Incendiarism.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume I, Issue 9, 22 October 1877, Page 57

Incendiarism.

Five Hundred Pounds Reward

Whereas, at 1.15 o’clock on the morning of the 19th ultimo, the china and glass warehouse of Weir and Samson, situate in Princes Street, Dunedin, was discovered on fire by the police, but the fire was soon after extinguished, before much damage was done : And whereas at an inquest held on the 22nd and 23rd ultimo, to inquire as to the cause, of the origin of the fire, the following verdict was returned : “That the fire was feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously caused by some person or persons unknown

Notice is hereby given that a reward of £SOO will be paid by the insurance companies interested to any person who shall first give such information as will lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons by whom the fire was caused. W. Motile, Lieut.-Colonel, Commissioner A.C. Force. Armed Constabulary Office, Wellington, 18th September, 1877.

At 9 p.m. on the sth ultimo, the building known as the Red Lion Brewery, situate at Queenstown Gorge, Otago District, the property of William Lovel Davis, was discovered on fire, by which it was destroyed. At an inquest held on the 12th ultimo, by H. A. Stratford, Esq., R.M. and Coroner, to inquire as to the cause of the origin of the fire, the jury returned an open verdict. The building, which was insured for £BOO, had not been used for some time previous. Suspicion attached to William Lovell Davis, the owner of the premises. .

On the 17th ultimo, an unoccupied eight-roomed weatherboard house, value £3OO, situate at Happy alley, Nelson District, the property of Isaac Harvey, was destroyed by fire. At an inquest held on the 25th ultimo, at the Black Horse Hotel, Wakapuaka, by W. W. Squires, Esq., Coroner, to inquire as to the cause of the origin of the fire, the following verdict was returned : “No evidence to show how the fire originated.” The house was insured for £3OO.

At 3.15 a.m. on the 12th instant, a shed, situate on the beach at Campbclltown, Otago District, the property of Thomas Johnston Thompson, containing ship-building tools, ship tackle, &c., value £4OO, w as discovered on fire, by which it an were destroyed. The shed and stock were uninsured. Suspicion attached to Thomas Richard Fordham, English, late licensee of the Eagle Hotel, Campbelltown, about fifty years of age, 5 feet 9 inches high, light, brown hair, sandy whiskers, beard, and moustache, mixed with grey ; dissipated appearance.