Attempted Incendiarism.

Manawatu Herald, 24 August 1899, Page 2

Attempted Incendiarism.

A most extraordinary fire occurred it Ml- Sran3ellV Hotel on Monday oighfc. •Nothing unusual was noticed on Monday evening, but on Tuesday anrning about ten o'clock No. 9 bedroom was entered (it had aol been occupied tha night: previqaaj, when it was seen that a food portion of che wall was burnt, and a holejright through to No. 8 bedroom Constable Forster was notified, and on examining the room it was plain that a deliberate attempt to set fire to the building had been made by some one, ktr.wene had been thrown against the wall and lighted. ~Fortunftttly {or the occupants the house had been solidly built, or the wonder now would be as to how the fire had beol^n, out. The fire had burnt tUeaerim and paper on the wall, and had gone ■ h rough to the other side of the/ partition, bnt died out for waatl'of a draught, as thai particular place had a solid tie in the parcitioo;which checked the incipient blaga. We heard of the outbreak on . Tuesday, but at the request .of the police refrained from reporting the tceurrenoe, the need for which hating now expired, we are enabled to do so. ' Mr A. S|an9ell went away on Tuesday morning 7so that he re* oeived a shock when he learnt the naws. The wonder comes in now who the fiend could be who would M calmly act a place on fire which th^y knew contained a number of .people. It was some one away from the plaoa or they would have made surer if their work. There is a suspicion that some persdn wa«i beadkupstairs just before closing time, but natural'y no notice was taken of the fact. rt i 3 pl>sli6l&Haf WWgrl**wffl be brought home to book, as we, most t# lecidedly hojpJl^^jp*,--^