2 - Criminal Trials HOUNSELL Elizabeth and another for stealing.

The Times Newspaper England. 14 Aug. 1829 (Page 3 Col. D)

Elizabeth Hounsell alias Wilmington, and Hannah Spry were charged with having set fire to a cellar, the property of Nicholas Bickford, of Ashcombe. The former prisoner is a young girl of 13, the latter is about 18. Both appeared deeply affected during the progress of the trial. Mr. Oxnam conducted the case for the prosecution, and called the following witnesses. The prosecutor stated that on the night of Sunday, the 19th of July, he was sitting at the fire about 11 o’clock with his sons. He ordered the two maids (the prisoners) to go to bed and said he should rake the fire himself. They went from the fireplace, and witness thought they were gone to bed. Prisoners were both parish apprentices in his service. On examining the door a prosecutor found that they were not fast. Finding this to be the case, he went to inquire whether the maids were in bed; as he was doing so, he heard the orchard gate fall, and saw the prisoners come round the corner. At the same time he observing a light, he called to his sons telling them the house was on fire. He told prisoners they had set the house on fire. Spry, the elder, said, “It was not I that did it.” Witness found the cellar on fire from one end to the other; the cellar was a detached house; it was entirely burned down. The fire having been got under, it was discovered that the prisoners had absconded; they were brought back by a son of the prosecutor, and one of his servants. Hounsell said they had not set the place on fire; witness told her they had and that he could show her in the morning the stick with which they did it. They made no reply.

Cross-examined by Mr. Praed.- The elder prisoner had lived with the witness between nine and ten years - the younger about 12 months. Prisoners were in the kitchen with witness within a few minutes of his hearing the gate fall. Thomas Bickford, a son of the last witness, stated that he went after the prisoners about three o’clock on the morning after the fire, and met them within a quarter of a mile of his father’s house, on their way back, accompanied by Hounsell’s (the younger prisoner’s) mother. They had bundles with them. Hounsell’s mother said to Spry, “you ought to have known better, and not have done it.” Prisoner Hounsell said to Spry, “You told me to do it.” This conversation occurred in witness’s father’s house, in the presence of witness’s mother and others.

Cross-examination. - Nothing had been said to induce prisoners to confess, or make any statement on the subject of the fire. Another son of the prosecutor (a lad of 13 or 14 years of age) deposed, that he saw the prisoners’ bundles made up in their room between 3 and 4 of the afternoon of the day of the fire. As already stated, the fire took place at 11 o’clock at night. William Bickford, a third son of the prosecutor, who was on a visit at his father’s house the night of the fire, said he saw the younger prisoner, when directed to go to bed, rake up the fire and place two sticks in the chimney; they were both lighted. Witness subsequently ?????? (after the alarm of the fire was given) that one of the sticks had been taken away. Prisoners left the room without being perceived by witness. The stick might have been taken from the kitchen without our noticing. The stick was never found. Prisoners accounted for running away by saying their master had threatened to kill them, upon which prosecutor replied he had only accused them of setting his house on fire.

Cross-examined .- It was the business of prisoners to rake up the fire. The prosecutor’s daughter corroborated the testimony of her brother Thomas as to the conversation that passed between Hounsell’s mother, Ms. Bickford and the two prisoners, on the subject of the fire; and added that the prisoner Hounsell saying to Spry, “You told me to do it.” The latter replied. “Didn’t I say you shouldn’t do it now?” Hounsell made no answer. Hounsell afterwards said she did it with a stick. This was the case for the prosecution. The prisoners, being called on for their defence, left it to their counsel, who called- Jane Hounsell, mother of the younger prisoner.- She said the two prisoners came to her house on the morning of the 20th of July. They appeared greatly frightened, and said, “our house is on fire, and master says we have done it, and swears he will kill us.” In consequence of this, witness, who had been in bed, dressed herself and went with the girls (at their desire) to Mr. Bickford’s.

The jury found both prisoners GUILTY, but strongly recommended them to mercy on account of their youth. Mr. Justice Burrough addressed the prisoners, and having commented on the enormity of their crime, told them it was one which would have justified the court in ordering them for execution, however he would attend to the recommendations offered on their behalf, and consider what punishment he should inflict on them.

(Note; There is no sentence mentioned in the papers, so what punishment these two young lasses received can only be a guess)

(Note; Elizabeth Hounsell alias Wilmington. Not too sure what is meant by this. Perhaps she was illegitimate.