Castle of Exeter: A boy named Wright, thirteen years of age, was summoned for setting fire to some straw, and thereby damaging a quantity of mangold, the property of Mr. Pinsent, farmer of Doddiscombeleigh. The defendant’s father had worked for several years for the prosecutor, and the boy had also lately been employed by him. The boy admitted that he set fire to the straw, but said he did it accidentally. He had lost a brace-button, and used a piece of cord as a substitute; he had no knife to cut off the surplus cord, and lit a match to burn it off, and this set fire to the straw. Prosecutor, in answer to the Bench, said the boy’s general character was good; but he was subject to fits, and was further in the habit of setting matches on fire in different parts of the farm. It was in order to stop this practice that prosecutors had taken these proceedings. He only wished to have the boy cautioned. At the suggestion of the Bench, the prosecutor withdrew from the case, and the boy was dismissed with a caution.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0412 Hennock: Henry Pinsent: 1844 – 1894