Scientific Fire-Raising.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4249, 25 November 1886, Page 3

Scientific Fire-Raising.

The Auckland correspondent of the “ Lyttelton Times ” says :—“ Some extraordinary evidence bearing on the subject of scientific fire-raising was given at the enquire into a suspicious fire at the Onehunga Cooperage Works on Oct. 19 last. James Kerebs, who bad been employed at the cooperage, deposed that about two months before the fire, Mr Gibbons, the owner of the cooperage, talked about the place being a failure, and said a sawmill paid far better than a cooperage. Witness said be ought to sell our. Mr Gibbons replied that if he sold out he would not get more than £2OO or £3OO for all be had there. He also said —“ 1 have the place well insured; the timber is nice and dry, and would make a good fire. What do you say? If you do it there is a £lO note sticking oat. Witness said—“No we will get transported, or something.” Gibbons asked witness if be wonid go down and do it to-night, there’s a £lO note sticking out.” Witness said—“l am not going down, my boots are too bad." Gibbons said — “Nobody will know anything about it; no one will suspect you. Will you come down, and we will do it to-night." Witness said —“ I do not want to get my feet wet.” He said—" Go inside and put your heavy boots on.” Witness said—“ No, I cannot think of doing each a thing." About two days afterwards, witness saw Gibbons in the mill. He said he had got a patent to light a fire. He got a candle, and told witness to tie a piece of cotton wick around a bottle according to the time they wanted to have the fire, as the candle burned seven or eight hours. He placed the candle in a box, after soaking the cotton wick in kerosene. The cotton wick was then to be laid through the mi I, with shavings above and below it, and be led to a stack of dry timber. They could then light the candle, according to the time they wanted the fire to star', and then go home or to Auckland, and be far enough away when the fire began. The box was to have only three sides, and no lid, and be bidden with sacks so that the light could not be seen. There wore two holes in the edge of o tbe box, and a ledge to prevent the bags from lying over the boles. Gibbons finished by saying,“The first time the wind is in the right way, will you fix it up, and 1 will give yon £2O if you doit?" Witness said, “ No, I am not drunk enough." Gibbons again made similar proposals on Oct. 13. On the following Saturday witness went to the races, and on returning home found Gibbons in the bouse. He asked witness to go up town, and he accordingly went after tea. Witness subsequently met Gibbons in Princes street. He turned back with him as far as the corner of Selwyn street’ when Gibbons asked him in, saying he had some good whiskey. Witness went into the parlour and had some moonlight whisky, about two half tumblers. Gibbons then said, “ JTor God’s sake, help me out of my trouble, Sydney, and set fire to it to-night.” Witness replied, “ I would get ten years if 1 did like that.” The wind was blowing east by north-eaet that night. Gibbons said, “ Don’t be suoh a coward." Witness said, “ I couldn’t think of snob a.thing,” and left him there and then and went home. The following Monday witness assisted Gibbons to straighten some crowbars at the cooperage forge. Gibbons said it would be a fine excuse to light the forge and set fire to the mill. He asked witness if be had told his wife or anyone else about the offer he. had made ? Witness replied he had not. Gibbons then said that the wind was the right way ;it must be done that night. The wind was east, qnd wou!4 not hqrt bps neighbor. After the fire witness told Gibbons he bad mqde a mess of it now. Gibbons replied, “ So help me God, Sidney, I didn’t do if," The day after the fire witness met Gibbons in front of the Union office, Queen street. Gibbons said, “ Surely yon haven’t been so mean as to go and inform V’ Witness replied that he bad. Gibbons said, “Then I know what you want. You want to clear cut of the country." Gibbons said. “I will give you £25 to clear ont.’’ Witness said be did not want it and went away from him. Gibbons in hia evidence denies Kerch’s allegations, which lack corroboratioo.