Waipawa.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5917, 23 August 1890, Page 2

Waipawa.

[OWN COBBESPONDKNT.]

After I sent yon the wire ye ti^^y Bryan was charged with w iif_i'i* Rn( -i maliciously setting fire, to thTpS Io O S up on tho previous evomr-.g. n% e e «s Am . a of Sergt. McArdle ami J. hat when Bryan was put in the cell he was thoroughly eearched and a quantity of ma ches, among other things, were found ou him and removed ; they were particularly careful in consequence of theprii £ aor ■_£. to the effect that before morning they would know that he had Something on him yet no matter how they searched him. He was furnished with a straw mattrass to lie upon and locked up. About two honrs later Nonstable Beattie saw smoke issuing- from the cell and went and opened the door when volume-; of smoke poured out. He oaught prisoner by the shoulder and dragged him out into another cell, where he wa_ again searched. A bucket of water quenched tho fire, which was found in a corner next the door, where prisoner had h.iaped up straw taken from tho mattrass • the wall was charred and black for the height of Hin from tho floor. Section 3of the Criminal Evidence Act being read and; explained by the Bench, tho prisoner said, ho did not wish to give any evidence. Being- cautioned in the usual way, he said all he wished to say was that people had aworn that he was not drunk, and knew what he was doing, but if he was sober hewould not wish to bo burnt in tho lock-up. He was then committed for trial at thenext sittings of the Supreme Court at Napier on 7th October next, and the witnesses were bound over to prosecute and givo evideneo. His committal inflicts no hardship on him, as he will bo in gaol till after the sossiens on other charges.