LAPSE BY YOUNG GIRL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 239, 27 June 1918, Page 6

LAPSE BY YOUNG GIRL

BREAKS INTO A SHOP COMMITTED TO SUPREME COURT FOR SENTENCE Tlib secjuel to the rocent fire at the premises of Messrs. E. Feist niid Co., Lower Hutt, was the appearance before Mr. F. j V. Frazer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday of a girl, sixteen years of ago, named Mary Grieve, who pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the shop on June 21, and stealing articles of drapery therefrom to tho value of .87 10s. There was also a second charge against tho girl of having set tho premises on lire, but after evidence hail been adduced tho charge, was dismissed. Inspector Marsack prosecuted, and stated that the girl had ten sent tea receiving home when qui to a child, and whilst in the institution she boro a splendid character. From the homo she was xent out to Mrs. Barrow, of Lower Hutt, who employed her as a domestic On Juno 20 she seemed to bo thinking deeply of something, and at 5 o'clock on tho following morning she. left tho house, and went to' Messrs. Feist's shop and deliberately broke into the place by smashing a plate-glass door, and turning the key on the inside. With a lighted candle she wandered through tho shop, and picked np various articles to which she took a fancy. The next thing it was found that the shop was on fire. A Ur. Greeks discovered the outbreak, and on looking through the door he saw the girl in a crouching position. She had a fcmx of matches in her hand. The fire was soon extinguished, but not before .£l5O worth of damage had been done. The girl made a frank confession of tho burglary, but said tho fire was accidental, some clothing having evidently caught alight whon she was going about with the candle. She said that when she saw tho fire she turned to put it out, when she was caught by Mr. Greeks. This statement, however, did not quite agree with Mr. Greeks's version that shs _ was crouching by the door. It might 1)9 that the fire was accidental, but ho did not feel disposed to withdraw the charge at that stage.

Alfred \Y. Feisty managing director of E. Feist and Co., storekeepers, Lower tutt, identified the stolon articles, and said the damuge- done by tho firo amounted to JBBO.

George Greeks, an employee of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, said that at 5.45 a.m. on .Tune 21 he was passing Messrs. Feist's shop, when he saw a glare in tho window. He noticed that tho glass of tho door was broken. Someone tried to hide behind the door. He went inside, and found the accused, who had a bundle of goods under her arm. Constable Holmes gave evidence to the effect that when lie interviewed tho girl she made a statement admitting that she took the articles of clothing, but denying that sho .intentionally .set the oiiilrting on fire. In answer to the Magistrate, accused said she did not set fire to the premises. She bad just noticed tho outbreak, and was turning to put it out when the witness Greeks caught, hold of her. His Worship expressed the opinion that it was quite possible tho fire occurred accidentally. A girl going about a shop with a lighted candle might easily be the cause of setting fire to articles which were hanging in the shop. 'wTho charge of arson would be dismissed, but on the information of breaking, entering, and theft the girl would Iμ committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.