Williams v. State
| Decision Date | 02 July 1906 |
| Citation | 125 Ga. 741,54 S.E. 661 |
| Parties | WILLIAMS. v. STATE. |
| Court | Georgia Supreme Court |
"When a house is consumed by fire, and nothing appears but that fact, the law rather implies that the fire was the result of accident, or some providential cause, than of a criminal design." Phillips v. State, 29 Ga. 105.
Bines v. State, 45 S. E. 376, 118 Ga. 320, 68 L. R. A. 33.
[Ed. Note.—For cases in point, see vol. 14, Cent. Dig. Criminal Law, §§ 1225, 1226.]
In the present case, when the confessions of the accused are eliminated, the other evidence is not sufficient to show beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a willful and maliciousburning of the house which was destroyed by fire.
(Syllabus by the Court.)
Error from Superior Court, Taliaferro County; H. M. Holden, Judge.
Bob Williams was convicted of arson, and brings error. Reversed.
Wm. N. Maltbie, Jno. W. Hixon, and Joel Cloud, for plaintiff in error.
D. W. Meadow, Sol. Gen., for the State.
COBB, P. J. Judgment reversed. All the Justices concur, except FISH, C. J., absent.
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...the law presumes that the fire was the result of accident or of some providential cause, rather than of criminal design. Williams v. State, 125 Ga. 741, 54 S.E. 661; West v. State, 6 Ga.App. 105, 64 S.E. Burley v. State, 6 Ga.App. 776, 65 S.E. 816; Childs v. State, 10 Ga.App. 829, 74 S.E. 8......
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