MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4097, 8 June 1881, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

♦ | CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, Junb 8, (Before J. Ollivier, B. Westenra, and J. E. Parker, Esqs ) Dbttnienness. — Peter Thompson was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and using obscene language in Cashel street, in the pretence of several ladiea. Mr H. R. Webb gave evidence as to the bad language used by accused. The Bench commented severely on the conduct of accused, who was a young man, and inflicted a fine of 255, or 7z hours' imprisonment. — A first offender was fined ss, Inoendiabism. — John Duncan alias Henry Brown, waa charged with maliciously Betting fire to a house on the East town belt, the property of William Btoddart. Superintendent Broham conducted the case for the prosecution. William Stoddart deposed that he had owned a housa on the east belt, which had been destroyed by fire on May 23. The house was insured in the South British Insurance Company for £250. Witnesß waa away from Ohristohurch at the time, and had asked a gentleman named Mr Clabburn, who lived near, to look after the premises for him. W. H. Clabburn deposed that ho lived next to the premises that had been burnt down. Had seen the prisoner come away from the premisos about three weeka beforo the fire. Recognised tho prisoner in the police depot after hiß arrest. W. F. Hubbard deposed that he waa a civil engineer, and lived on the section next but one to that on which the fire took placo. Witnessed the fire there on the night of May 23. Saw the prisoner about a quarter-of-an-hour after the fire had began. Witness remarked to somo ladies that some vagrant bad probably caused the fire through smoking. Prisoner, interrupting witness, Baid : " Oh, sir, you do not think a man would do such a thing as that through smoking ; that has h -en well tarred before it was set fire to." Witness had seen prisoner in the neighbourhood on previous occasions. Mark Kearvell : Knew the prisoner ; on tho night of the fire in question, met him running away from it near the Cemetery. Detective O'Connor deposed that on June 2 he charged prisoner with the present offence. At the lock-up prisoner said : "Oh you're all right now ; we'll Bee to them things." The prisoner waa then charged with maliciously setting fire to a house in Oxford terrace, the property of W. Brice, on May 30 last. W. Brice deposed that he resided in Oxford terrace. He owned the houße in which the fire occurred on May 30 last, and lived next door to it. The house was one of four which belonged to witness, and were insured in the Royal for £2C DO. Between 5 and 6 o'olock on the morning of May 80 witness was alarmed by a fire in one of the back rooms of the house nearest to tho Foreitera' Arms Hotel. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Brigade. V. Berti, licensee of the Foresters' Arms Hotel : Mr Brice's new buildings were on the next seetion to witness'. On the day befere the fire witness went ovor the house in question with Mr Brice about 11.30 a.m. Everything waß right then. Witness served prisoner with a drink on Saturday night, May 28. Prisoner left the hotel about 11 p.m. J. N. Connell, a contractor residing at Phillipßtown, aaw prisoner asleep in one of the waterclosets of Mr Brice's houses in Oxford tarrace on Saturday night, May 28, and informed Detective O'Connor. On Sunday, May 29, prisoner was not on the premisos. At 5 o'clock on the morning of May 30 witness, having had hii suspicions aroused, wont again to tho premises, and looking ovor the fence and through a small window in the house saw a alight glare of fire. Went to the back gate leading from tbe right-of-way, and found it ajar, ■aw prisoner looking out of the back door of the house. Went and gave information to the police, and then to the Firo Brigade Btation and gave the alarm. Saw a man I resembling prisoner running away from the right-of-way leading to Brice's buildings as witness waa going to inform tho police. Prisoner had previously admitted to witnesß that ho had slept in the house in question, and got food from hotel cooks or stole it. Francis O'Neill, residing in Manchester street, had known prisoner for the past two years. On the morning of May 30, about 4 o'clock, saw prisoner running down Oxford Terrace, eastward from the scene of the firo. This was before the fire-bell rang. Detective O'Connor had arrested prisoner on the present charge at the Central Hotel, on May 30. Prisoner said, "Good God, where was the fire." Witness took prisoner to the scene of tho fire, and told him that wag the place he was charged with setting fire to. Prisoner said he had slept there. Witness had told Mr Connell, the contractor, to keep a watch on prisoner's movements. Prisoner, who had nothing to eay, was committed for trial on both charges, at the next Criminal Sesaiona of the Supreme Court, (Bofore N. Wood, Esq., R.M.) Civil Casks.— ln the case of Ward and Co. v. Monk, judgment was given by default for £96 2s 6d'. In Wibon, Sawtell and Co v. Marks, judgment waa given for plaintiff for £14 16s 7d. (n Brown v. Smith, claim £49 17a 4d, judgment was given for £30 17a id. The caso of Croton v. Smith, was adjourned for a fortnight.