Foolish Young Man Fined

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12794, 12 June 1909, Page 5

Foolish Young Man Fined

WELLINGTON, June 11

As a result of series of false alarms of fire on the sth inst., to which the Brigade responded on each occasion, a young man named John Evans was charged in tbe Magistrate's Court to-day with wantonly setting iv motion the fire alarm in Hopper Street.

Doris Harris, residing in Hopper Street, said she saw accused and another man on the night of the sth inst. Witness had been informed previously that a false alarm had already been given in Wallace Street, and consequently she suspected the two men. One of the men she remembered aa accused. She saw him deliberately break the glass of the alarm with his pocket knife. Wtiness spoke to him and he replied that there was a fire. Witness did not believe him, and accordingly she tried to hold him. They struggled, but subsequently the man was successful in freeing himself by means of throwing her down. He made off, and witness followed him to a house in South Avenue. The second man had preceded accused. When witness arrived at the house she overheard someone sij, "Come in here, Jack. You'll cop out for this." Witness took stock of the surrounding?, and returned to Hopper Street and informed Superintendent O'Brien and a constable of the occurrence.

Superintendent O'Brien, of the Fire Brigade, and Constable Belcher gave corroborative evidence.

The defence was a denial of the charge, accused saying he was in bed about an hour and a half prior to the occurrence. Mr Riddel, S.M., convicted accused and fined him £3 and costs 255, in default seven days' imprisonment.