CHARGE OF ARSON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 31

CHARGE OF ARSON.

DEFENDANT COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) MASTERTON, January 16. At the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court this morning, John Savage was charged with having attempted to set fire to the Empire Hotel on January sth. Mr C. A. Pownall appeared fyr the accused. Sergeant O’Malley conducted the prosecution. H. B. Thompson, a boarder at the hotel, stated that be had occasion to get out of bed about 1 n,m. on the morning of January sth. When going along the passage he pulled some curtains there aside and saw a man trying to set fire to the wall paper near a gas jet. This was at the top of the fire.escape. The man saw witness, and went down the fire-escape and into the hotel 3 r ard. Only caught a glimpse man. Could not swear it was accused, hut to the best of bis belief it was.

Jackson Slade, night-porter, deposed to hearing someone tumbling down the fire-escape about 12.35 a.m. on the morning of January sth. Witness ran outside te the back and saw a man running across the yard. The man, who disappeared down a right-of-way, he could not identify. Sidney Tawhanga stated accused came to him on the night previous to the fire, and asked him if he wanted to make £SO. Witness replied that he did. Accused then said,. “I’ll give you £25 if you come up with me and burn the hotel.” Witness refused, and walked away. Maud Walker, a Maori woman, stated that accused said to her on the night previous to the attempt to set fire to the hotel, “I wanted Jack (Sidne.y) Tawhanga to com© up the fire-es-cape and watch for me. lam going to set fire to the hotel.” Witness told accused not to be foolish, and said she would inform the licensee. Accused then said he would not do it. Accused was committed for trial at the Supreme Court in Wellington. Bail was allowed.