Daring Burglary; and Attempted Incendiarism. (Biverton Star.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1816, 10 September 1886, Page 13

Daring Burglary; and Attempted Incendiarism. (Biverton Star.)

Quite a thrill of excitement was occasioned throughout the district by the intelligence that early on Wednesday morning Mr R. Foster's store at Thornbury had been broken into, the till robbed, and the building set on fire. The statement proved only too correct, and great was the surprise when it became known that Benjamin Boivin, a baker in Mr Foster's employ, had been arrested on the double charge of burglary and incendiarism. About 2 a.m. Mr Foster was awoke by Boivin raising an alarm of fire. Mr Foster was quickly on the spot, which is situated about eight chains from the hotel and four from the railway station, and on entering the building saw the counter on fire and the place full of smoke. Luckily the flames had not secured a very firm hold of the building, and a few bucketsful of water quickly removed the threatened danger. Subsequent examination showed that the till had been robbed of over £17. Sergeant Rutledge was communicated with, and accompanied by Constable Sinclair, he investigated the circumstances. Suspicion fell upon two or three persons, but for some time no clue could be obtained to the culprit. Boivin stoutly "denied any knowledge of the affair, but on the bake-house — separated from the store by the road leading to the railway station — being searched, several articles were discovered concealed amongst some bags of flour that at once aroused suspicion. These consisted of lollies, pickles, cocoa, knife polish, matches, &c. A key, which had been filed to suit the chamber of the store door lock, was also found, and further search discovered the money that had been abstracted from the till. Boivin then admitted that it was he who committed the theft, but he denied having intentionally set fire to the building. He stated that he was disturbed in robbing the till by hearing some footsteps, and that the fire must have originated from a candle he left burning when he fled from the building. The damage done to the building will not exceed £15 or £20, but the stock (uninsured) to the value of about £100 has been damaged by fire, water, and smoke. Mr Foster's son was in charge of the premises, but he slept in the hotel. On Thursday Boivin was brought up before Mr Chapman and Mr Instone, J.P's., on the charges of breaking into the store and setting fire to same, when Mr O'Reilly appeared for accused. — Sergeant Rutledge, who conducted the prosecution, applied for a remand for eight days to enable him to get up the evidence. — Mr O'Reilly did not object, and asked that accused be admitted to bail. — Sergeant Rutledgepointed out the serious nature of the charge, and suggested, if bail were accepted, that it should be very substantial. — The bench concurred, and fixed the amount at — for accused £500, and two sureties of £250 each. Failing to find sureties, Boivin wns committed to Invercargill gaol till Wednesday next, when he will again be brought up at Riverton.

Boiviu has been a resident at Riverlon for 10 or 12 years, and until a few months ago carried on business here as baker, &o. He is a married man and his family reside at Riverton,