"FIRE, FIRE!"

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 102, 2 May 1935, Page 14

"FIRE, FIRE!"

CALL FROM LOCK-UP.

MEN NEARLY SUFFOCATED.

CONSTABLE'S STORY.

The story of how two young men in a lock-up were nearly suffocated by smoke was told in the Police Court by Constable Jackson, when prosecuting them on several charges.

The two men, for whom Mr. H. O. Cooney appeared, were Ivan Stevens and William Raymond. Stevens was charged with disorderly behaviour, resisting the police, damaging, a cell bucket valued at 5/, and damaging four blankets, valued at £1 10/. Raymond was charged witli drunkenness, resisting the police, using obscene language and damaging a cell bucket and blankets.

Constable Jackson gave evidence that on April 24 he arrested Stevens for disorderly behaviour and using obscene language. He was wanting to fight and saying to the threatened person, "I will fight, you —." He made use of bad language on several occasions within the hearing of women and children. Witness arrested him and took him. to the station in a taxi. When they got to the station accused said, ''Now it's you or me for it," and made a rush at him. Witness closed with him and after a struggle, with the assistance of the taxidriver, placed him in the cell. Ho went back to town and arrested Raymond who had been quarrelling with Stevens, and also took him to the station in a taxi. Witness got out of the car first and Raymond followed and attacked him just as ho got on the ground. Another struggle ensued, but with the assistance of the taxi-driver the accused was placed in the cell with Stevens. He searched both prisoners and found tobacco and six coppers on Stevens and tobacco and sheath knife on Raymond.

Alleged Threat. When witness was about to close the door, Raymond shouted "You Jackson, you have not much longer to live, and you will not walk the streets of Te Puke much longer. I will murder you, you ." The prisoners tried to force the door of the cell, hut were unsuccessful, and then broke up a bucket. He heard Raymond say to Stevens that they would burn the place. Some'time after witness left with the taxi-driver for the main street, returning to the station at 11.30 and going to bed at 12 o'clock. He was awakened at ">.30 a.m. by Raymond calling out '"Fire, fire, Jackson, Jackson, come quick, we are choking with smoke, the place is on lire." He thought the first calls were not genuine, and got out of bed and called "Go to sleep you silly fool." Raymond continued calling "Fire, fire, come quick, we are dying of smoke." ,

Witness looked out of the window and noticed smoke coming out of the small look-out hole in the cellar door. He rushed to the door arid unlocked it, and found the place full of smoke. Raymond partly fell out of the door, and witness pulled Stevens out. It was some time before they could get their breath, and they hung on to a near-by fence. In another minute they would have been unconscious. Witness rushed into the cell and pulled out tlio blankets, which were burning. Raymond admitted that he and Stevens had been smoking, and that he had a wooden box of matches, but he could not produce them. Both the accused were of bad character. Raymond's threat made the witness think that the fire was intentional. He put both the accused back in the cell.

The presiding justices, Messrs. H. A. Washer and J. Saunders, convicted and discharged Raymond on the. cN rge of resisting the police. For using obscene language they lined him £10, in default three months' imprisonment, _ and allowed him three months in which to pay. The charge of damaging the blankets was dismissed, as the bench did not consider it had; been proved that the fire was not accidental.

Stevens was convicted and discharged on the charge of disorderly behaviour and also for resisting the police. He was fined £10 or three months' imprisonment for using obscene language, and was allowed six weeks in which to pay. He was ordered to pay 5/ for damaging the bucket, and the charge of damaging the blankets was dismissed.