ARSON ADMITTED

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1930, Page 3

ARSON ADMITTED

AN IMBECILE’S CRIMES

AUCKLAND, December 3:

Described as an imbecile of the criminal type and a menace to the community, Vincent Crichton, a labourer, aged 26, who gave the Auckland Fire Brigade much trouble by causing it to rush out to false alarms of fire, was this morning committed to the Auckland Mental Hospital, Crichton, who was arrested by Constable McElhinney at he corner of East street and Symonds street on the night of November 21st after he had given a false alarm of fire, appeared at. the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M. Accused was charged .with wilfully damaging a fire alarm box to the extent of 4s and on three other counts .with wilfully.giving false alarms of fire. He was further charged with wilfully setting fire to the house of James Brewing on October 26th and again on October 29th. “I understand that a number of other cases, have been .traced to Crichton, said the 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 he was an imbecile of the criminal type and a menace to .the community.

“Tliat is correct,” said Mr Singer, who ..appeared for accused. “I have seen the.statement.” Mr Hunt said that Crichton would be stood .down so that lie could, be exnipined by Drs Lindsay and Harold Pettit.

7Mr 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 he 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: “It will, 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 number of empty houses in Wellington. Since Crichton’s arrest on November 21st Detective Knightjhas made exhaustive enquiries, and, it is stated, obtained, full confessions from Crichton in the presence lof 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 fife. 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.