AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1881, 17 August 1874, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

The facts connected with the alleged arson in the West Coast Hotel formerly the St. John's Tavern, attatcheel to the old Queen's Theatre, situated at the corner of Queen and Little Bonrke streets, are at present, says the "Age," under investigation at the Criminal Sessions. John Donoghue and Thomas Power, the former the licensee of the hotel, and th« latter a lodger living there, were charged with having wilfully and unlawfully set fire to the hotel, on the 29ch June last, with the intention of defrauding the Australian Alliance Insurance Company, with which Donoghue had insured the furniture and stock for LSOO. The house is the property of Mr J. T. Smith, and has been rented by Donoghue for the past five , years. The case for the Crown is, that about half-past six o'clock on the morning of the day named, some persons passing by the hotel saw that the window of the bar-parlor was slightly raised, and sparks coming through the opening. An alarm was raised, but no one came to answer the door for about five or ten minutes. Un the house being searched it was found to be partially on fire in several places. The bar was on fire in three distinct places, and bottles with the wrappers smeared with kerosene were found Between the ceiling [and the shingle roof there were several other distinct traces of fire. Parcels of flax, corresponding to some flax used in stuffing a mattress in one of the bedrooms, and connected together with lengths of fuse, were discovered in the roof i and portions of the shingles were charred. Although Donoghue was so long in opening the door, he was said to have been seen outside the house just before the fire, and a man named Atkin was sent by Donoghue to purchase three separate bottles of kerosene a day or two before the fire. Power was on very intimate terms with his landlord, and slept in the same bedroom, Mrs Donoghue, his second wife, occupying a separate apartment. Donoghue and Power were tried at the last of the Melbourne Criminal Sessions, the former with setting fire to the house and the latter with being an accessory. Power was acquitted, and Donogue was found guilty and sentenced seven years hard labor. A somewhat romantic case is reported by the " Hobart Town Mercury," of July 17 : — " Yesterday morning a fair-fronted young fellow, of about 23, *ho answered to the name of Theophilus Davis, was charged at the instance of Mr M'Gregor with having deserted his whaling ship Asia, now lying at Recherche Bay. Upon the charge being read, Mr Graves rose and mentioned that his learned friend Mr Hookey and himself appeared on behalf of the defendant, and at the same time stated that the case was a most extraordinary one and surrounded with singular circumstances. The facts were that the youth before the Bench was heir to a baronetcy, and had lately received a legacy of L 20.000 from his uncle, besides being entitled to several estates in England and Wales. The shipping master, Mr Hawthorne, has received LIOO from the executors of his uncle's will, to pay the passage homeward ; and part of this sum bad already been expended in clothing the boy as he , stood. Mr Graves contended this case was not one of ordinary desertion, and that had Captain Bayley or his Worship been -placed under similar circumstances, they would have done no less. Captain Bayley generously withdrew the charge. Our hero left the court with his counsel, and within 24 hours will be on the way homeward to his father's house in the land of his birth."