CRIMINAL SESSION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10053, 3 June 1898, Page 6

CRIMINAL SESSION.

Thursday, June 2. The criminal session waa continued at 10 a.m. Mr Stringer prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. ARSON. Alfred Edwards was indicted for having, on the 4th April, at Sefton, wilfully set fire to a certain buildiog, the property of Mrs Shaw. The accused, who was defended by Mr Russell, with him Mr Meares, pleaded " Not guilty." The case for the prosecution waa that, on the date mentioned in the indictment, the house, which was empty at the time, was burnt. It was mortgaged to Mrs Meares, and was insured. The fire had evidently been started from the inside at 3.30. When Mr Lillie, engineer, of the dairy factory, went past the house it was all right, and a quarter of an hour after this he saw flames coming out of it. The accused rode on a bicycle to the Ashley Hotel, near the scene of the fire, between seven and "eight o'clock on the night before the fire occurred. He left the hotel at 11 p.m., and returned about 4 a.m. Mc remained at the hotel till 6 a.m., when he left on his bicycle, stating he was going to Christchurch. Some girls who were looking at the bicycle ridden by the accused when he first arrived at the "hotel in the afternoon noticed a square bottle containing some liquid wrapped up in a macintosh in front of the bicycle Amongst the debris found in the house which waa burnt the remains of a bottle similar to the one seen on the bicycle of the accused was found, though no such bottle was found in the house when it was locked up. The morning after the fire he said he had been in town on the evening before the fire, and had slept in town that night. He also said that he had no bicycle and could not ride one far if he had. *He told Mr Maddison, the fire, inspector, that he had spent the whole of the night before at the Ashley Hotel. At the inquest as to the fire he made another statement to the effect that he had gone to the house to see a man and had lost his way in going back. All these statements were opposed to the testimony of the witnesses. The accused, who had been in the employ of Mrs Shaw, was on friendly terms with her. The house was insured for £155 and had remained unoccupied for some six months. As to the motive of the fire it was suggested that the house had been wilfully burnt in order to obtain the insurance money. Mr Stringer opened the case, and called evidence. At the close of the case for the Crown, Mr Russell addressed the jury for the defence. His Honour summed up, and the jury returned, after a short time, and brought in a verdict of " Guilty." His Honour sentenced the accused to two years' imprisonment. BREAKING AND ENTERING. Charles Worrall, Daniel Palmer, and John Page were indicted for having, on March 17th, broken into the house of W. T. Hughes, at Kaikoura, and stolen two watches, a gold brooch, and pair of boots. The accused Worrall pleaded " Guilty," and Palmer and Page, who were undefended, " Not Guilty." The case for the prosecution was that the three accused had broken into the house while tramping. Worrall stated that he alone had committed the robbery. His Honour summed up, and the jury, after a short retirement, brought in a verdict of "Not Guilty." CRIMINAL ASSAULT. Martin Hansen was indicted for this offence. The accused, who was undefended, pleaded "Not Guilty." After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of " Guilty." His Honour deferred passing sentence until the next day. SENTENCE. Charles Worrall who had pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering and robbery, was brought up for sentence. His Honour sentenced the prisoner to three months' imprisonment. The Court then adjourned till 10 a.m. to-day.