When the general fact of burning has been shown by circumstances excluding accident or natural causes as the origin of the fire, then the foundation is laid for the introduction of any competent evidence that the act was committed by the accused with criminal intent.286

279 Snyder vs. People, 26 Mich., 106; People vs. DeWinton, 113 Cal., 403; Heard vs. State, 81 Ala., 55; Rex vs. March, 1 Moody, 182; Com. vs. Makely, 131 Mass., 421; Contra, Garett vs. State, 109 Ind 527; Emig vs. Daum, 1 Ind. App., 146.

280 4 Blackstone Com., 22; 1 Hale P. C., 569; McDonald vs. People, 47 Ill., 533; State vs. Carroll, 85 Iowa, 1.

281 Reg. vs. Faulkner, 13 Cox. C. C, 550.

282 State vs. McCarter, 98 N. C, 637;

1 McClain Cr. Law, Sec. 526.

283 Byrne vs. State, 45 Com., 273;

State vs. Watson, 63 Me., 128;

Jesse vs. State, 28 Miss., 100.

284 People vs. Fong Hong, 120 Cal., 685. 285 State vs. Ward, 61 Vt., 153; People vs. O'Neill, 112 N. Y., 355; Stitz vs. State, 104 Ind., 359.

The corpus delicti consists not only of the fact that the building was burned, but also of the fact that it was wilfully fired by some one.287