ARSON ADMITTED.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 4 December 1930, Page 8

ARSON ADMITTED.

AN IMBECILE'S CRIMES. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, December 3. Described as an imbecile of tho criminal type and a menace to tho community, Vincent Crichton, a labourer, aged 26, who gave the Auckland Fire Brigade much trouble by causing it to rush out to falso alarms of Are, was this morning committed .to tho Auckland Mental Hospital. Crichton, who was arrested by Constable McElhinney at the corner of East street and Symonds street on the night of November 21st after he had given a false alarm of fire, appeared at tho Magistrate's Court this morning before Mr K. Hunt, S.M. Accused was charged with wilfully damaging a fire alarm bos to the extent of and on threo other counts with wilfully giving falso alarms of fire. Ho was further charged with wilfully setting fire to the house of James Brewins on October 26th and again on October 29th.

"I understand tliat a number of other cases have been traced to Crichton," said tlio Magistrate, when accused first appeared. "That is quite so," said DetectiveSergeant Kelly. Mr Hunt added that Dr. Buchanan, Superintendent of the Auckland Mental Hospital, had examined Crichton, and in a report had stated that ho was an imbecile of the criminal typo and a menace to the community. "That ia correct," said Mr Singer, who appeared for accused. "I have seen the statement." Mr Hunt said tliat Crichton would be stood down so that he could bo examined by Drs. Lindsay and Harold Pettit. Mr Singer said he trusted that if these two doctors certified that Crichton should be committed to the Mental Hospital that the police would make application for his admission to the institution. Counsel suggested that Dr. Buchanan's report should be shown the two doctors. Mr Hunt: That will be done. Subsequently Crichton was brought back into Court, when it was announced that both doctors declared him to be a mental defective. After committing accused to the Mental Hospital Mr Hunt said: Well, Mr Kelly, I think that will clear up quite a lot of undetected crime now. Detective-Sergeant Kelly: "Itwill, sir." Crichton had, he continued, made several admissions since his arrest. He admitted setting fire to Archibald Clark's factory in Williamson avenue about 1920. In that case £42,600 was paid out in insurance. He also admitted being responsible when a boy to burning the Napier Street School and the Foxton School, as well as a freezing works' in the South Island and a number of empty houses in Wellington. Since Crichton's arrest on November 21st Detective Knight has made exhaustive enquiries, and. it is stated, obtained full confessions from Crichton in the presence of his solicitor. About three seasons ago two serious fires occurred at the Nelson freezing works, when thousands of pounds of damage was done. Damage was also done to the machinery at the freezing works by mischief. Later accused's tent at the works was destroyed by lire. On another occasion, it is alleged, when Crichton was staying in the house of a relative the house caught fire, and the occupants narrowly escaped in their night attire.