Arson

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Arson \Ar"son\ ([aum]r"s'n; 277), n. [OF. arson, arsun, fr. L.
     ardere, arsum, to burn.] (Law)
     The malicious burning of a dwelling house or outhouse of
     another man, which by the common law is felony; the malicious
     and voluntary firing of a building or ship. --Wharton.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  arson
       n : malicious burning to destroy property; "the British term for
           arson is fire-raising" [syn: {incendiarism}, {fire-raising}]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  ARSON, criminal law. At common law an offence of the degree of felony; and
  is defined by Lord Coke to be the malicious and voluntary burning of the
  house of another, by night or day. 3 Inst. 66.
       2. In order to make this crime complete, there must be, 1st, a burning
  of the house, or some part of it; it is sufficient if any part be consumed,
  however small it may be. 9 C. & P. 45; 38 E. C. L. R. 29; 16 Mass. 105. 2d.
  The house burnt must; belong to another; but if a man set fire to his own
  house with a view to burn his neighbor's, and does so, it is at least a
  great misdemeanor, if not a felony. 1 Hale, P. C. 568; 2 East, P. C. 1027; 2
  Russ. 487. 3d. The burning must have been both malicious and willful.
       3. The offence of arson at common law, does not extend further than the
  burning of the house of another. By statute this crime is greatly enlarged
  in some of the states, as in Pennsylvania, where it is extended to the
  burning of any barn or outhouse having bay or grain therein; any barrack,
  rick or stack of hay, grain, or bark; any public buildings, church or
  meeting-house, college, school or library. Act 23d April, 1829; 2 Russell on
  Crimes, 486; 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 39 4 Bl. Com. 220; 2 East, P. C. c. 21, s. 1,
  p. 1015; 16 John. R. 203; 16 Mass. 105. As to the extension of the offence
  by the laws of the United States, see Stat. 1825, c. 276, 3 Story's L. U. S.
  1999.