Brewers Arms, Culverhay, Wotton-Under-Edge

 

Adonijah Edward Jordan, aged 29, was charged with having, at Wotton-Under edge, on the night of the 7th July, maliciously set fire to the dwelling-house of his mother, Mary Jordan, she being in the house at the time.

 

Mr. Skinner prosecuted, and Mr. Scotland defended the prisoner.

 

Mr. Skinner stated the case:—The mother of the prisoner, 79 years of age, lived separate from her husband, who resided near. The prisoner, who had resided with his mother, had for about three months been in the Bath Hospital, for a complaint under which was labouring. His mother was extremely poor, and having but one bed, shared it with her son, who the learned counsel believed was at that time paying his addresses to a young woman. By some means she heard of the malady under which he was labouring, and this circumstance greatly exasperated the prisoner against his mother. On Sunday night, the 6th of July, he so alarmed his mother by his upbraiding’s, &c. that she took refuge in the next-door neighbour’s house, in her night clothes. She then returned with her neighbour, dressed herself, and went to a relation’s house in the neighbourhood. It appeared there was some claim about a bed, and after his mother had left, the prisoner went to his father’s and got him to come and assist him to carry it off. The next day, the neighbours being indignant at the old woman being deprived of her bed, entered the father’s house when he was out, and restored the bed to its original place. During that day, the prisoner spent a great deal of time in drinking at various beer shops, and when informed that the bed had been restored to his mother, expressed himself in a very violent and savage manner. That night he was observed near the house, and shortly afterwards an alarm of fire was given; and but for the fortunate circumstance of a neighbour rushing in and rescuing the old woman from the flames that were surrounding her, she must have met her death in a short time, for that cottage and the one adjoining were reduced to ashes. The prisoner slept with his father on the Sunday night, but not on the Monday night. He was afterwards seen in a field with his father, and was taken into custody after some resistance, by a policeman in plain clothes. The learned counsel then called the following witnesses:—

 

Mary Jordan, the mother of the prisoner, an infirm old woman, deposed to being 79 years of age. She and her husband had not lived together for the last twelve years. Her husband had lived at no great distance from her cottage, which she rented from Earl Fitzhardinge, at 8d a week. When the prisoner came from the hospital, she had only one bed in the house. He continued to sleep with her until the 6th of July, on which day he had been drinking, but knew what he was about. He quarrelled with her for having told his sweetheart what was the matter with him. He claimed the bed on which they slept and said his father had given it him when he was a little boy. She went into Mrs. Munday’s, a neighbour, who came back with her and asked the prisoner why he was so cross with his mother. Witness left and went to her sister-in-law. The next evening, she returned to her home, her bed having been restored, and went to bed. She was aroused by being carried out of the house, which was in flames. On the following Thursday, the prisoner was taken before the magistrates.

 

Cross-examined by Mr. Scotland: The prisoner went into the hospital on the 20th March, and returned on the 9th of June. Before that he had been a very good boy. He was very vexed with me for having told people about his complaint. He was very much liked.

 

Thomas Munday deposed to living in the adjoining house to Mrs. Jordan. the night before the fire (Sunday) 6he complained to him about the prisoner. On the same Sunday night, he saw the prisoner and his father take the bed from the cottage. Witness remonstrated, but without effect; he heard the old man say, “It’s a pity the old ……ain’t dead.” Prisoner said, “It is a pity she is not dead ; and if she don’t die, I’ll kill her.” The old woman’s cottage was covered with thatch. He went to bed about eleven on the Monday night, and was aroused soon after twelve by an alarm of fire. Both houses were burned down.

 

Harriet Munday, the wife of the last witness, corroborated his testimony.

 

Samuel Jordan, the husband of the prosecutrix, deposed to being in bed when his son came for him on Sunday, 6th July. He went with him to the old woman’s cottage, and they brought the bed away. His son slept in his (witness’s) bed with him that night; he did not see him from Monday morning until the Tuesday, when, in reply to his observation, that his mother’s house was burnt down, and that the police had been after him, he said he knew no more about it than a child unborn.

 

Another witness spoke to seeing the prisoner on the Monday, sitting on a stile. In the course of conversation, witness said, ” Them as are bad to their mothers is sure to come to some bad end.” Prisoner said it was not his mother, “and he’d be d…..d if he didn’t do something handsome for her before long.”

 

Emma Pearce, landlady of the Brewers’ Arms, at Wotton, spoke to the prisoner’s being at her house on the Monday. He left about four in the afternoon, going towards the dyehouse; he returned in about half an-hour, and said the policemen were after him for taking the bed away. While there, in reply to her questions, he said he had something on his mind. He left again about six.

Cross- examined: I served him with three pints of beer.

 

Sarah Workman, another beer-shop keeper, said the prisoner was at her house about six o’clock, and he left about half-past ten.

George Saunders: While going down Church-street, on the Monday night, between eleven and twelve, found the prisoner sleeping on Mr. Wheeler’s steps, half stupefied; witness recommended him to go home, and he went away.

 

James Maybury, a youth, in returning home at half-past eleven o’clock, on the Monday night, passed the cottages that were burnt down; there was no light to be seen. On reaching the “Black’s School,” at about a quarter to twelve, he saw the prisoner going towards home.

 

Maria Oliver, stated that on the night in question, not being well, she was looking out of her window, when she saw the prisoner near his mother’s cottage. Shortly afterwards an alarm of fire was given.

 

Mrs. Luton said she lived next door but one to Mrs. Jordan’s cottage, and seeing the cottage on fire, alarmed Hearne, her next-door neighbour. Hearne stated that he burst the cottage door open and ran up-stairs; the old woman was fast asleep, and the flames were just coming into the room from under the thatch.

 

A constable deposed to a conversation with the prisoner on his apprehension. The constable was in plain clothes, and on his telling the prisoner who he was, the prisoner said, “I didn’t do it.” “Do what?” enquired the constable. ” Set fire to the house,” answered the prisoner. The officer, however, said he should take him into custody on suspicion. The prisoner said, ” Not with life;” and he called his father to come and split his head open, and the father came and held a hoe up to strike the witness and told him to let his son alone. Witness got up, he and the prisoner having fallen in the scuffle, and knocked the old man down. He called to some mowers in a neighbouring field, and having obtained their assistance, took the prisoner into custody.

Cross-examined: I told him I was a policeman immediately after he had told me who he was.

 

Superintendent Nicholls, of the county police, proved that on Tuesday, 8th July, he went to the old man’s house, where he found two boxes of lucifer matches. When being conveyed to gaol the witness overtook the prisoner, who said, “Well, Mr. Nicholls, do you think I shall get the rope?” He replied, ” I don’t know, but I don’t expect you will.” He then said, “Well, I suppose shall never see Wotton again, and don’t care if I don’t, for I dare say I shall be better out of it.”

 

This closed the case for the prosecution.

 

Mr. Scotland then addressed the jury in an able speech, urging the improbability of so heinous crime being committed by the prisoner, and pointed to his liability to excitement, especially when under the influence of liquor, accounting for the threat he had used, and the other eccentricities he had displayed throughout the transaction.

His Lordship summed up, and the jury not being able to come to a verdict after a short consultation, retired, and some of the cases in which the prisoners had pleaded guilty were proceeded with.

On returning into court, they gave a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy.

 

Sentence of death was then recorded against the prisoner, who said he was not in his senses when the calamity occurred; and, indeed, he appeared to be labouring under considerable nervous excitement during the whole of the trial, and at times appeared very absent.

 

His Lordship told him that the recommendation of the jury would be duly borne in mind.

 

He hoped he did not mean to destroy his mother’s life, and he did not think he had had that wish. Though sentence of death was recorded it would not be carried out, but he would be either imprisoned or transported, and if the latter it would not be for life.