CHARGE OF ARSON

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 12015, 16 August 1907, Page 3

CHARGE OF ARSON

Dunedin, August 15. Ac the Police Court to-day Thomas Miller, grocer, was charged with having wilfully set fire to a house in North-East Valley, and after lengthy evidence had been tendered, he was committed for trial. The evidence was to the effect that the house belonged to Miller, it having been purchased in 1904 for £250 ; and of that amount £175 was still on mortgage, whil3 he borrowed another £ IQO on security of the property; that he held an insurance policy for £ix> covering the premium. That accused went to a chemist's shop and purchased a lib. tin of phosphorus, and on the same day he was seen to go to the nouse, which was unoccupied at the time, and, accompanied by his father, left in twenty minutes. Shortly afterwards a girl had occasion to go to the house for some clothes of a recent tenant, and she noticed the first signs of the fire,and a strong smell of phosphorus. She gave an alarm, and the neighbors put the fire out before much damage was done. On the Police investigating, it was found that phosphorus had apparently been poured between the bricks of the chimney aad the lining boards from the roof, and a little distance from a manhole in the ceiling an empty canister was found, which the chemist identified as having contained the phosphorus which he sold to the accused. The former occupier's furniture and effects, which were uninsured, were lying in the house at the time.