The trial (at large) of James Hill; otherwise James Hind; otherwise, James Actzen: for feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously, setting fire to the rope-house, in His Majesty's dock-yard at Portsmouth. Tried at the Assize, at Winchester, on Thursday, March 6, 1777. Before the honorable Sir William Henry Ashhurst, knt. ... and Sir Beaumont Hotham, knt. ... / Taken in short-hand ... by Joseph Gurney. And published by permission of the judges.

John the Painter

Date:: [1777?]

Credit: The trial (at large) of James Hill; otherwise James Hind; otherwise, James Actzen: for feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously, setting fire to the rope-house, in His Majesty's dock-yard at Portsmouth. Tried at the Assize, at Winchester, on Thursday, March 6, 1777. Before the honorable Sir William Henry Ashhurst, knt. ... and Sir Beaumont Hotham, knt. ... / Taken in short-hand ... by Joseph Gurney. And published by permission of the judges. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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[ '9 ] killed or wounded one ; that he arrived at Kingfton the next morning, which was Sun- day, between ten and eleven o'clock ; that be ftaid there till pretty near dufk, and then came in the ftage to London, and waited upon this great man in the City of London •, he faid, he told the gentleman that he had had letters and bills abouc him that he had received from Silas Deane at Paris, which he was obliged to burn ; that the gentleman feemed to be very fhy of him, and told him, he had received no account from Paris ; he faid, he told the gentleman he might think what he pleafed, but he was an enemy to Great-Britain, and a friend to America •, and that he had fet fire to the Rope-houfe at Portfmouth, which he would lee in the papers of Monday ; he faid the gentleman ordered him to a certain coffee-houfe. Court. I fuppofe, by your repeating the word gentleman fo often, he did not mention his name ? Baldwin. No, I could not get his name from him; I wifn I had. He faid, the gentleman waited upon him at the coffee-houfe, where they had fome little difcourfe, but the gentleman ieemed ftill to be fhy of him ; he laid, there was another gen- tleman in the coffee-houfe, who took very particular notice of him, which he cb- ferved, and therefore did not chufe to Hop long •, he faid, he was fo angry that this gentleman would not believe his word, that he took his leave of him, and went directly to Hammerfmith •, that when he got to Hammerfmith he wrote a letter to this gentleman, and told him, he was very lorry that he would not believe what he had told him, but he was fatisfied he would receive letters in a few days; that he was going to Briftol, where he mould hear of more of his handy works. He faid, in his way from hence to Briftol he called at Oxford. Court. He is going now to fpeak about Briftol-, if you don't watch hjm very at- tentively it is natural he mould fall into an account of Briftol, which we have nothing to do with. Counfelfor the Crown. We are not examining about Briftol with a view to impute to him the letting Briftolon fire, but to fhew he was actuated by the fame mo- tives towards this country, with regard to America, which operated at Portf- mouth, which will be material, as it will confirm the defign he had in his mind. We fhall prove his grinding charcoal upon a painter's ftone there, and other cir- cumftances. Court. Any converfation that he relates of the prifoner's, of what happened at Briftol that will.confirm this evidence here, is material. Baldwin. He faid his next fcheme was to fet a building at Woolwich on fire ; he laid he arrived at Briftol a few days before Chriftmas that he got leave from a painter to grind fome charcoal upon his colour ftone. Did he mention to you his reafons for going to Briftol ? I don't mean of what he intended to do there-, but whether he mentioned any reafon why in particular he mould go to Briftol, any more than to Worcefter, or any other place ? Baldwin. He faid that he heard there were three or four fhips that were there -, that one or two of them were mounted with twelve carriage guns and eight fwivels, and that they were going to the Weft Indies, and he wanted to fee thefe veiTels. Court. All thefe queftions muft neceffarily tend to the fire at Briftol. Baldwin. He faid, a painter gave him liberty to grind this charcoal. Court. When was this ? before the fire at Portfmouth, or after it ? ■Baldwin. After the fire at Portfmouth. 'Counfel for the Croivn. We ftiall call that witnefs to confirm and prove many of thefe things after the fire ; that he called upon the man to grind charcoal. Now I lhall call that man to prove that the prifoner did grind charcoal at that houfe. I do not mean for the preparation for this particular fire, but only as a circumftance confir- matory that he did hold the converfation that the witnefs relates, and did make fuch preparations. Court. As far as that goes I fee no objection to that. Counfel for the Crown. Let it be iuppofed' that the charcoal was for an innocent purpofe; but it is a fact that the witnefs will prove confirmatory of his having faid that he did fuch a thing. Baldwin. He laid he ground it upon a colour-ftone belonging to a painter at Briftol, that he was above two hours grinding it, and the painter took particular notice of that. Q. He told you he went to Briftol ? £ Baldwin.

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