Benjamin Drury ca 1828-1901

Sheffield Daily Telegraph Thu 04 Dec 1873. ARSON at OUSEFLEET. Benjamin Drury, 46, agricultural labourer, was indicted for maliciously setting fire to a stack of wheat, the property of Jonathan Scutt, at Ousefleet, on the 20th September last. He admitted that he committed the crime, but said he was at the time suffering from delirium. Mr. Wheelbouse, who prosecuted, stated that Ousefleet was near Goole, at the extreme corner of the West Riding, and that the prosecutor was a farmer (since dead), and the prisoner was his son-in-law. On the morning of the day mentioned he went deliberately into Mr. Scutt's stackyard and set fire to the stack. Prisoner expressed deep sorrow for what he had done, maintaining that if he had been in his right mind at the time he should not have committed the crime. The jury after an hour's deliberation, found the prisoner not guilty, on the ground of insanity, and the Judge ordered him to be detained during her Majesty's pleasure.