AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 347, 5 February 1866, Page 1

AUSTRALIA.

BURNING OR ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL. (From the Yass Courier, January 3.) Last Saturday afternoon, a man who gava his name as Edward M'Eneroe, surrendered himself to the custody of Mr Sub-inspector Brennan, at the police quarters, stating that he was guilty of having wilfully set fire- to St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney. It will be in the recollection of our readers that at the time of the destruction of St. Mary’s, a supposition existed amongst some of the clergy that the conflagration was the act of an incendiary, and the inquest which followed the disaster was carefully watched over by one or two of the number. The jury brought in a verdict that the fire had been accidentally caused by some of the incense bearers having thrown the charcoal on the floor behind the altar, and they believed that some of the embers bad ignited inflamable matter beneath the boards. M'Encroe stated that he is related to the venerable archdeacon, and also to Mr M'Encroe, of the Bergin and M'Encroe, of George-street South, that he arrived in the colony from Ireland a year or more ago, that he applied to both of those gentleman for employment, and that they had refused to exercise their interest on his behalf. He appears to have gone to Braidwood, where he became an inmate of the hospital, but previously, in order to revenge himself of the supposed injuries inflicted by his relatives by their neglect, he attempted to set fire to St. Patrick’s Church, in Sydney. Disappointed in accomplishing that design, he afterwards procured a bottle of kerosene oil and a box of matches, and with these attended the evening service at the Cathedral of St. Mary, on the occasion of the festival of St. Peter and St. Paul. Whilst the congregation were quitting the edifice, according to his confession, he smeared the kerosene oil on the floor near the altar, and ignited it just as the last persons were leaving the church. Mr Brennan took M‘Encroe to the lock-up, where Dr. Blake attended and received his voluntary statement of constable Wheally. He will be brought before the Court this morning. It is stated that M’Encroe exhibits no symptoms of insanity, that he is a married man, having a wife and two children in Ireland* and there is reason to believe that he left his country for some misconduct, which induced his relatives and his clergy in the colony to give him no countenance. Previous to giving himself up to Mr Brennan, he was at Mr H. O’Brien’s, Douro, where he entered into conversation with a person there inquiring of him the particular offences that the law punished with death. On being told that arson was one of those offences, he made special inquiries, and appeared satisfied that it was one punishable with hanging. (Prom the Tass Courier, January 6.) The man who has given his name as Edward M'Encroe, but who, during bis residence in the' district, which has been ;very brief, was known as Boyle, was brought be-

fore the Bench on Wednesday, and after the evidence of the apprehending constable was taken, and the written confession of the prisoner as to the circumstances of the arson appended thereto, a remand to Sydney was ordered. On Thursday evening he was forwarded to his destination in Cobb’s mail coach, with Simeon Moulds, charged with disobeying a magistrate’s order for maintenance. They were under the escort of Constable Dorhan. The examination of M‘Encroe alias Boyle, appeared to excite great interest among the inhabitants of the town, of which there was a large attendance in the Court-house. He is common, stolid looking man, slightly above the middle stature, with prominent cheek bones and rapidly receding forehead. His physiognomy is indicative of stupidity and low canning, without a trace of intelligent or* noble mental attribute. While in the dock he wore a vacant stupid stare, but seemed closely to follow the whole proceedings with instinctive interest. He denied the statement he made to constable Wheally in toto, hut admitted that he was capable of accomplishing the crime self-charged against him. There is a strong belief that M'Eucroe was compelled to leave Ireland owing to a long course of social irregularities which threatened to bring him under the power of police authorities, and that he selected this country in preference to America for his future home on account of the respectability and position of those he claims relationship with. His confession or statement is consistent within itself, and he accounts for his time with considerable accuracy. The reason given for his relatives refusing to assist him beyond some little eleemosynary aid are perfectly just, in view of the statement respecting the letters received by them from his relatives in Ireland. It may be considered by some hardly a sufficiently explained motive—that of spite—for the commission of so diabolical an offence as that with which he has charged himself, but it must be remembered that there are plenty of villains in the world whose conduct is equally inexplicable.