Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1881-08-26 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

SETTING FIRE TO A HOUSE.--NARROW ESCAPE  OF CHILDREN.  On Saturday, at the County Police-court, before J. M. P. Montague, Esq.—James Higgins, a married man, of Hook, was charged in custody with having maliciously and feloniously set fire to a certain feather Led and bedding, the property of Charlotte Cornick, of Hook, with intent thereby 0 burn the house, thereby feloniously injuring the said Charlotte Cornick.— The prisoner, who is about fifty years of age, appeared to suffer from aberration of intellect, and behaved very strangely during the hearing of the case. His application for a seat was granted him, and he remained sitting throughout the hearing. Higgins received a sunstroke about 12 months ago, and the effect probably was weakening of his intellect.—Charlotte Cornick deposed: I live at Hook, in this county. The prisoner Higgins and Caroline, his wife, lodge with me, and have done so for about four 3 ears. Prisoner has been very ill for a twelvemonth. Yesterday, the 19.1 inst., I heard prisoner call his wife upstairs to him, and she (witness) went up also. Prisoner drove us downstairs and threatened to murder us. We bJth w, nt out, and prisoner sOod at the door b it afterwards went upstairs and dashed in the windows. I sent for the police, an I ca led George Parr is, a neighbour. I saw smile coming out of prisoner's bedroom window, the same wind,,w he had broken. I heard prisoner say the day before be would BA it alight. I went for assistance, and prisoner was removed from the house. I went upstairs and saw George P.irris there. The rooms upstairs were full of smoke, a quilt, two sheets. feather bed, bolster, and two pillows were burning, There were two young children in bed in another room upstairs. Only the prisoner and the two children wcre ui atairs.—George Parris s wore : I am a smith and live at Hook. I went to prostcutrix's house yesterday, and prisoner came down partly dreined. He said " There is nothing the matter with me, the,se -- have robbed me of my marriage lime, and I will kill the --." I smelt fire and asked him what it was. He said " It's no fire that I am aware of." He Caine down again, and I said " There's F ornothing burning." I went up and saw two little children in bed in one re om. it another room I found fire in the middle of the bed. About a yard wide of the bed the bedding was burning. Tne pr.isoner was then downstairs, I took the children downstairs—water was thrown on the fire; there was so much smoke that I was almost stifled, an I could hardly fin I my way out. The neighbours at last pat the fire out. The pi iaunsr was in the kitchen all this time. He made no attempt to put the tire out. Prisoner was removed by the polic..—Ellen Clothier, deposed : " I live at Hook, and am the wife of Torn Clothier, labourer. I went to Charlotte Cornick's yesterday with others, I saw her driven out of the house, L saw smoke coming from the two upstair  windows. I hoard prisoner say " I have put a light to the o!cl -- bed." He said this after his wife had Poetised him of burning her box of clothes."—P.O. Sansom, of Hook, deposed : "I yesterday apprehended prisoner on the charge of setting tire to Charlotte °omit:lt's hour,e. He said," Its the two -- have done it themselves to kill me."—ln answer to the charge, prisoner said " I never set tire 0 'no' house. My mother-in-law or my wife did it. They got up and left me uslesp—the smoke in the house woke me. I g t up and put on my trowsers. They stole my certificates of baptism and marriage and the children's (five in all). I promised the certificates to my two children, a mail and 11 boy. Percy linterne saw my tnother-in-law flourishing a knife about me."—The Bauch committed the prisoLer for trial at the next Assizes, aud he was removed in custody.