THE ARSDN CASE. ACCUSED MAKES A CONFESSION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7363, 15 January 1902, Page 3

THE ARSDN CASE. ACCUSED MAKES A CONFESSION

's- REMANDED FOR SENTENCE.

At the Police Court ims morning, before Mr H. Eyre Kenny, S.M., John Savage was charged with attempted arson at the Empire Hotel «*on the 12th inst. \ Detective Bishop asked that the information be amended to one of arson instead of attempted arson. The amendment was made. Detective Bishop said accused arrived here from Masterton about live months ago. On Sunday night accused was near the Empire Hotel, and* remarked to a couple of others there something about what a good thing it would be to have a fire at the Empire holel. At midnight on the 12th aooused went into a loft above the kitbhen of the hotel and later there was an outbreak of fire. Ihe sacae afternoon there was another outbreak, this time in a sitting-room, which had been set alight in several places. Accused had since made a confession, which had been taken down in writing. Mrs Maguire, licensee of the Empire Hotel, said accused had frtquenttd her house for the last two or thrte weeks. She saw him at the hotel on the 12ih. Before going to bed about 11 10, witness went round the house to see that all was right. There wus then no sign of fire. About 12 o'clock witness was aroused by an alarm of fire. To Hia Worship ; There were about fifteen persons sleeping on the premises on the night of the 12th. James Carmichael said on the 12th inst., at 10.30, he wae fitting wi.h Mr Marshall under Mcßride's verandah, when accused came along, and also sat down. He said to witne js, " A fire in the Empire Holel would do well ; it would give someone work." Witness replied that he would not like to see a fire there. Mr Marshall went away, and witness and accused went to the back of the hotel. Witness wanted to see Willie, the porter, to see if they could get a drink. They went to the room where Willie, the porter, used to sleep. Accused struck a * match, and the porter not being there they went down to the yard again, where they saw Alick, the barman. The, latter asked, "What were you fellows doing up there ?" and told them to clear Witness left, accused remaining in the yard near the footpath. Ac- . cused was sober. Witness went to bed, and was awakened when the firebell was ringing. The firo was at the Empire Hotel, in the room the accused and witness had visitod. Accused was there ; he was alongside the Sergeant of Police. Alexander Tracey, barman at the Empire Hotel, said on the night of the fire he heard accused' and Garmichael in the back yard, and called out to know what they wanted down there. A voice replied that they were looking for someone to re-light the lamp in front of the hotel. Witness told them to mind their own business and get away home, one replied "All right." They remained in the yard for a time, and then went up to the room above . the kitchen. When there they struck matches, and bad a look round. They^ came down, and witness went and met them at the foot of the fire escape. He asked them what they had been doing up in the room, and one said, " I was looking for Billy, the porter, to light the lamp in front." He told then? to leave, which he thought they did. That wes about 11.5. Witness examined thWrooni where accusedand Carmichael haT been,~ and found everything all right. He went to bed, and later heard the alarm of fire. 'Flame was coming out of the roof and door of the room above the kitchen. Constable Whitehouse said on the evening of the 13th he took tea to aooused who was in custody. When witness went into the cell, accused said, " What's the charge ?" Witness said, "Arson," Accused aßked "What do you mean ?" and witness answered, 11 Setting fire to the Empire Hotel." Accused said, "It was the drink did that." Witness took him to the office, and he made a statement which was taken down in writing, and signed by accused. [Statement produced.] The -'"statement was to the effect that accused was a laborer residing in Hawera, and had been drinking heavily for some time. On Sunday he. with Carmichael, went up the room which was Bet on fire - and looked about. They came down again, and Carmichael.went away. Accased returned to the room, and set fire, to it. He then hung about the hotel for a while, and returned home. The next morning accused went to the hotel and into a sitting-room. He struck a match, and tried to start a fire behind the door. The match went out. He then tried in four other places. Finally ho succeeded in setting fire to ihe mantel drape. He had no motive for the crime. Constable Salmon said that shortly before 1 p.m. on the 13th there was a "Second fire, at the Empire Hotel, and witness arrested accused, who was sober. He flushed up when the charge was read to him. This was the evidence for the prosecution. In answer to the usual formula,

Accused said: "I wish to say nothing, but when I committed this aot I must have been unconscious of what I was doing, as I had been drink-

ing heavily." Accused pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence ac the next sitting of ttfe Supreme Court.

SECOND CHARGE.

Accused was further charged with wilfully setting fire to the Empire Hotel on the 13th. Mrs Maguire stated that on* the 33th she saw smoke issuing from under the door of a sitting-room 'near the bar. She saw accused near the room door.

The mantel-drape and table-cloth woi c in flames. She gave the alarm, and tho fire was put out. In cix different places attempts had been made to fire the * room. The mantelpiece and table were charred. To the best of witness 1 recollection, accused had had two drinks at

the bar in the morning. Norah McCullum said on the 13th accused had a drink at the Empire bar at 12.45. He then went towards the sitting-room, which was afterwards found to be on fire. She saw him come out of the room, which was full of smoke. At the time he was under the influence of liquor, though not drunk. ' James Carmichael said on the 13th accused, after his arrest, said he had set fire to the sitting-room at the Empire Hotel, adding, " I often get drunk and do those little things." Constable Whitehouse gave evidence regarding the confession made by accused.

Constable Salmon produced remnants of mantel-drape and tablecloth recovered after the fire, and gave evidence of arrest. Accused was evidently sober at the time.

Accused was remanded for sentence at the Supreme Court. k Bail was refused, the Magistrate " expressing surprise that accused should ask for it after confessing to such an atrocious crime as arson, which might

have caused considerable loss of life.