SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE IN GARAGE FIRE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 May 1931, Page 6

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE IN GARAGE FIRE.

ACCUSED MAKES SERIOUS ALLEGATION. IN STATEMENT TCT POLICE. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Hilton Herbert Brooks, aged 25, a labourer, was charged before Mr. Hewitt, S.M., with wilfully setting fire to Birkett and Son’s garage at Thorndon Quay on April 20. Formal evidence, similar to that at the recent Magisterial inquiry into the cause of the fire, was given by Edward Percival Lambert and Superintendent Creeke, of the Fire Brigade, and by Richard Andrew Evans, accountant employed by Van Stavcren Coulberg Estate, with regard to the building being insured for £6OOO and damaged to the extent of £685. He had no record of accused having any interest in the building. Nancy F. Lambert gave evidence of seeing a man, who appeared to Jump out of a hole in the window of the garage and into a car waiting nearby. She described how her father followed this car in his own ,and described the car as a coupe, either green or blue in colour. She was not sure which. Edwin Thomas Skews, prior to the fire foreman mechanic at the garage, said that there was a coupe in the garage . It was used by everybody It was mostly used by Mr. Turnbull the secretary It was dark green- in colour Witness believed that Mr Turnbull said something in conversation that day about having to see Brooks after he had tea Mr. Turnbull left the garage at 7 p.m. for the purpose of having tea and witness understood • that the appointment was for some time later in the evening. Mr. Turnbull did not say where or at what time, he had seen Brooks, Richard Aelxander Snelgrove, adjuster for three insurance companies, said he made an examination after the fire. He gave evidence that .certain cars were considerably over-insured. Percival McLeod, professional adjuster for the Hartford Assurance Com- , pany, gave details of tne insurance of a truck sold to Brooks. He described a visit to Longbush where the truck had been damaged by fire. The company paid out £B7. Later he learned that the truck had been insured by another company. Arthur Henry Clark, manager of the insurance office of Australia, said an insurance on this truck for £3OO had been taken in the Auckland office. He did not know who paid the premiums. No claim had been made. Stanley Maurice Jepson, motor mechanic, remembered Brooks bringing the truck in on April 20. Turnbull had offered overtime to the mechanics to push all cars into the garage before leaving. Witness identified the spare parts and tools as the property of Birkett ’s. Detective William McLennan said that ho had seen Brooks at the detective office about a month after the fire. Brooks denied starting the fire. Then he told Brooks that he had had a letter saying that he and Turnbull had set fire to the place and that Brooks had stolen some tools and spare parts. Accused said; “Yes, I did it. Turnbull, the secretary, was with me and held the door open for me to get out.” Brooks had then made a statement in which he gave particulars of his actions on the night of the fire. Some days later Brooks had made a longer and more complete statement. Detective McLennan read both these statements. In the second statement Brooks gave details of having bought a truck from Birkett’s for £333 under a hire purchase system. Birkett got an advance of £239 on the sale from the Commercial Investment. Trust Company, Christchurch. In February the truck took fire in a paddock through faulty wiring. He was told it was insured for £3OO. Birkett told him he would have a cheap cab put on and claim for a first-class job from the insurance company, Afterwards he found the bodybuilders had built the cab out of motorcar casing. He had trouble with the engine and on April 20 he took the truck to Birkett’s garage—it -was a Chevrolet truck—to do some carrying. Brooks had tea with Turnbull that night and Turnbull invited him to go back to his office for a spot. Accused ”s statement continued: They wont back and Turnbull produced three bottles of beer. They each had some and Turnbull told him the old man —meaning Birkett—was. away and that he (Turnbull) was the hard-est-worked man in Wellington. Brooks asked him if he would give him a statement outlining the deal in connection with his truck showing what was paid and what was owing. Turnbull said that it was around £.150 as far as he knew, and added that it was a pity the truck had not been burned altogether when it had taken fire. Turnbull had then said that through the work he had to do he would like to have a d good fire and get away for a holiday. He kept on talking fire, saying that he would burn the 'place down. He said: “In fact, Brooks, I have a d—— good mind to let it go to-night.” Turnbull suggested how easy it was to set the place on fire. He said that business had been so hard for some time that a good fire like the Dominion Motors would relieve the tension After some talk of the money-Turn-bull had put into the various cars and about trucks Turnbull said he was going to set the place on fire that night and that if Brooks wanted the truck at £3OO to say so. Brooks told him the truck was not suitable for his class of work. Turnbull then said: “We will have a damn good burn.’ , Accused’s statement continued: Ho then said to me: “The two of us will Jet the place go,’’ moaning set it on fire. “If wo two can’t make a job of this wo are mugs.” Ho said ho would light a fire and told Brooks if he wanted any spare parts to take them. Turnbull opened the storeroom with " a key and went out to Ivarori to get his ( ear, a Durant couple. He arrived back K shortly .after with three young men with a disabled car wanting assistance, had left. The Durant was of a dark green colour. Brooks had a Chevrolet , van in the garage with spare parts in • it and after Turnbull had offered him

i some tyres which he refused he put the 3 Chevrolet van outside and later drove 3 it about 200 yards away. 1 He went with Turnbull to the office ? and sat there until late in the evening.' . Begore they went up he saw Turnbull ) empty tw r o tins of benzine along the i garage floor. “1 had the wind up then and ' I said to Turnbull I had better - get out,” the statement con- - tinued. “He said it was all right and : not to go. I waited and we went ■ downstairs about 11.30 p.m. and it was • then agreed between us that we would i set the place on fire. When we got to . the bottom of the ramp Turnbull said • to me to have a look out and see if there was anybody about. I opened the trap door and looked up and down i the street and told Turnbull there was no person about and he asked me to keep the door open ready for him to get out. “I then stood at the door keeping watch and Turnbull went to two closed doors of the workshop and set the garage on fire. An explosion then occurred and I was blown up against the ramp. Turnbull and I then left the garage together and got into his car and drove away,” He picked up the van with the parts and went home and told his mother that the garage was on fire and that he had set fire to it with Turnbull. Next day Turnbull said he was too busy to sec Brooks. He had the van for about a week. Another man from whom it was taken by Birkett could not get the van back. Turnbull explained to. him that Birkett did not know anything about the arrangement and would not allow the van out. On this occasion he and Turnbull had a drink together and Turnbull told them the fire had been of a job and that he felt like kicking himself and Brooks for not making a better job of it. Although he had had a few drinks on the night of the fire he was not drunk and knew everything that happened. All that he had got for his share in the action were spare parts and tools. Turnbull had assured him that he ■would see ho did not lose by it and that he would see ho was all right. All the tools and spare parts except the jack and battery had been recovered from Brooks, said Detective McLennan. Brooks told him that he was pleading guilty to the charge and ■wanted to give them every assistance in clearing the business up. Mr. McCarthy, for Brooks, said that he desired to plead not guilty and accused was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. Bail was renewed in, £SOO with a surety of £SOO.