SUPREME COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12121, 30 August 1906, Page 7

SUPREME COURT.

(Bc-iore his Honor the Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout).

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29

ALLEGED ARSON

The Court resumed at 10 o'clock yes;crday morning. Mostyn Poole, continuing his ovilencc. '{••aid tho horse marks Averc traced to'McLdowie's front gate. Witness ?-all«l McLdoAvio's son's (Will) attention to the marks on the road, but he Avould not go quite to the gate, as he said :ho wore cow marks. Witness was cerMiin the marks Avere not tho.se of n ■o\\'. Had often seeu accused Aveariiig v boot and a, slipper. On the morning of the 9th December, the house ire. witness was routed and found a ;tick and sack, Avhich were- saturated with kerosene. Later in the day a. .Upper mark was found on the flower bed, opposite where the fire started, md at tho picket gate. On the latter hero were marks of kerosene, and also >n the front gate. There were slipper marks by the gate, arid niairks of a. :ony unshod on* tAvo feet. There Avere iianse and slipper marks across the road to' accused's gate; and also kerosene marks'on his gate. A bottle was found sit a. later date by Avitness's gate, Avliielr tiad "contained kerosene, a little keioseno still being in the bottle. On the morning of the fire at t]ie en«i!age stack witness, Avith others, including accused, aa^io arrived seA reral hours after the L'omniencement of the fire, managed to put it out. Made a search in tho morning, tand from Avitn'ess's cow paddock £;ite to accused's gate, about 40 yards, distinct marks Avere found of a horse's root. They Avere traced hack t'o'a gap in Avitnecs's hedge, and then back to accused's gate. Was in bed when tlio Sro broke out in the haystack on the 22nd January, arid on being called ran doAvn to the read gate, and thence to the hay paddock gate, and crouched low h> watch.. Saw nobody, and on hearing the revolver shots ran towards Con«ttabk» Davey and his ton, who had fired tho shotsl. Witness's brother call-i-d accused's eons, Avho tame out, and Don«tab!e Davey Avhere his father vviis, an<l lie replied that he was''in bed. Doustable Davey .and McLdoAvie went to iicciiftT.;V k «, but could not find him at home % Witness, Constable Davey, the letter's son, and Kenneth McLdoAvie then went along the road to the liay paddock gate, which Aras closed. A person could not get betAveen the gate and tlio hedge. The gate Avae opened, und the party went tlia'ough. Witness shay accused in the hay paddeck. Con■itable Davey approached accused. Hi=3 first question to, him Avas, "Hoav did you como hero, and lioav did you knoAv there Avas a, fire." Accused lepliecl that he saAV the glare from his house, and went across, tearing life trousers on tho barb-wire gate. One of the party suggested' that accused could not get oA-er the gate, and he replied that ho niiwb have got l'ouncl it. Witness iaid it Ava.^ impossible to get round the Sate. A feAv days before the fire ac-l-ii»(kl said to witness that he had better get the otack insured, as it would bo the next to go. The party AA Jent from tha hay paddock to. McLdoAvie's Iront gate. One of the party asked acjiibxjd Ih>av he kneAV the fire Avae on. Acctiycd replied thai ho hoard Avithess'.s brother calling his (boys. Nobody could have gone from accused's gate to the bay paddock gate, across the road, ivithout witness seeing them. Accused said, bo left his place by his front gate, find witness replied that he could not liaA-o done so., ias there was no chance af so doing without being seen by Avittie?s. Accused Avas fully dresoed. He to-orn a 'hard hat, canned a walking"tick. and slippers. After the second fire a gun Avas .s^t in the coav;he<l, but was found later on in a aa-cII, ,n a broken condition.

To Mr. Skerretfc: Did not call his father on the night of the first fire, in July, or mention it to anyone till the morning. Thought that near themiikstand there was a elippor mark, in nil igain a slipper and a boot mark. Kext saw the marks of a booKanil slipvwn" by tho gate alongside the iroad. Traced hctrse marks from the gate to Mcf^dowieV gate, which were those oi a [ibree with two feist only dhod. Conld~ riot pay who suggested fiiist tliai" a (yolic^rruin :;fchould be sent -:for, Willie \IcI/dowie-"measured the marks of a boot with a rule, and witness went about three-cjuarters of a liiilc down , tho mail, waiting for the police. Made inquiries about/ialniile down the road jf nndther person, whom he suspected, but^xi not trac"o. the marks all tlicivay. The evidence given to-day was correct, and that piece of the Hawera evidence that boot and slipper marks A'oro found across the paddock were incorrect, as stated in tlie New Plynmtth Court. His sister covered with ;traw Ikmv-g tracks on the path from ho cowshed to the side gate. These* ,vere> tho mark;? of witness's brcther'jj torso. The evidence given in the H»a,vora Court that the«! wore the tracks ~ti a pony shod only on the fore fret ras wrong. Ho did not know how lio lad como to say that. It must have >eon in answer" to questions. With rojaa'd to the slipper, mark fdund in t'lie lower Ikkl he could not .say whether it ,va>; right or left slipper. On the oc;asion of tho file on January 22nd wit\f>~-?: and hu> brother Mere awakened by :heir father, who instructed them to lokl the road, keep their eyes on it, oi ?omotliing of that kind. They ran ;a.st McLdowie's gate, and aftorwards ,vent lower down and crouched down. 3n hearing ia. couple of revolver shots, ritlies-! ran down the road ; very neary ran into Con-^tablo Davey. When a :cw yards north of witness's front Ooni-table Davey said to witness md tho oth'ei's thijjt he wanted more i.s-istancc. They fo.lowed the constable nid the others towards McLdowie's 10tv 43. going almost up to the verandah. 3oard his father say the fiie had been it 15 on* 20 minutes. This wra.s said vhen tho group were standing close uj) o th«? gate. Witness was near. Heard Ilrmstable Davey -say, while walking ilong. that ho had been at McLdowie's Hnisf. and that Mnl/dowie w;;s not in. )id not hear accused'^ s^n say that by liafc time his kit her would be at the iiv. Oji reaching the paddock fence aw accused looking at tb:l lire. He vn.-. fiiJl.y drese'cd, wore a hard hat, md carried a walking stick. His cetat ol!ar was turned up and pinned. Ac-u-;.*:l's Ron*1 had only coats and trousers o?i Accuved .said he had nome out >i his front gate Accused had pre■ious.y to'<l wi.tnee» to insui'e the hay tack as it would be the next to go. tfcLd-mvie had suggested that witness boulrl ko?p a watch. It was not on. hi.-i occa'-Con that the RUgge'stion about nsuraneo was made. Could not say rh'en 3leLdowiu made the suggcistion. iVith regard to having soon McLdowio m theii' I.3W)i nt 12.30 at night, witiess could not fay whether this was vitlrn two months of the lirst lire. )u t!io. second occasion accused camo mvar:W tlie red gate, and on woing '.•ituf" turn'e:! round .and walked away ir; i-it-t r.t: nossiblo.

Di'iK-nn AV,ultci- Prolf. oldest son of ). A. P'Oo!o. ,s;iid that soon af'tor tho ire ;it thi' cowshod ho sot a man trap ii the milk-.-lied. Knew McLdowie, rlio. <>n one cccasion, <vuv witn-cs? sot■in <_-: t-hi"« ti"a[). Some time .ai'tonvards Ii" L'lHi disapnraiod and wa- found in

. 1/rok-' r. condition hi n well. In ilk< nnvn'nMC alter tho 9th of December ii-r v.nv the print of :i slipper on fl lower U:":l. Ho also saw points at the lickt't L;atc. which snu-lt st-ron«]y .<)(•' <-ro :i'!i:;. Fi'om tlic wito find leading Itiiiu; tin' nvi'l to McLclowio's c;atc-,-piv 15j; ■ TiMiilvi of a lior.so M\rA only en ivn i"i <-t. Tlicro won* nlwj -vUppoi' marks, •■, tltr/iiLih somebody liad been leading ho l!.:!r.*c. There wi'..? a jtrcng kero-

seno srnielt on McLdowie's gate. With regard to the haystack fire-, Avitness and his brother, after being awakened, ian to the tread and along it to in front of the hnyritack. While there ho heard tAvo revolver rex>oi"ts in t'lie coav-i-slied paddock. Ran in the direction of "tho reports, and Avhiie doing &j met Constable Davey and his son. At the con'3t<aibltvt» suggestion Aritne.s'i roused the McLdowie's boy.s. Constable Davey and hid koh had gone back to the otack and Avere returning when wit- | ness, his brother, and the McLdowies met them. They all Avalked to Pcole's front gate. The constable asked Kenneth McLdoAA'ie Avhere his father Avas, and received a reply that he was in bod. Tho constable and Kenneth McLdowie Avent to the Latter's house and oamo back, saying accused was not in, but Avasi fiupposedto have gone to the fire. William McLdowie and witness remained between Poole's and McLdowie's gates, and the otlid's walked toAvards tho stack. They returned shortly afterwards Avith the accused. Was certain that nobody, save thctste mentioned, Avent in or out of McLdoAvie's front gate. Tho accused was aa"caring slippers. Eventually, the pai> ties separated} going to their oAvn homes. After the-JiousJ© . ni'e- Avrtness redo for Constable 'Davey., IJe rode a horse, one of the shoes of Avhich. was Cast. ~ ' ' "■■ ; .-■'. ' :

To Mr. Skcrrett: The trap gun was loaded with quail shot and oats. When Mr. Poole, sen., made the. remark about the fire having been burning 15 or 20 minutes, some of the party were standing neair the gate, and others1 on tho middle of the road. When lie Avas standing by the gap looking at the hiayatack he did not see a man hiding in tho gra»3. When the constable said that accused Avas not at home, William McLdowie said, "I am not surprised; I o'xpect ho ha'J gone to tho fire." On tho occasion of the first haystack fire Aritness, his father, and the McLdoAvies returned from an entertainment about 10.30, when there was no sign of fire Hoard about the fire next morning from his brother Most-yn-

Albert Davey, eon of Constable Davey, stationed at Normanbv, about six miles from Mr. Poole's station, gave evidenco as to watching on the night of the haystack fire. He and his father hid in tho hedge near the gate. Sa.iv a man go towards the milking shed. The man subsequently proved to be Mr. Poole. They followed the man till ho was Loat in the shadow of the milking shed. They then saw the haystack in flames. Constable Davey fired -'his- revolver, and they both ran to the gate. On reaching the road they met the Pdo'lc boys. While the others went to call the MeLdoAvics, witness and his father went towardstho haystack. After seeing that the barb-Avir'e gate could not possibly be climbed over, they went back to Poolo's gate wifh the others. Mr. Poole made a remark about the fire I having been going for some time, and then walked away. After relating the ' incidents leading to their return to tho haystack, whore the accused was standing, witness said he heard his father ask the accused how it was he was at the fii Je. He replied that the flare of the fire had awakened him. Subsequently, when walking along the road, accused said he Avas awakened by the Pocde's boyis tramping around tho house. Tho accused Avas fully dressed. To Mr. Skerrett: * After tho shots were fired witness and his father went on to the barbed-wire gate, for the pjirpoo of looking round the paddock. They had a fairly good vieAv of tho paddock, but shay no one in it. MeLdowie's statement that the fire luv:i aroused him vrae made in answer to a question put to him by witness's father. Witnesi did not remember much of the conversation betAyeen the accused and his father, but he heard McLdoAyie riav ho saw the glare from the window. Thero was no concealment so far a* tho accused wao concerned. He had no recollection, of seising Mostyn Poole among the group at the gate. They were a!! standing pretty close to thfe gate, and there wias a, certain amount of bustle and agitation. Charlie Davey, ooMfcab'c stationed ut Norman by, sworn, said ho first had occasion to go to Mr. Peeler- in connoction with the§e fires on the, 17th Februaiy. Ho reinonibered a fire "tak-: '"^■p'aco on Decembeiv %<>b, in v shed closo to the coAvshecL •He Avas sum'moncd/ by felegram. ' and arrived on tlm farm about 10 o'clock. Near the milk shed he found tho imprints of a boot and a slipper, and he found mmiIfisi' marks betA\-eon the gate and tho road. Ho aloo found the imprints, in the cowshed paddock, of a lioieo's hoofs, fitXoA on the fore but not on the hind hoofs. He saw similar marks on the j'oid^-cm the ea stein to tor-table. He followed theso tracks nearly to Poole's front gate. Just before reaching the gate- tho horse marks turned off and Avent towards McLdowie'ra gate He als;> remembered the fire at Poole's hous3 on 9th December. He arrived there about 10 o'clock, and saw that tho house* had been set'fire to near the verandah. There was a strong sme'l of kerosene. The stick, rags, etc. (produced) were handed to him. vVitnctu? noticed a -slipper mark near the verandah, and simitar inarko near the picket gate. On that gate he <-aAv a mark, a smear, which smelt of keroisfne. He also suav .s-linper marks at the lront main gate, and the imprintw of a, hcr.-.n a feet en the road outsido. The imprints Avere those of a hor.«o shod on tho foro feet only. Th.r-» pate a.'.-o smelt strongly of kerosene. The hors? tracks Jed across to McLdowie'e gate. AvJiei-o they seemed to cuter. There wcro signs'of- kerosene on McLdowie's front gate. The bottle (produced) was picked up by W. McLdowie right insido the hedge- near Pcole's o- a + 0 He knew nothing of the fire- on the 19th (th« ensilage stack). On the eveniiig of the 22nd January Avitness and Ivs son went to Poole's place for the purpose of watching. They reachod tho place about 10 o'clock. "At about 11 30 they saw a man go from Poole's cow iwwidook gate towards the shed. Witness waited a- short time, and then o- 0 t up to follow the man. He then noticed that the, haystack was on fire. Hey Jctst f*glit ot tho man, which lie had no doubt was Mr. P Oo le. Witness then lured two shots from his revolver to mini tho family, and ran towai-iU the h-ay.stack fire. Ho met Duncan and Mostyu Poo.c, told them he had sen i ■'omeoiio m the paddock, anrl concurrwl with their suggestion that they •should call tho McLdowie boys Ke got a* far .as the barbed-w.jfe gate Jooked in raw no one about, and then as he could -not effect an entranc-, they rank back, ml'endmg to get to the fire by another way. He met tho forr young men, told thorn ,t was impo> Mblo to get in by the barbod-wJre P-.ato and they ran back to Pocln'.s rate' whoro they n, ot Mr. Poole. TJio lattor nsked lum hmv ,t was there was no ono at the stack, and witne-v explain -1 wheio and why thry had taken 7-p then- position. SoniL-thijiy w.-s *yd about w-itnc^ having >een a m , m i H the P^dock. and Mr. Poole exclanned. Mi. Po.o!o tilim wont away, and wit>r. ,nskc>d tho McLdr-w:c boy, whrro t!^.;r father was. Om= of them roiv.el , J^"'' hmnc in | )t? d." Witness Un'] C,mo .n^u,, i' d i; ko to , 0£) hi y. \v-tn that Koiniet'i McLdowie r-! h« «-«^nt to tho fcbuw. Kcnnet!) "caVoH o.it vTsking whero his fat)i;M- was r :./l i. I'.;nvi!e vcic- replied. "H<»!-- \-V,'." «"t-.;- Witn;-u ajul the w:lir.m thi»'i .ynor-cktMtl^paddcek, ,nrl. from tlio K-^-\ -srj-w t!ic prsnnor ik-,;iv the • Inch U'i.!)-r-; wmt forward to nur*'-. l\r o . Lcbwie wI K , was fully dressed." WitIV1' 3 «-li:.t Ire whs <W the:-c,_,and bo rop\u>d that ho had ctm^ t:> assy* Mr. P,,do with tho fire, w.h'ic] Avna \n< \vnu\\ statement. Witno.s-; ,:r<K

od him wiuat liad drawn his attention to the fire, and he repMed that he had boon awakened by the reflection on his bedroom window. Witness then asked him Y.hvr he got theiro, and he said ho had got over the hai'bed-wire gate. By this time tho ethers 'had come up,* and Mo/ityn Poole said to the accused, "You couldn't have some out of your gate, as I've been watching it the wJioie time.'' Witness then asked abused why ho had told Mostyn Poole I*7 i>e sure and insure the stack. Tho accused replied, "I never did co." Accused "•all:o cienicd that he had been on Poole's property late at night, but afteiwards when confronted by Mostyn Poole he admitted it. AtW tdiat they left tho paddock. On tho way up witness asked accused if he had ever worn a. boot and a .slipper. Accused said, "No," but when Mostyn Poole to'kl him he had seen him wearing them he said "Oh yes, 1 did, when I had a. bad

foot.?" Accused again declared lie h.ad come out of his own front gate. Witness auked him again what had drawn his attention to ,th© fire, and he said ho had heard Poole's boys calling his <a_ceused\s) sons. Witness asked him what.••" sizrd boots he wore, and he said hp.w.w wearing .9's,. to wliicli William Mirlidravio said ''You'only AA Jo:ir a. 7." .T.hivt; v/as all the conversation. To: Mr. Sker.rett: On the 22nd January .-.wljch witness, went into the' hay paddork, he saw McLdoAvie. Witnes-3 was in McLdowie's company until they reached McLdowio's gate. He could have heard alt that was said to McLdoAA ie, and he could swear there was no opportunity for priva-te conversation between McLdowio and ia*ny of his hnyii. Witness had stated that accused had .said that he was awakened by hearing the Poole boys railing-his sons. The boys had mentioned this incident in the presence of McLdowie, before the latter gave it ias the cansto of hb awakening. Ho could not say why this mat-tea* had beon mentioned in conversation Avh'en all present, except the accused, wae aware of the fact. Ho remained for probably five minutes tat* Poole'a gate after Mr. Paolo left. From there he went- with Kenneth McLdiowie to McLdowie's hou.s»e. He considered it almost impossible for anyono to have gone from MeLdowie's I)oub3 to the fire, during the time witr/oss was at Poole's gate, without hte having seen him. When witness saw McLdowio at the fife he asked him Avhen_he had come, and ho said he .bad just arrived.

Duncan Poole, jrtn. (re-called), eai-<l ho remembered meeting Constable Davey and his son. Avhen they wore near tho *tack. Tlie constable amd his son Avent doAvn toArarfls the stack, andAvitncs^ AVtmt to ciall the McLdowi© boys. On returning they again met the- Constable. Witness oouid not say whotJior the constabio then eaid Avhere he »-.as going.

James SiddeTig, detective, stationed at WaJiganui, said that on lith December last ho went to Matapu to invortigato a series of fire:-. Ho. s.i\v the accused on his farm. He (the accused) was then wearing -^ht slippers. Witness introduced Himself, and then asked McLdowie if he had any uk-n. of an}' person in the district likoly to causa these fires. He replied that he had not. Witnecs .'aid, "It's somewhat strange that the fire-miser pays particular attention to Poole's stacks and not to> yemr's." To this he m:\do no reply, .and witness then asked :\ he had «:en .any peraqn out kite ;it lrght. At fiist accused.said "No," but immediately afterwards added, "A few nights ago I heard the dogs barking. I gob up, looked out, saw & man Tji my paddock. I went out, and the man either went into Poole's paddrck or my hay paddock." Witness s^-'d r'liat when pacing a shed on McLdoA'-ie'.s he «aw a- tin of kerosene, some bottles, and a pump. That is what ho you Id expect to find on any farm ■WitJir&s then went up to a pony in ihe orchard,which lie had seen accused riding that morning. The pony was very cir-Jti, and -witness examined the hoof*. There #ero shefo1? on the front''l^et. but the back feet had evidently not been shod far comb time. On the 25th and 26th January, two or three days after the k-^t-five, witnofts agahi went to th:> accused's house, and gawvhis who: and daughter. While he Avas talk'-ij; to thorn the accused came*into -he room. Witness at oncost-old him- whar 2il? business was, and he at once accounted for his actions, on the night > ' t.')«■■• 22nd. Ho (accused) «aid "i hoard a noise, got up, went into the parlour where my daughter Ida was <s!>>opinp ; saw my wife and Ida, there, smd «t-k< il what the commotion was; my u-.fc informed mo that Poole's stack A\as on nip. I went back to my rodrooin circled myself, went out of ths iron* door and gate, down over tho barbc-<J-Avire gate to the haystack, and tore my clothe-j in getting over the gate." "Witnera .<»akl, "Yon could not J.-.\i« j».n over the gate, for an old man !ik-i you it would have been impossible,' and 1 « replied. "Well, I must have got, ;omd it. Mrs. McLdoAvie said " her husband's .statement Avas correct, as she had heard the noiise, got up, gone to the parlour, and saw her husband there. Sho did not see him go out, but heard him. Within about 10 m-imito he returned and sang out, "There.-,- no ono at the fiie." The accused seemed to got a little excited, ea:d the fires wero a d d nuisance, and walked M.t'uif the room. Accused took no part in hi.s wife's conversation. Witness took ;> written statement from Mis. jVieLdowie and her two- daughters, and in each read them over to then. After \VLtne->i had finished taking the statements Avitnc-s -a«kcd for th,? acrjns<?il. and one of the young Indies railed him! Accused and witness walked to the front gate, where McLdowie's pony w;ks standing. Witness again examined itJ hoofo, and found that one ol if.* front ft'e-t was shod, that the ;,hoe oil the other front foot had appr.ren'lv re<crmtiy been shod, ,and that there were no shoes on the hind feet. Witness noticed a side gate, and asked liie avenged if he Lad not gone o.iftiat \v.\v to the fire. He replied, "No I m out I out of this gate, and I did ;,ot see or hear anybody about.'' That ivjs all that took place-, and later en, ,m 9th I February, Avitnesy arrested the ar-cus-ed.

That clrsed the case for Llio prosecution..

Mr. Welsh opened tho cas v » for Ihe defence. Ha admitted thai. Hi part, the c,r-e for the defence concurred wiili tho oasa for the prosecuts).-!. They ndmittod, for instance, thnt lioyoud doubt a .series of files ha 1 ,:»vii;ve..l on Mr. Poole's property, and' i hey admitted that the circumstance pointed It> tho fiiCM having been eausvd by nn i.noendLary, and having bery.i ij,i worl- o[ one common hand. At i 1.-.-.t their ;>-|- ---mis.sioi:s stopped, and th;>v s: r,'in ouslv deiu'cd that "in. any Avay. at any time, directly or indirectly, bad tl.e accused taken any part or parcel in iho.se acticiv;. Ho pointed out that the fires bad extended over a con-siderable period, fi\nh Ist July until Janmary 22nd, and he a.vked the jury to observe that it was not until after the la. rt fire that any charge, or accusation had boon made agaimt the accused in. re-hat inn to these, fires or any one of them. The jury, he s lid. Avould naturally cx])ect t'Jicm to give a reasonable expivanation of what the accused had been "doh>,>aunng the ];eriod of the.^e fires. ii>tz they must int. expect that, over such ■a lengthy i;oriod, the accu-.ied could «iy ju.^t what -he was. doing c -n .-,ik-1i find .such ,a night at such and such a tuiuJl they carao btfoi'o ihem Avith «nrh circumstantial details an thai-, the ji-jv nudit lifl.+ urally assume tfnat tlie;r fitoiy Avao cut and dried. Moreover ho pointed out that- the accused was' a lannrr, living with his family in a somewhat remote, rural locality a rather humdrum,life in which thpreW*

nothing to mark the days as they passed. It would, therefore, be uureasotiablo to expect them to bo able to conn1 to Court now, after such a lapse of time, and definitely and lucidly account for each -day brought under their iidtico. But, fortunately for the ends or .inst-ico, in respect' to one fire at iea.?t: .the>' Avould bo able to account, beyond tho shadow of a doubt, for the doings of tho accused on the occasion of at lea^t one of tho fire?, and prove conclusively that the accused man Avae innocent in respect, of that fire. And that, ho1 pointed-out, Avas important if vieAV of the admitted fact that all ilio> hVerj Avere evidently the work of ore common hand. Mr. Welsh then reviewed at fciome length the evidence which AA'afi to be given for the defence, and concluded by calling Alfred Atkins, architect, of Wanganui, Avho said he had visited Mr. Poole'a property on the 22nd of this month, in company Avith Mr. Ho had visited the site of the burnt haystack and examined the barbeilAviro gate. Ho would not call it a gate; it was really a hurdle, composed of top and side battens end five barbed A\ii Jes. The total height to the top wire Ava3 5 febt 1 inch. It Avas simply; attiichcd by '\vire to. .'the end- post's pfttiti old fence. . T-hb-iieclg;e. near the; gate' AA-as boxthom, and it haclgiTOAVn; about' 1 the'wires of the original feiice. iSe 'hodgo AA-as 'lapparently planted oh a low bank, and the end of the bank, near the posts, Avatf about eight inches above the level of the road. The height from the top tof the bank to the second highest Avire was 2 feet, and from that to tho top Avire about 10 inches. The hedge did not groAV clgso up to the post en the south skip. There was a gap of about nine to tAvelve inches between tha hedge and the post. The loAver wires were pjain black ones. He. himself) with his ©ve-rcoat on, had no difficulty in getting over between the post and the hedge. From the site of tho haystack the Avrndow-3 of McLdowie'n 'house Avere visible.

(Continued on page 5)