The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1881-08-23 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

SETTING FIRE TO A HOUSE.-NARROW ESCAPE OF CHILDREN.  On Saturday, at the County Police-court, before J. U. P. Montague, gm:l.—James Higgins, & married man, of Hook, was charged in custody with having maliciously and feloniously set fire to a certain feather bell and bedding, the property of Charlotte Cornick, of Hook with intent thereby to 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 daring 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 int :ilea. —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 years. Prisoner hsa been very ill for • twalvemontb. Yesterday, the 191 inst., I heard prisoner call his wife upstairs to him, and she (witness) went ap also. Prisoner drove us downstairs and threatened to murder us. We both went out, and prisoner stood at the door., bat afterwards went upstairs and dashed in the windows. I sent for the police, and called George Parris, • neighbour. I saw smoke coming ott of prisoner's bedroom window, the same window hi had broken. I heard prisoner may the day before be would set it alight. I went for A:mist:mice, and prisoner was removed from the house. I went upstairs and saw George Parris there. The moms upstairs were full of smoke, a quilt, two sheets. feather bed bolster, and two pillory' were burning, There were two young children in bed in another room upstairs. Only the prisoner and the two children were upstairs.--George Parris swore: I am • smith and live at Hook. I went to prosecutrix's house yesterday, and primmer came down partly dreariol. He said " There Is nothing the matter with me, those-- have robbed me of my marriage lines, and I will kill the —." I smelt fire and aaked him what it was. He saq "It'. no fire that lam aware of." He came down again, and I said "There'. something burning." I went up and saw two little children in bed in one room. In another room I found fire in the middle of the bed. About • yard wide of the bed the bedding was burning. The prisoner was then downstairs, I took the children flcernstairs—water was thrown on the fire; there was so much smoke that I way almost stifled, and could hardly fin imy way out. The neighbours at last pat the fire out. The prisoner was in the kitchen all this time. He made no attempt to put the fire out. Prisoner was removed by the police.—Ellen Clothier, deposed : " I live at Hook, and am the wife of Tom Clothier, labourer. I went to Charlotte Cornick's yesterday with others, I maw her driven out of the house. 1 saw smoke coming from the two upstair window.. I heard prisoner say" I have put • light to the old -- bed." He said this after his wife had accused him of burning her box of clothes."—P.C. fdansam, of Hook, deposed :" I yesterday apprehended prisoner on the charge of setting fire to Charlotte Cornick's house. He said," Its the two have done it themselves to kill me."—ln answer to the charge, prisoner said "I never Nut fire to 'no' house. My mother-in-law or my wife did it. They got up and left me asleep—the smoke in the house woke me. I got up and put on my trimmers. They stole mr certificates of baptism and marriage and the children. (five in all). I promised the certificates to my two ctildren, a maid and a boy. Percy Mintarne saw my mother-in-law flourishing a knife about me."—The Bunch committed the prisoner for trial at the next A-shes, and he was removed in custody.