POWELKA GUILTY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 2 June 1910, Page 5

POWELKA GUILTY.

ARSON CASE. . 'ALSO PLEADS GUILTY TO OTHER , CHARGES. (By . Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Palmerston, June .1. ■ The Supreme Court was occupied the Whole of to-day in hearing the charge of arson against Joseph John Powelka, this charge, relating to the burning down of the .Palmerston High School. ' As soon as the Court assembled prisoner pleaded guilty to a series of charges of breaking and entering which had been preferred against him. The list included Mr. Kidd's premises, breaking and entering and theft of furniture; Mr. J. Metcalf's, breaking and entering and theft of furniture; J. B. Clarkson and Co.'s, breaking and entering and theft of goods and,cigars;.Mrs. Jane Hardley's, breaking and entering and theft of furniture; Mr. James Robbie's, breaking aud entering, :and theft of furniture; Mr. E. Cooper's, breaking and entering and theft of portmanteau; Miss Helen Mnc-kay's*-breaking .'and entering and theft of .furniture; Ashhurst railway station, Breaking' and entering and theft of stamps ;«Mr. James Francis's shop, Longburn, breaking and entering nnd theft of taeat and sausages; Ira Gordon's theft, of, a bicycle, when escaping from lawful custody; Millar and Giorgi's, breaking and entering an theft of goods. Miss Mackay's premises wero completely destroyed by fire, and Millar and Giorgi's partially so but accused did npi plead guilty to the charges.of arson. Mr, Giflord SToore, for accused, stated that Powelka had desired to plead guilty to the charges of theft before, but ho (Mr. Moore) advised him . not to do go until after the charge of murder had been heard. His Honour Mr. Justice Cooper remarked that this was a proper course to take. Povelka, appeared to be very much overcome, and hung his head below the Tails of the dock during nearly the whole of the trial. He once asked permission to retire for a time, the request being granted. ' . The first witness called in connection with the arson charge was A. W. Leet, custodian of the High School. Ho gave evidence as to the ; school being safely locked up at 6.30 on the day of the fire. J. E. Vernon (rector), Walter Anderson (assistant master), and several High School pupils gave corroborative evidence. James Young deposed to being one of the first on the scene of the fire aud to finding a window broken. Detective Quirke gave evidence as to finding, pieces of glass with finger-prints on them at the High School, and Edwin Dinnie (finger-print expert) deposed that these finger-prints were Powclka's. Joseph Park gave evidence that his bicycle had been stolen from the vicinity of the High School on the evening of the fire, and that it was found on the premises of C. F. Turner, from whom a horse had been stolen, the horso subsequently being foidul in the possession of Pow«"-:n r—\r, Pnlii-r-'n. Arthur Giorgi and Maurice Millar gave evidence that the clothing found on Puwi-lKii had been stolen iioin ritar premises; also to finding a leather belt and pouch on their premises, which was shown to have been stolen from the High School. Detective Cassells deposed to charging accused with the crime,, to which prisoner made no reply. Counsel for accused did not call any evidence for the defence. '" The Crown prosecutor did not address the jury, but counsel for accused criticised the case for the prosecution, tracing the evidence right through, and claiming that it was not strong enough to convict the accused. After a retirement of less than an hour the jury returned with-a verdict of guilty. • To-morrow'the charge.of robbery under arms at Awapuni will be proceeded jvith.