KILBIRNIE FIRE SCARE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1927, Page 9

KILBIRNIE FIRE SCARE

POLICE PREFER A CHARGE MAN STANDS TRIAL FOR ARSON. ENTRANCE INTO HOUSE ADMITTED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. James Perry, a boiler maker, aged 36, was to-day committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of attempting to set fire to a house at Kilbirnie on the night of August 19. The accused, who admitted breaking and entering five houses in that district within the last month or so, was committed for sentence on the latter charges. Perry, who has been in custody since August 19, appeared before Mr. E. Page, S M., in tlie Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to breaking and entering three houses and stealing goods d money to the total value of £9 4s 6d. He also admitted breaking and entering into two other houses with intent to steal, but denied a charge of attempted arson, although, in a statement to the police, he said he was in the house a few minutes before the outbreak occurred. Alexander James Pollock said that, about 10 p.m. on August 19, while sitting in his dining room at his home in 11, Onepu Road, he heard a woman scream. Ho immediately rushed into the front room just in time to see a man clear out through the window. "I then went out of the front door around to the back,” said witness, “and saw a man on the fence. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he had heard someone scream as he was passing by, so he came in to help.” Chief Detective Holmes: And wha» did you do then, Mr. Pollock? “CRACKED HIM ON HEAD.” “Oh, I just cracked him quickly on the head with a piece of wood.” (Laughter.) Norman Clark, of 30 Y'ule Street, Kilbirnie, said he had put his baby to bed in the front room at about 8 p.m. on August 19. “I was sitting with my wife in another part of the house,” he continued, “when I heard a, noise like the opening and shutting of a gate. Soon after this the baby began to cry, and my wife went into the front room. She said she could smell something burning, and a moment later called owt to me: “Come quick! All tire bedding is on fire and the room is full of smoke.” Witness immediately caught his young baby in his arms and rushed it out into the open air. Its face was blue and it was gasping for breath, as if it was suffocating. The bedclothes were then thrown on the floor and the flames trampled out on the bed, and under the bed some burnt paper could be seen. A tiny piece was all that remained without being burnt. A few minutes later a fire was discovered in the lumber room at the back of the house. Here some more paper had been set alight. Next day he said he saw some peculiar footmarks on the lawn near the front room window. The heel marks were of a most unsual shape He told the police about it. PECULIAR RUBBER HEELS. Detective McLennan said that accused, when arrested, was wearing shoes with peculiar rubber heels. Witness took the shoes and compared them with the prints. They were exactly similar. He told the detective that he had walked up to a house in Yule Street that evening and had looked through the window but had not gone inside. He made another statement saying that he had entered the house in Yule Street, but had not stolen anything or set it on fire. He had got in through the front window and looked about the room. As he failed to see anything, however, he left, and went around to. the back of the house and entered the lumber room by the window. He said he had not set fire to either room nor had he noticed the baby in bed. In his statement he said that if he did set fire to the front room, he could not remember doing so. “I think the case of attempted arson is quite clear,” said the detective. “His shoe marks were exactly the same.” Counsel for accused: "That is your version and a point for the jury to decide.” No application was made for bail.