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The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
The Old Bailey Sessions in London from May 5-11 resulted in 106 trials: 70 capital convictions including death sentences, 58 transportations, 2 fines and imprisonments, and 39 acquittals. Detailed account of Francis Owen's hanging for arson at the Bell Inn to claim a fire notice reward.
Merged-components note: The dateline 'LONDON' belongs to the following news item about sessions at the Old Bailey, as it provides the location context. The text of the second component already includes a full dateline, but merging ensures the header is included in the logical unit.
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LONDON, June 16.
On Wednesday the 5th of May, the Sessions began to be held at the Old Bailey, and were concluded on Tuesday the 11th. At these Sessions there were 106 Persons tried, of whom seventy were capitally convicted, and received Sentence of Death accordingly; 58 were ordered to be transported, 2 were fined and imprisoned, and 39 were acquitted.
One of the Four Fellows that were hanged, having been guilty of a very extraordinary Crime, we shall give a short Account of it; His name was Francis Owen, and he was condemned and hanged for wilfully and maliciously setting the Bell Inn in Warwick-lane on Fire: It is a Custom among the Fire-Offices of this City, to give Half a Crown to the first Person that comes to acquaint them of any Fire having broke out; of which Custom this Fellow having been apprised, and being one of the Helpers about the Stables of the said Inn, he was so wicked as to risque burning his Master's House, and perhaps a great Part of the Neighbourhood, for the sake of getting this half Crown: He set Fire to one of his Master's Stables, and then made fast the Door, and as soon as he saw the Flames begin to appear, away he run, and gave Notice to the Fire-Office, in order to intitle himself to the customary Reward of half a Crown: The Fire having been luckily soon discovered by some of the Neighbours, it was extinguished before it came to any Head; and several Circumstances having raised a Suspicion against the Fellow, he was taken up, and upon a close Examination, he was at last brought to confess the Crime, which Confession having been read against him at his Trial, he was condemned, and most deservedly hanged for such an unheard of Piece of Wickedness.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
London
Event Date
Wednesday The 5th Of May To Tuesday The 11th
Key Persons
Outcome
106 persons tried; 70 capitally convicted and sentenced to death; 58 ordered to be transported; 2 fined and imprisoned; 39 acquitted. francis owen hanged for arson.
Event Details
Sessions held at the Old Bailey with trials concluding in various sentences. Francis Owen, a stable helper at the Bell Inn in Warwick-lane, set fire to a stable to claim a half-crown reward from a fire office, but the fire was extinguished by neighbors. He confessed after examination and was hanged.