SET FIRE TO SHOP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21844, 5 July 1934, Page 12

SET FIRE TO SHOP

ADMISSION BY YOUNG MAN BUSINESS VENTURE SEQUEL [by TELEGRAPH —OWJJ correspondent] WELLINGTON, Wednesday An admission that he had set fire to a building for the purpose of gaining insurance money was contained in a statement made by Carl Oscar Andras Fredricson and read by a detective in the Wellington Magistrate's Court today when Fredricson was charged with wilfully setting fire to a shop and dwelling at Onepu Road, Lyall Bay. Accused, who was aged 24, pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Mr. *W. F. Stilwell, S.M., was on_ the Bench. One of the principal witnesses was Mrs. Winifred Hall, a widow, living at Grant Road. She said that accused, whom she had known for about threo years, had been living at her house and was engaged to her daughter. In August, 1933, she purchased a confectionery and grocery business, costing £250. She put accused in charge and left the running of it entirely to him. Aft<;r tho business had been running a few months she understood that it was just paying expenses. Later, she said, it had fallen into debt and she had to pay £79. Accused never made any explanation and she did not know at the time of the fire that he owed an additional £BO. Detective Waterson said he examined the building, which had been damaged to the extent of £l2 10s. At the seat of the fire he found a large quantity of burnt and partly burnt newspapers and kindling wood which accused had admitted putting there. To Mr. Kent, counsel for accused, the detective stated that Fredricson knew that all the insurance money would go to Mrs. Hall and that h<? could get no personal gain. His purpose in setting fire to the building was that he was anxious that Mrs. Hall would not lose the money sho had put into it. Evidence was also given by a member of the fire brigade, who said that the brigade prevented tho fire from seriously damaging tho building.