HAYSTACKS ABLAZE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 85, 10 April 1935, Page 18

HAYSTACKS ABLAZE

MAN TO STAND TRIAL

(By Telcpcraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 9.

Two charges of wilfully setting fire to two haystacks were preferred against Chanel Patrick Murphy in the Magistrate's Court today. One stack, valued at £120, was the property of Mr. William Rogers, dairy farmer, Marshlands, and the other, valued at £175, was the property of Mr. T. E. R. Jones, Hills Road, Shirley. The accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. No application was made for bail. Rogers said he was awakened at 1.30 or 2 a.m. on March 20 and found his stack blazing. It would have been easy for anyone to fire the stack without going near the house. The accused had been employed by witness and had been sleeping at, witness's house. The accused went out on the evening of March 19 and did not return until about 4 a.m. on March 20. Witness said he did not think the' accused bore a grudge against him over the non-pay-ment of wages which the accused thought to be due to him. A "milk war" was on at the. time of the fire, but the matter had since been adjusted. Jones also gave evidence of being awakened at about 1.30 a.m. on March 20, when both stacks were blazing. Clifford Lee said that Murphy had spent the night of March 19-20 at his place, going to bed at 9 p.m. after asking to be awakened at 3.30 a.m. Witness called him at this hour, when the' accused was sleeping. Statements obtained from the accused were produced by acting-Detec-tive Burns. In the first Murphy denied the charges, but in the second he admitted them and described what he had done. _____^^____