INCENDIARIST BLAMED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18685, 15 April 1924, Page 5

INCENDIARIST BLAMED.

STRANGE FIRE m SHOP.

NOTE LEFT UPON GATE.

Awakened by the strong, smell of smoke in his rooms early one morning, Albeit Harold Smith, stationer, of Burnie Street, Cloveliy, Sydney, was unable to get from the first to' the ground floor, and had to leave the building by way of a back window. He was able to reach the ground without much effort, j There is a sensational phase to the firs, as on the back gate had been pinned -a letter, which was in an envelope. It.read"Mr. Soul, two years is a long while to wait, but it is worth while to gat you. This is my first chance. I know you won t put' me, Mr. Anthony." : '•;" > v p: .._:;•": After the fire had been extinguished information was sent :to?;^>itandwi^ Police * Station. • ; ;' There is no doubt the building . was ; broken into during the early hours of the morning, for there are signs of a back window having been broken open. ■ , The building is of two storeys. t On tt» Sound floor is the shop, conducted by > r. Smith. He bought the business from Mr. Soul about 15 months ago, and has conducted it ever since. His bedroom lav

over the shop. • .. w '„j, f ,-. - "At 4.30 a.m.," :he said, "I was awak- v ened kby smoke entering my bedroom, and on jumping out of bed and goingtowards), r the stairs I was amazed to find the shop i: on fire, and the flames gaining headway.-;,; : Owing to ■■: the density of the smoke, I could not go downstairs, and had to get out of a back window. . I soon had Rand- p wick and Waverley firemen on the scene. They rendered excellent service, but a con- ? ; siderable amount of damage w»«r»done." : v •V; Most '■■■ of the contents were destroyed. ■;,.,; i S Mr.i Soul conducted the business for:; ■:■ some time prior to his disposal of it, and ; he was verv i popular m i the locality. It I is hard for the police to think that he had an enemy. However, it is within the ' bounds of possibility that someone of weak intellect broke into the .;. building and caused the 'fire. :\-.J;;-:x.' : '.'v «y.£'*" '■-'''>■:.'"■■%■:'■