INCENDIARISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 21 March 1910, Page 5

INCENDIARISM.

DESTRUCTIVE EXPLOSION. SEVERAL BUILDINGS DA MAC KD , THREE PEOfLE BADLY .HURT. I INOEXDr Alii IRS IX.IHREI). Pbess Association.--Copyright. MELBOURNE, Saturday. Four shops in Brunswick-street. Filzroy, were destroyed bv a mysterious explosion, Eleven persons were residing in (lie wrecked premises. Crabtreo, a grocer, was seriouslv in jn ut red, being buried in I lie debris, and Mi's Sneddon and her daughter w.'i'e severely hurt. The explosion was acconipai.;ed by ,i va.-,t .sheet of flame. It is supposed to be attributable lo jj-as, but details arc meagre. MELBOURNE, Sunday. The explosion damaged -17 other 'buildings, the niajorify of lliem slightly, on 'both sides of the street. Ail |!ie windows for a iong distance w;.\v shattered. Later. MELBOURNE. Saturday. Pour shops were almost demolish* I '] by the explosion.

A man named Shaw confessed lo the

police that recently Crabtree effect u| an insurance on his stock, and removed about £4OO worth.

Shavings were (hen carted in in large quantity, and he and Crabtre" on Friday night saturated these with methylated spirits and benzine. It was arranged that when the place was well alight 'Sbaw should jump from the veranda and give the alarm,

but the scheme miscarried. When Crabtree. struck a light a violent explosion followed, and Shaw cnew no more. THE INCENDIARY'S CONFESSION. PREPARATIONS FOR THREE WEEKS. SOME MARVELLOUS ESCAPES. (Received 10.40 a.m.) MELBOURNE. Monday. According to the confession of Shaw, who was Crabtree' r s assistant, preparations for the incendiary fire were proceeding for three weeks. Shaw says that goods were removed during the ni?ht to another of Crabtree's shops at Brunswick.

Crabtree, confronted with Shaw's confession, while modifying his own previous statement, denied Shaw's story. He stated that he found the taps of the. "as stove turned on, and when he lit a match the explosion followed. The detectives state,that they have evidence supporting Shaw's story. In the explosion one of Crabtree's legs was broken, and the man was badly burned. Crabtree and Shaw remain in the hospital. The Sneddon family had a miraculous escape from the explosion. A litle girl whto was lying in bed was buried in the debris, and was saved from being crushed to death only by a door jainbing.

A girl named Lewis fell in her bed from a top floor room to the next (lour, but was uninjured.