GROCERY SHOP FIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3889, 25 September 1928, Page 73

GROCERY SHOP FIRE.

THREE MEN CHARGED. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. AUCKLAND, September 20. Thomas Francis Carroll, Sydney Francis Water's, and James Tait appeared in court to-day charged with wilfully setting fire to a grocery shop valued at £975 and conspiring to defraud the British Traders’ Insurance Company of £ooo. Chief Detective Hammond stated that a few days ago was discharged from the police force. Evidence was given by the trustee ol the shop t rat Carroll had forwarded proof of the loss through the fire and a claim for £394. Witness examined the debris. The stock did not appear to represent the statements in the stock sheets. Evidence was given by several witnesses that immediately after the shop was blown up early in the morning of August 2a they saw three men quickly entering a waiting car and drive off hurriedly without' lights. Raymond John Murphy whose wife is a sister of Waters, said that Waters and Tait were at his house on the night before the fire. They went away about 10 p.m., returning an hour later with several boxes of groceries. Waters said the stuff was his. They left again /4nd returned after midnight, finally leaving the Murphys at 1.15 a.m. (August 29). At that time. Waters had no injury to his left arm, but two days later Murphy saw him in hospital with severe arm injuries. Waters said the injuries were received through falling down. Two days later Carroll saw witness and asked what

Waters was going to do with the groceries, Murphy asked if the goods came from his shop. Carroll replied: “Yes.” Murphy then requested that they be taken away from the house. Subsequently the police called at the Murphys and seized the goods. Detectives read statements made by Waters and Carroll. Waters in his statement said it was arranged between Carroll and himself that after the groceries were removed the store should be set on

nre. J.ait neipea mm to remove the groceries in a taxi-cab. Carroll went to the theatre that night. As far as Waters could remember it was Tait who set fire to the shop. He (Waters) was under the influence of liquor at the time. Tait took him to hospital after he had received an iniury as the result of the explosion. Carroll in his statement said: “ I knew the shop was to be destroyed by fire on August 28, but I did not make • any arrangements and was not present at the fire. About August 30 I called on Waters at the police station,"when he told me it was he and Tait who set fire to the shop and that when the explosion occurred he was standing on the road. I did not recompense Tait or Waters for setting fire to the place. At the time I made the claim on the insurance office I included the groceries removed by Waters and Tait.” Detective Sergeant Bickerdike said that after making his statement Waters added: “ If I had not received an injury to my arm from the explosion I do not think you would have found out about the fire.” Carroll, on being, shown the statement made by Waters, said “ I am pleased he did not say I set fire to the store, because 1 did not.” Both these statements were shown to Tait. He said: “ Let them prove it.” The accused, who reserved their defence, were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was fixed at £7OO.