Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 1 November 1845.

ARSON AT DEPTFORD.

Thomas Mooney, Christopher Hannam, and Frederick George Smith, the two former of whom described themselves as surveyors, residing at Rochester, and the latter as a labourer from Chatham, were brought before Mr. Jeremy, at the Greenwich police-office, on Friday last, on final examination, charred with wilfully setting fire to the "Prince of Wales" ale-house, New Cross, Deptford. From the appearance of the prisoners, it is supposed that they have been employed on one of the Kentish railways as labourers to the survey.

Joseph Bew sworn:- He said, I am landlord of the "Prince of Wales" alehouse, New Cross. On Monday, the 20th inst., the prisoners came to my house to lodge. They slept there that and the following night. On Wednesday they all came in about seven o'clock in the evening, and Hannam called for something to drink. I objected, because they had had a little too much to drink already, but I allowed them a pint of beer, and then they had some bacon and bread. Mooney then called for some beer. I refused to let them have it, and told him why. Mooney said, "Then we will leave the house, and find another lodging." Mooney and Hannam then called for the bill. I made it out, and Hannam paid me. Mooney then went out, as he said, after another lodging. While he was gone, Hannam began talking to me and my wife in a strange manner. He said "Something is going on very strange, and something dreadful will happen." Mooney then came in and said he had got lodgings. Hannam asked if they might leave their boxes. I said no, and he said, "We must take them away then." I called my son to get a light and go up-stairs with them, and Mooney and Smith went up with my son. Hannam remained at the bar talking with me. Mooney and Smith went out with part of their goods, but returned and went up-stairs again. My son went with them. Hannam followed them up immediately, and he came down with them, and they all went away together. They were not up-stairs more than five minutes. After they had been gone not more than two minutes and a half, Mooney came back all in a hurry, and said, in an agitated way. "I would not go away without wishing you good bye." departed, and said "All's right." I then walked into the tap-room, and two minutes afterwards my wife called out. "The place is on fire!" I ran up into the club-room, and saw a light in the chimney, and a board on fire. I pulled it out from the grate, and ran into the next room - got a counterpane, and stopped the draft as well as I could. The chimney was on fire, and blazed out at the top. A policeman came in, and I told him what had happened, and whom I suspected. There is an iron flue from the bar parlour, leading into the chimney of the club-room. I saw persons throwing water on it. It was nearly red hot. I observed the paper singed and burnt all up by the flue. I went into the club-room again, and I noticed the mantel-shelf was scorched. I then went out with the constable and found the prisoners at the New Cross House, and gave them in charge for attempting to fire my house. There had not been any fire in the club-room for some time, and only a small one kept in the parlour.

The panel and some paper-hanging were exhibited to Mr. Jeremy, as well as a quantity of charred wood, part of the wainscoting of the club-room.

Mr. Bew said the fire was, happily, extinguished with many buckets of water, and which might be attributed to the early discovery of the deed.

The prisoners denied all knowledge of the circumstances.

Mr. Jeremy said it was an offence of the most serious character, and one that he was bound to send before a jury.

The prisoners were committed.