the prisoner would call any witnesses. The prisoner said he had since-seen Faulkner, who was with hin on the night of the fire. H wvished to have him called. Alr. Justice LITT'.LE)ALE ordered Faudkner to be brought into ICourt. Willipns Faulkner was t;hen produced and sworn. In answer to the o .x'e-uestion, he suld, " I came into your company about ten Ou to Tamw6rtlr with me. You bade nightati own' 4qor,aud I went etraight home and saw no mnore of' ~OittIXtilramg.Whe,n von mnet me, yost said you bird ~se to fa 7 f ItlfBf s3aid," 1 It w&s all safe out3 and it wyo of (cross.einnetI.-4t we ten when he met ;ie, anath .e he bs not beardpf thc fire. Mlr. Justice L5TTLEDAtE summed apthe evidne-e The case mainly deperldedon thctestimony of Rachel Fletcher, and the main question for the Jury would be whether they would believe heT. fix some parts of ber story sbe was undoubtedly confirmed by elicum- stances, especihily as to the position of the keys and the lantern: but these were circumstances which she might have known if she had been herself concersed in the fire, tbough the prisoner were wPholly guiltless. Accotdsng to her own account, she bad been charged wiibgiving astatement involving herself; amd tihe might nowr seek to impute urimoe to the prisoner, in ortdeeto reliere herself &rom the charge. But of this the jury would consider. If they thought her unworthy of credit, the other eidence rwas clearlyinsflicient to wrarrant a conrictson. The jury 4eliberated for ten minutes, and then returneda verdict of Aot guilty. 7;STAFFORD, SArURBAY, AuG. 7.