THE LATE FIRES.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 20 July 1888, Page 3

THE LATE FIRES.

ARREST OF THE “ GAGGED ” VICTIM. Our necossarily hurried report of the dual tiro yesterday mori: '.ng and tho sensational circumstances attending the Dillon street episode, p. l evented our giving moro details than a short account of tho alarming affair. Tho sequel proves, however, that it was not tho atrocious outrage that Long made out, and from tho further enquiries made yesterday and suspicious evidence adduced, there is now no reason to doubt but that tho sensational occurrence was nothing nwo nor less than a well conceived bat clumsily eairied out plan to defraud the insurance company. Tho first thing that excited suspicion was tho contradictory statements made by Long (as it now appears his name is, although ho was known as Long/nan, while several of the documents found amongst his effect lead to the belief that lie formerly went under the mine of A. G. Smith). Documents iu hvs possession show that he had recently been a resident of Mastcrton, and tho stoiy about lbs arrival from Austru'in, and expecting to bo joined shortly by bis “sister, bis cousins and his aunts,” to assist him in the poultry industry iu which he said ho was about to engago, may bo considered a myth. Mr S. Norgeovo, bohig the first to d'scover tho man, b : s statement wH prove interesting. Mil NOROIIOVE’s STATEMENT.

Mr S. No’grove, who lives about £0 yards from Long’s cotbige, states that he was awakened by the clang of the fire-bell, and on looking out of the window over Long’s cottage ho saw the blaze at .Ah Gee’s building. Ho also saw a light in Long’s cottage, like a candle, but thiukiug that the occupant had also be#n awakened by the fire-bell and was dress’ng ho paid no uttontion to it. Mr Norgroro then dressed himself and wont to tho window toliavo another look before starting, when ho saw that tho light in Long's cottage had very much increased, and after watching it for a minute or two ho concluded that tho cottago was also on fire. He then rushed down through tho back gate into Dillon streot, when ho saw that tho front bedroom was on fire. On reaching tho cottago he mado a noise by striking it with a piece of batten, to alarm anyone that might bo inside. Looking into tho room that was on fire ho noticed it was full of smoke, and tho only article that ho could dist’nguish was a tablo in front of tho window. Goii g round to the east end of tho house, he repeated the noise and cried out “Is there anyone in?” Ho heard a muffled sound, as if somoono were insido. 110 called out agaiu, and tho reply seemed to como from the yard. lie tried tho gate, to got intolho yard, but found that it was fastened. He then came out into Dillon-street, thence into Hutcheson’s paddock, with a -view to getting through tho hedge into the yard on tho western side. He cor’d not do so, but on looking through ho saw someone in the yard. Returning to tho gate, he tried to force it, and at that moment Mr Walter Litchfield came up, and tho ; r combined efforts succeeded. On getting into tho yard they found a man lying on tho ground, with his head nearest the gato, having nothing on but his Miirt and drawers. Mr Litchtiold went to raiso the man, exclaiming, “What’s this; the man’s tied. Let’s get him out of this.” On examination it was found that his hands and feet wero tied—ilia foinrer r.rnssf 1 oohind his back. * --moving ts. • gag from his mouth ho said, in reply to Mr Litchfield, that two men had done it. and that he had been robbed. Mr Norg. ivo cut the bandag® that si c - -ed Ids hands and Mr Litchfield released h's legs. H i kept groaning and muimuiing, and e -mud uzablo to rise. He was taken to Mrs Shopbeid’s, close by, and attended to.

Yesterday morning, from information received,” Sergeant Scanlon proceeded to the rear of tho Wesleyan Chapel, and examined two boxes that had mysteriously born deposited there. On tho contents being overhauled,it was found ono was ."if l of carpels : the other contained blankets, curtains, shirts, a couple of looking glasses ike. Mr T. Simile, from whom most of the articles ware bought, identified them as being those sold to Long v. few days

; o. lino Sergeant afterwards asked Long if all his furniture was destroyed in tho fire, enumerating the articles in tho cases, and ho replied in the nffinnrtivc. He was therefore arrested. lie seem! to have removed all his fmnitnro from the cottage. The n»vt M rt has been recovered, km there is still some to be

accounted for, and tho whereabouts of this the police are endeavoring to trace, and doubtless they will bo successful. The only articles missing are some chairs and a colonial sofa, purchased from Mr Howard. These may have been ‘ ‘ planted’ ’ or they may have been destroyed in the fire. It is supposed that Long had a confederate, and from the fact of the almost simultaneous outbreak of the two fires, that Long was the author of both. Both these conjectures are assumption o , as no reasonable evidence has been obtained to connect him with the tiro at Ah Gee’s, and tho opinion is moro acceptable that tho outbreak was merely a coincidence. Long is supposod to bavo had money. At anyrate, when paying Mr Howard for the articles be purchased from him ho drew out a handful of sovereigns. On being searched after his arrest only 5s Id was discovered upon him, four shillings of which were found in his boots. Some of b : s clothes were found in the yard. On searching the woodhouse, Constable Sbeary discovered two watches, the property of accused They were wrapped in tissue paper, and were concealed iu a small corner. Ouo of tho watches —a Waltham —boro the inscription “ Made expressly for J. Sparrow, Launceston.” The watch was “ going ” when discovered. Tho other was a lady’s gold watch, but it appeared of very little value.

Probably the most interesting discovery of effects was a carpet bag found iu the bedroom of tho Empire Hotel in which accused slept tlio previous evening. It contained a miscellaneous quantity of personal effects, amongst which were a hymn book and two or three Bibles. In the flyleaf of ono of the latter was written the following legend : —“ A promise.— By the grace of God I will abstain from all intoxicating drink as a beverage, and everything contrary to nature and grace.” In another page was inscribed tho following rather appropriate lines : cheek of the man is enough to make a man sw«ar.” Long is evidently a poet, for there were several pieces in manuscript, apparently his own composition. He even tried his hand on a sermon, and there were several similar “unconsidered trifles” of that kind

Ho was brought up before Mr J. E. Hodson, J.P., yesterday, and charged (1) unlawfully maliciously and feloniously sotting fl”e to a certain dwelling ; (2) doing so with a view to defraud the Victoria Insurance Company ; and (3) for concealing certain property with a view to defraud'ug that Company. On the application of Sergeant Seanlan, accused was remanded till Monday, and ho was conveyed to Picton by the afternoon train.

Tho insurances wero LIOO on the building in tho Norwich Union and L4O on the furniture iu the Equitable. With regard to tho fire at Ah Gee’s, nothing further lias transpired to throw light upon its origin. It is generally supposed to have been purely accidental, and to have had no connection with tho Dillon-strect affair.