ALLEGED ARSON.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17631, 7 December 1922, Page 3

ALLEGED ARSON.

■ : —♦ ACCUSED COMMITTED TOE TRIAL.At the Magistrate's Court yesterday Joseph Hogan Byrno (Mr J. B. Batcholor) was charged with wilfully setting fire to a dwelling, situated at 466 Colombo street, Sydenham, on November 25th, thereby committing arson. Alice Williams, a marriod woman, residing in Colombo street, said she knew accused, who lived next door. At about 7.45 p.m; she was busy in her shop, and a girl who lived with her came in and said, "Come out into tho right-of-way." She saw Mr and Mrs Byrne together. The wife was trying to get into witness's place, and the husband was trying to pull her back. j She protested, and accused lot his wife go. Sho said to Byrne, "You go and lie flown and get calm." He said, "I've got two tins of petrol out in tho shed there, and I'll burn the show down." She said, "No, don't; go and lie down." Ho refused, and said ho would burn it down that night. He wont inside in a temper, slamming the door. Tho lights went out, ana she heard him walk through the house , and slam tho back door. Later she heard the crashing of a window. " She went near the window and said, "Mr Byrne, doir't do that" Accused had a long-handled implement, and was smashing in the whole window. A minute or two later she saw a light down tho yard in the shed. She had I sent for the police, but before they arrived she saw a great blaze at the window, which accused had been smashing. A great tongue of flame rose uy. Witness then sent for the Fire Brigade. She saw no other person but the accused there. She saw no petrol about. Witness added that the accused was drunk at the time. George Williams, aged 15 years, a son of the previous witness, said he heard Mr and Mrs Byrne "rowing." Witness gave similar evidence of the actions of the accused. When he went round with a constable they found the accused behind a box. Accused could hardly walk when the constable picked him up. Joseph William Gurr, tram conductor, residing at 140 Hastings street, Sydenham, said he was passing the house in question, and heard a cry of "Fire!" * lie alighted from " his bicycle and went through the right-of-way, and found that the rear premises were alight. With several others ho assisted in putting the lire out. He eouid see the window sash and a table cover burning. A police constable gave evidence of. being summoned to 4CG Colombo street. From something he was told he searched the premises for the accused, and found him hidden behind a box at the rear of the premises. Asked what he was doing there accused said, "I'm having a bit of a spell." Accused ( said he had better not say anything in reply to a question concerning the fire. Accused said drink was the cause of the whole trouble. A tin of petrol was open in u shed at the rear of the premises. John Thomson, Christchurch, said he visited the house of the accused on the morning of November 27th. The kitchen window at the rear of the house was burnt right out. There were red paint marks on the broken frame of the window. The ceiling and roof of the kitchen were badly scorched. He found the tin of petrol, produced, at the rear of tho house. The an was about two-thirds full. He found the spade produced. It was newly scratched on blade and handle. The table cover, produced, was burnt ,

in rather a peculiar manner, sis if inflammable liquid had been thrown upon it. Thomas Walter West, land and estate agent, said tho house in question was owned by Bertram Ccleman James. He examined the house some days aftez the fire, and estimated the damage at £lO. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Mr Batchclor applied for bail, but the Bench remarked that the_ offence was too serious to grant baiL