A PUZZLING CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8612, 24 December 1913, Page 2

A PUZZLING CASE

INCENDIARISM AT FOXTON TWO YEARS’ REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. An unfortunate case, presenting peculiar features, was before His Honour the Chief Justice on_ Saturday morning, when James Warren Williams, an elderly man, came up lor sentence on two incendiary charges, to which he had pleaded guilty. The offences were committed at Foxton on tha 7th inst., when tho accused set firo to a five-roomed house, owned by A. S. P’atcrson and Co., of Wellington, and occupied by his wife; and also to a house owned by John’ Death and occupied by the accused himself, the latter building being destroyed. DOMESTIC TROUBLES. Mr H. R... Cooper, who appeared for the prisoner, slated that AVilliams was about 08 years of age, and had been convicted and discharged for attempted suicide within tho last year. Ho had an unblemished character, and was held in considerable respect by the residents -of tho district of Foxton, where he had lived for many years. The opinion of Constable AS oods, of Foxton, was very favourable to the accused. AVilliams had been living with his wife from 1887 until last August; there were somo differences between them, and a separation order was granted, which seemed to affect his mind and worry him to a great extent. In November he agreed to sell his property of 35 acres, hut when tho time came for the completion of the transaction, he found that his wife had registered a charging order against it protecting her maintenance. Tho sale had not been completed, and this seemed to affect him considerably. “He saw mo day after day,” Mr iCoopct added* “and seemed to bo suffering from the delusion that his wife was guilty of infidelity. He w’enc to where she was living, and set light to the house to satisfy himself as to whether there was anyone else in the building. The damage was only slight, being estimated at £2. He knocked on the window* to see who would come out. Ho then went hack and destroyed his own house and effects, and no doubt tried to burn himself with it. However, ho camo out again, not having the strength of mind to seo it through, apd gave himself up to tho polico.” NOT AN INSANITY CASE. Continuing, Air Cooper said it waf> not possible to suggest legally that the accused was insane, hut there was. very little doubt that at tho time oi the burning of the houses ho was not in his right mind. His health was far from tho best, and it might ho that he had not very long to last., this was not a matter in which probation could be sought, hut ho (counsel) would ask His Honour, to pass a short sentence. His Honour: “The difficulty in probation is the risk to the community and to the man himself. I don’t know, w'hat to do with him, hut X think it.vould bo better to lot tho Prisons Board see if they can make some arrangement.” - His Honour addled Dmt ho could . not' send the man to Ttfto asylum, but perhaps an arrangement could ho made for some person to look after hint and an application could ho made on his behalf to the Prisons Board to see if they would make any recommendation. In reply to a question by his counsel. the accused stated that his wife was forty-eight years of age. Mr Cooper said ho thought there was good reason to suppose that AVilliams and his wife would live together again, NECESSITY FOR CONTROL. Hia Honour, addressing tho accused, said: “Yours is not an ordinary case. Apparently you have not control of yourself. This is shown by a previous case this year, when you attempted co commit suicide. It is perfectly plain that you are not responsible for what yon do. I cannot leave youwithout control, to injure yourself,your wife, or tho community.” His Honour referred to the fact that the prisoner had been drinking whisky ontho night of the crime, and pointedout that if he were not under ro«traint ha might take more alcohol, with the possible result that it wouldsend -him off fils head altogether. He would have to be sentenced, not toimprisonment with hard labour, hut to reformative treatment. If any rearrangement was to ho m-ado, ho couldapply to tho Prisons Board, and someone might bo found to look after him,and they might also ascertain what his wife thought. The prisoner couldnot bo sent to an asylum; he was not lacking -in mental capacity somuch as to warrant that—yet a manwho get firo to houses could not ho allowed at large. Ho. would be sentenced to two years’ reformative treatment, and could apply to tho Prisons Board to lot him out ou probation. His Honour asked Mr Cooper to see if any arrangement could ho made to look after AVilliams. If this was done, he would call a special meeting of the Prisons Board to consider the case between, this date and the second week in_ January, because ha realised that this was not an ordinary case at- all.