ALLEGED CONSPIRACY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 21 September 1928, Page 10

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY.

SEQUEL TO FIRE IN SHOP. THREE AIEN CHARGED. (By Telegraph— l reaa Association.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. Thomas Francis Carroll, Sydney Franeis Waters, and James Tait ap- • pea-red at the court to-day charged with wilfully setting fire to a. grocery shop, valued at £975, and conspiring to -defraud the British Traders’ Insurance. Co. of £6OO. Continuing the case for the Crown, detectives read statements made by Waters and Carrol. In his statement Waters said' it was arranged between Carrol and himself that after the groceries were removed tbo store should be set on lire. Tait helped him remove the groceries in a- taxicab. Carrol went to/the theatre that night. As far as Waters.could remember it was Tait who set fire to the shop. Waters was under the influence of liquor at the time. Tait took him to' hospital after he had received an injury as the result of an explosion. IV ' • . - ■ “I knew the shop was to be: destroyed by' fire on August" 28” said Carroll in a statement, “but I did not make any arrangements and was not present at the fire. . About August 30 I a bed on Waters ait- the police station, when he told me it was he arid Tait who set fire to tiie shop and that when the explosion occurred he was 'Standing on the road. I did not recompense Tait • or- Waters f<Jr setting fire to the place. At the time I made the claim on the insurance office I included the groceries removed by Waiters and Tait.” Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike said that after making his statement Waters added: “If I had not received an inuiiy to my arm- from the explosion I do "not think you would hn.ve found out about the fire.” On being shown the statement made bv Waters Carroll had said: “I am n I eased he did not say I set- fire to the store, because I did. not.” Both, these statements were shown to Tait, who said: “Let them prove it ir tliev say I carted the stuff from the store and that I was at (the fire.” Accused, who reserved their defence were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was fixed at £7OO.