ALLEGED ATTEMPTED ARSON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2960, 9 June 1885, Page 4

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED ARSON.

(BT TF.LF.CRAPU.) Lnvep.cakgill, June 8. .Tames Maben, runholcler, Benmore, tras charged at the Police Court to-day with attempting to set fire to the stacks of a deferred payment settler, whose homestead is about fonr miles from Benmore. The prosecutor's statement was very circumstantial. He said that about 3 in tho morning of tho 21st May, he and his wifo were aroused by the barking of dog 3, and on looking out of tho window, saw the glimmer of a match near the stacks. Without dressing ho ran out, and gsfc within four paces of a man who, he was positive, was accused. He made a run to the horse, which was hitched to tho fence, mounted, and rode away. Prosecutor cried " Ton may as well stand, Maben; I know you." Ho then went back to tho house, loosened tho dogs, and sent them after the horseman. Ho rode into the sheep gully, where the dogs bailed him np, and O'Donnell went up to within two paces of the man and satisfied himself it was Maben. He told him he would make him suffer for it, and the horseman replying "All right,"rode away. Oo the afternoon of the previous day Maben rode throogh O'Donnell'a farm, dismounting at the stacks, and when O'Donnell challenged him for trespass, he threatened him with a stockwhip. On the morning after seeing tho man at the stacks he found two sheaves pulled out of the middle one, and three parts of burnt matches at the butts of them. O'Donnell said he had no ill-feeling to Maben, bnt had been a witness against him in a trespass case brought by a neighbor. For the defence, Maben's housekeeper deposed that he came home on the 20: h abont dusk, took the saddle off the horse, and turned it out. She did not think he could have got out of the house again that night without her knowledge. Top window of his room was nailed down. Her dog would give an alarm if anyone moved in the house at night. A neighboring settltr deposed that O'Donnell bore a bad character among the settlers. He would not believe ht3 statements on oath. He had no r-aaon to have an ill-feeeling to O'Donneil, but had been sub{:oanaed. At this counsel for accused applied for an adjournment t> procure further evidence against O'Donnell'a credibility, and the hearing was adjourned to the 16th inst.