THE TOKOMAIRIRO ARSON CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 3730, 5 February 1875, Page 3

THE TOKOMAIRIRO ARSON CASE.

The circumstances of the fire at Lovell’s Fiat, on the Ist inst., for causing which George Jones has been committed for trial, were brought out at the Magisterial inquiry, which is reported in to day’s ‘Bruce Herald’: —Arthur Calder, the prosecutor, is a farmer residing at Lovell’s Flat. At 1 p.m. on Monday last Jones went to his house and asked for work. Calder said he wanted no hands in the meantime, and turned into the house, leaving Jones standing at the door. The latter stayed, and began talking, and asking to see Calder again. Calder went to the door again, when prisoner again asked for work, and got the same answer as on the former occasion. Calder told Jones that he was drunk, which the latter denied, and was ordered away. He then kept on talking, and Calder shoved him away, and, after some altercation, gave him a slap on the ear with his open hand. Calder then put him through the gate on to a private road leading from the house to the main road. Jones had a little drink in him, but walked very firmly, and seemed sober enough to know what he was doing. On going about ten yards from the gate, ho turned round and gave Calder a great deal of abusive language, and threw stones at him. Subsequently] he went down the private road, on the other side of which, in a field, were growing wheat, oats in stook, and potatoes. After the altercation, it occurred to Calder that he had better see if Jones had left the farm, and he went into the garden and looked round, but could see no one, A little while afterwards he saw smoke issuing from the oat patch, and discovered one of the stocks to be on fire. With the assistance of his son and two men he heat out the fire sufficiently to prevent it spreading, but could not save the stook. Presently Calder’s son called out,'“ See the man, father,” and he then saw Jones in a field on the opposite side of the main road, either walking or running away. Owing to the nature of; the ground, Jones’s head and shoulders could only be seen at first j hut when he got to some rising ground, about 400 yards off, his whole person was visible and easily recognisable. He then walked more slowly, looked back, and afterwards disappeared over the rising ground. Calder {next saw him. previous to his being apprehended, in Milton, on Monday. On being charged by the police with setting fire to the stook. Johns said to Calder, “ Well, if I have burned your stook I’ll pay you for itand upon Sergeant Smyth remarking that there could be no payment in such a case, he added, “Oh, if Calder like* he can take payment for it.” About L6O worth of oats were destroyed. Corroborative evidence was given by a farm laborer named Henderson, who deposed that as he was running down to put out the fire he saw a man getting over the fence at the opposite side of the paddock, but could not swear Jones fwas that man, though hia clothes were of the same color. There was only one man visible about that place at the time, and ho went straight over the paddock towards the district road.

Thu • tii: d ’ adds that the efforts of tbo local police ,n iruti.-g cud apprehending Jones are deserving of ere nl bo dieted offence occurred last Sunday afetru md the person charged was only known as a sup. posed workman on the railway line. Immediately after receiving information. Sergeant Smyth proceeded along the line to Kaitangata, making nunvrous inquiries; but owing to Lis be.Ug unable to i'urni hj a uame, did not obtain as much information as to some might seem necessary. How vtr, on the .Monday ho. uueo' eded in tracing a man who had knocked off w«nk withoutauparent reason to go to Toknmairiro, and put him under surveillance without his knowledge, until Mr Caldcr, who-e oats ha 1 been burned, was sent for and arrived. Mr Galder at once identified the man as the party suspected, and be was arrested.