WHOLESALE CHARGES OF ARSON AND FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8538, 11 April 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHOLESALE CHARGES OF ARSON AND FRAUD.

Thomas George Tjsew, George Cullmer, Warren Ingram, Richard Capsoy, George Loveday, and Ellen Whoeler were iudicted at the Central Criminal Court, on February 18, before Mr. Justice Charles, on a series of charges of arson, conspiracy, and fraud. There were no less than 20 indictments for felony, and one for conspiracy which included 20 counts. The modun operandi was bo rent a boast), or part of a house, insure the contents, which were of almost nominal value, for about £100 or £100, set fire to the rooms and claim the insurance money. The companies involved were the Royal Insurance, the Northern Fire Insurance, the County Fire Office, tho London and Lancashire Fire Insurance, the Westminster, and the Phoenix. Ellen Ingram, wife of Warren Ingram, was also included in the indiotment, but sho was not in custody. Mr. Besloy and Mr. C. F. Hill prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury; Mr. Hurrell appeared for Cullmer ; Mr. Arthur Hutton represented Trew ; and Mr. Rockingham Gill defended Capsey. The first charge against Cullmer, whose case was taken separately, was that of setting fire to 27, Wood Road, Shepherd's Bush, with intent to injure and dofraud. ' -

Mary Kinsall, living at that address, said in August last the prisoner called on her with his wife, giving the name of Franklin. They took the drawing-room floor and furnished it, and three weeks later, on September 3, she discovered a fire in the prisoner's front room, Cullmer and his wife being in the back room ab the time. There was an old lady upstairs, who had to be carried out. Charles Henry Jones, a member of the Salvage Corps at tho Shaftesbury Avenue Station, said he attended tho,lire, and .the" priaonor suggested that it was due to the falling of a paraffin lamp. Alfred Richard Jones, representing the Royal Insurance Company, said there were about 100 items in prisoner's claim, including a large quantity of wearing apparel and curtains. The total amount claimed was £122 Ss 6d, and the. prisoner agreed to accept, and was paid, £90 19s in settlement. Detective-inspector Dinnio said', on arresting the prisoner at the instance of the informant, Whitehead, at 13, Whitmore Road, Hoxton, ho found an unfinished letter in the prisoner's handwriting, dated September 10,, 1890, in which ho said, ''Got on very well; take it all round. Our Fred went through one and got £70 out of £85, of which he had £35. In the meantime I mot F. Whitehead in Hoxton, and began business at once with him, not knowing him as Ido now. He had a very poor home to get much, so I done all 1 could for him. I lent him money and part of my home to carry it through, and done the job. lie got £03 and odd out of £113, otherwise he would nob have gob more than £40. In the meantime we made shift for the lot of them in Church Road, grub and all, till he got his monoy." Witness found some burnt clothes and furniture at Whitmore Road.

The next flro was at 97, Tredegar Road, Bow, in October, 1889, where two rooms were taken by the prisoner under similar circumstances. Cullmer attributed the tire, which took place about three weeks after his arrival, to tho explosion of a paraffin lamp. He was insured in the London and Lancashire Company for £150, and obtained £00 in settlemnnt. Evidence was given with regard to a fire at 44, Richmond Gardens, when tho prisoner obtained from tho Royal £130 in settlement of a claim of £80 13s (Id ; and with regard to another tiro at "250, Tufnoli Park Road, when a claim upon the Phoenix for £72 19s Od was settled for £10, the agent expressing at tho time his suspicion as to the origin of tho fire. Frederick Whitehead, living at 66, Ridley Road, Dalston, said he had known George Cullmer for 12 years. The prisoner spoke to him on the subject of fires in Ootober, 18S9. Tho prisonor said that having a tiro would be a very profitable transaction, that it would put money into his (witness') Socket and his own ; and ho also advised ira to take out a policy of insurance. Ho said he set places on fire where goods wero not really worth anything, or only a few pounds, and then by a method known only to himself a great benefit would accrue. Ho said that a few baskets and sheeting and paraffin oil were the chief factors, and ho undertook to burn tho place out so that there should be no detection. He also mentioned tape and candles. A common lamp would bo broken, and the fragments of tho reservoir would bo thrown about tho room. That was to give the notion that an explosion had taken place. He spoko of several fires in which he had figured. He mentioned Clyde Road, Tottenham; Winchester-street, King's Cross ; Southwark Bridge Road, and Tredegar Road, Bow. Ho (witness) insured his furniture in Spa Road, Bermondsey, at the Westminster Fire Office, and the policy was transferred to St. John's Road, Hoxton. Prisonor came to him at this address on

September 15, bringing with him a sack of burnt clothing. He said, "Everything is ready. All you have to do is to clear out of the place and I will see to the rest." Cullmer's brother was also present. Witness left about half-past five, and reburnod about eight o'clock, whon ho found that the fire had taken place and the contents were more or loss destroyed. That was the first fire with which he (witness) had been connected. The agreement with Cullmer was that he (witness) should have one-third of the gains. On September 16 ho went at the invitation of George Cullmer to 44; Richmond Gardens, whereafire was to take place. Cullmer said he had procured a policy in the name of Wilson, and that prisoner's brother had represented himself to be the owner of the goods. The policy was originally taken out at 22, Church Road, Islington. Witness found that the furniture was partly burnt which prisoner said had come from Tredegar Road, Bow. He was on the bridge at the back of the house when the fire broke out. Prisoner afterwards mob him at a publichouse and said he was afraid it would bo an awkward affair, as his brother Fred was quite new to the business. At Tufnell Park Road the furniture consisted of the salvago of the Sb. John's Road fire, which prisoner purchased of him, including a sofa tor 2s (Id and palliasses for 3s. He saw George Cullmer saturate some cheap canvas with paraffin oil and wrap it round the furniture. He then produced a piece of tapo soaked in oil, which he attached at one end to the canvas, and at the other end to a piece of candle, which ho lighted. A lamp was previously broken and strewn about the place. They then left the room with Fred Cullmer, and a fire broke out. Witness gave evidence with regard to other fires at MO, Paignton Road, Stamford Hill, Dortonstreet, Camberwell, and Shorrold's Road, Fulham. At the latter place witness escaped out of the first floor window by a sheet and blanket fastened to the bedpost. In cross-examination witness said ho cleared something like £20 over the Sb. John's Road fire. Having been 11 years in a situation at Bennondsey he went to the country with mode jewellery at bho beginning of 1889. He was now engaged in dentifrice. The jury found the prisoner "Guilty," bub sentence was deferred until other charges could be gone into. At the same courbtiexb day Ellen Wheeler, aged 70, was indicted on charges of wholesale arson and fraud. The prisoner was specifically tried for sotting fire to a house, No. 2, Portland Road, Seven Sisters Road, Hollowa}', with intent to j defraud and injure. In order to prove the offence a number of the other fires were also inquired into. Mrs. Wheeler took the house in question in October, IS9O, under bhe name of Come, the furniture having been previously insured ab 29, Stanley-sbreo£ Queen's Road, Babbersea, in bhe County Firo Office for £125. The prisoner gave the name of Mr. Wheeler as a referee to the landlord, the letter of tho supposed referee being in her own handwriting. A fire shortly after she had entered into occupation occurred ab No. 2, Porbland Road, and the prisoner suggested bhab a cab must have knockod over the lamp which was left burning on her bedroom table. She claimed £136, and obtained £115 in settlement. The prisoner, on being arrested by Detective-sergeant Williamson, on December 5, said, "I did not conspire with all those men. If they had taken my advice they would have had no fires." Other fires about which evidence was given occurred abll.Querin-streeb, Bow, where the prisoner obtained £75, from the Royal Fire Insurance Company in the year 1886 ; at 156, St. George's Road, Peokham, where she gave the name of Thornton, obtaining from tho London and Lancashire £70 in satisfaction of a claim of £94 19s ; ab 89, Great Dover-street, where she took a second floor in May, 1890, in the name of Cranley, and secured £100 from tho West- '

minster Office; and at 46, Winchester-street, King!s Cross, where the prisoner gave the name of Hitcheri, in January, 1887, and for which fire Cullmer obtained from the Phoenix a sum of £50, George Cullmer, who was convicted the previous day, was identified as the prisoner's grandson, living with the prisoner at the Winchester-street house. Some of the goods, including a piano, were identified as having been at more than one of the fires, and Whitehead, the approver, gave evidence inculpating the prisoner, who altogether had received upwards of £300 from different insurance companies. Prisoner said she had had very little from these insurances, and complained that there were many discrepancies in the evidence. She had nob set fire to one of the houses. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty," sentence being deferred. -- George Cullmer, George Loveday, and Ellen Wheeler were then charged n connection with a "fire at 53, Buxton Road, Walthamstow, on August 11, 1889. The house was occupied by Loveday, and the furniture was insured by him in the Phoenix, the amount paid in respect of the lire being £219.. The approver, Whitehead, was severely cross-examined by Cullmer, who said the witness swot*e vengeance against him because he would nob commit another act of arson. He charged Whitehead with setting fire to the Shorrold's Road house, and with an attempt to take away his (Cullmer'a) wife. It was admitted with regard to Loveday that he had previously been insured. for £200 without fire occurring. The approver's evidence being uncorroborated with regard to Wheeler and Cullmer, they were acquitted on the present indictment. Loveday explained his connection with the other prisoners, and declared that he had nothing whatever to do with the fire in question. Having money and a good home, why, he asked, should he do what was alleged against him ? The jury were a long time considering their verdict, and eventually they found Loveday " Not Guilty" on this indictment. On Wednesday Thomas George Trew, 47, French polisher, was indicted for wilfully setting fire to premises at Islington and Walbhamstow. The jury convicted the prisoner, and sentence was deferred. Richard Cap.sey, 30, was indicted for a similar • offence. The jury acquitted tho prisoner.