FIRE AND SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 911, 18 March 1879, Page 2

FIRE A ND SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.

. . - Cjikisiceorch, March 17. A firs broke out to-night-m Schwartz's tobacconist shop," iff High-street, near tlie White Hart Hotel. Smoke was noticed coming out -of the shutters, about a quarter-past ten o'clock, and an alarm was given. A five tank is nearly opposite the shop, buckets were obtained, and a line formed. The door was then broken open, and the counter was found to be in flames and burning strongly, the shop being full of smoke. The buckets kept the fire under till the hand-engine came, which quickly settled the matter. A good deal of damage was done between the smoke and the water. The counter was on fire in three places. Katurally, in conse-. quence of the entertainments at the theatre and the drill-shed, both of which were crowded, there was a tremendous attendance of the public, as soon as the whereabouts of the fire was discovered. The brothers Schwartz have been arrested on a charge of incendiarism. The stock turns out to be heavily insured as follows :—Standard, LoOO ; Union, LSOO ; Transatlantic, L7.OQ. ; -The shop is said: to have been filled with dummies, ; while I there- were', no' less than.;three separate' | fires, two under the counter and one :dn" I the shelves. The shop is in the middle of a large and valuable block. The two brothers were partners, but ostensibly [ dissolved a short time ago.