The Sun. — 1844-06-28 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) CLERKEN WELL.  CHARGE OF ARSON.—Mr. John Cape!, formerl any extensive woollen merchant in Basinghall-street, City, was placed in the felons' dock, charged with feloniously setting fire to a bed in the house of Mr. William O'Brien, a tradesman residing at 47, Charlotte-street, Islington, where the prisoner lodged. Tile prisoner was singularly attired and wore:an eye-glass; he seemed to regard the proceedings with the greatest indifference, and laughed vacantly once or twice during the investigation. Mr. O'Brien deposed, that a Tew days ago, the prisoner came to lodge with him, and, gate a most respectable reference: he had furnished_lodgings. The morning after he arrived, the prisoner tote at 3 o'clock and began to walk about the house in a `fiery strange manner, and had since continued to do so. '-tiometimes lie arose in the middle of the night and commenced his perambulations. His bed-room was filled with the most miscellaneous and extraordinary description of commodities. There was every description of perfume there that could be named, both animal and vegetable, and several costly plants, remarkable fur the delicacy of their odour. In one corner of the apartment was a heap of maccaroni in a state of decomposition; in another a quantity of corn and sugar. His general employment during the day was chopping wood, and there was a pile of lucifer matchboxes in his room. On the previous evening, about seven o'clock, without having received any provocation whatever, he threatened the life of Mrs. O'Brien, whom he met on the stairs, told her die would kill witness, and presenting a dagger, swore he would stab aay one that attempted to come into his room ; he threatenel to stab Mr. • Kewett, a gentleman who happened to be in the house. (The dagger was produced. The scabbard of it was curiously embroidered, and it smelt strongly of musk.) About halfpast nine witness and his family were alarmed by cries of " fire!" and soon after the flames and smoke burst through the window of the prisoner's apartment. The two parish and three other fire-engines soon arrived. and an immense crowd had assembled, numbers of whom rushed into the house, and with their assistance the fire was speedily extinguished. The curtains and a portion of the bedding were entirely consumed. Mr. GREENWOOD inquired what proof there was that it was done by the prisoner? Inspector Thatcher said, from the appearance of the room after the fire, it seemed that the lighted candle had been placed under the bed, for it was the canvas underneath the bed which was first ignited. He believed the prisoner was a person of unsound mind. He had acted in the same manner in .a house in which he previously lodged, in Edward-terrace, where he made several ineffectual attempts to burn the premises. The prisoner's brother, an ironmonger, residing in Islington, deposed that lie believed the prisoner was labouring under a delusion of mind. His wife died about a year and a half ago, since which time the deceased had suffered from diseased limbs. He was under the care of Holloway, the pill doctor, and witness had been informed that the disease in his legs, which was now very serious, might be the cause of the derangement of his intellects. The prisoner spent an immensity of money in purchasing perfumery. Dr. Taylor, the police-surgeon, had examined the prisoner, but could net yet positively state that he was of unsound mind.  The prisoner made a very ingenious defence, and denied the charge. He said the fire was accidental; but when asked about the threats and the dagger, suddenly became most violent and excited in his manner, and applied the harshest language towards Mr. O'Brien without the slightest apparent reason.—He was remanded.  William— Baxter,.it labourer, residing at 3, Brook-row, Clerkenwell, was charged with threatening to murder his wife.  The prisoner escaped from the Clerkenwell Workhouse, in which he had been confined as a lunatic pauper fnr some time, and on the previous morning seized his wife by the hair with one hand, and brandishing a knife in the other, swore he would cut her throat. She was however rescued from her perilous position, and he was arrested.  Evidence was produced to show that the prisoner was a person of unsound mind.—Remanded.