The Old Bailey Sessions opened on Thursday ; on which
day no -case of interest was tried. Yesterday, the trial of Smithers, accused of The Old Bailey Sessions opened on Thursday ; on which day no -case of interest was tried. Yesterday, the trial of Smithers, accused of
• setting fire to his house in Oxford Street, by which Miss Twamley and the little boy Fiango lost their lives, came on. Reilly, the man charged with having murdered his wife, was arraigned at the same time. Smithers was decently dressed in black. The first witness examined, a former servant of Smithers, stated that gunpowder had been bought for the purpose of blowing up the copper chimney when foul : she mentioned, also, buying shavings for the copper fire, and mentioned a bottle of turpentine which her master used for polishing furniture. Cadell, porter to Mr. Applegarth, who was examined at length on the inquest, repeated the statement he had made there : he added, that the • fire in the first instance was of a blue colour. The other witnesses for the prosecution were the serving girl, Smith ; Mr. Davis, a lodger ; and the other witnesses examined at the inquests on Miss Twamley and her mother and nephew. For the defence, Smithers read a long manuscript, in which he described the fire as wholly accidental, and himself as a severe sufferer from it in person, and without expecta- tion of benefit in fortune. He also called a witness, named Bayliss ; who swore that Smithers had stated his wish to dispose of his shop, if be could get a purchaser; that a Mrs. Cobb was mentioned ; and Smitbers had an appointment to meet her the Monday after the fire on the subject of the sale. Mrs. Cobb spoke also to the intended pur- chase ; but it appeared that she never saw Smithers, and knew nothing about the business for which she was in treaty. Bayliss was detained in Court, by order of the Judge, but afterwards discharged. Several witnesses spoke to the character of Smithers for honesty and humanity. The Jury, after an hour's deliberation, found him "guilty of the murder and arson ;" and be was sentenced to be banged on Monday morning, and his body to be anatomized.
Lavers, the Exeter man, charged with defrauding Government of a large sum, pretendedly due to a deceased officer whose brother he represented himself to be, was arraigned on Thursday, and pleaded "guilty."
At the Middlesex Sessions, on Monday, five men—Henry Flowers, Oatfield, Estcourt, Farman Flowers, and Smith—were tried for con- spiracy and fraud, committed against the St. Katharine's Dock Com- pany. The prisoners had contracted to carry away rubbish from the Docks, at a certain price per load, and had in the process of their en- gagement cheated the Company to a large amount. The two last named were convicted and sentenced, Flowers to a fine of 200/. and six months' imprisonment, and Smith to twelve months' imprisonment. The others were acquitted.
At the London Sessions, on Wednesday, there was not a single prisoner or case of assault for trial.
The Board of Excise, the other day, fined a man named Cres- well 50/. as the proprietor of a private still, found on the premises in Harrow Street, Marylebone.
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