NINE-YEAR-OLD CRIMINAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1016, 29 October 1912, Page 4

NINE-YEAR-OLD CRIMINAL

A PROMISING LIVERPOOL LAD.

Remarkable evidence was given in a case heard at the Liverpool Children’s Court, on August 24th, in which a boy, aged nine, named Jno. Hector Macfaden, was charged with setting fire to Richmond Lodge, Wavertree, the pro perty of the Toxteth Park Board of Guardians. The lad was further charged with stealing 4s and some sweets belonging to the assistant matron, Miss Lucy. The previous night, Miss Lucy, upon going to her bedroom at Richmond Lodge found the bedding on fire. With assistance the flames were extinguished. Enquiries by the police revealed the fact that an entrance had been effected to the room by climbing the waterspout from the garden below. Small footprints were found in the soil at the bottom of the spout, one bearing the impression of a boot protector. A detective made en quiries among the children, and accused’s boots were found to give impressions similar to those in the soil. The lad afterwards made a statement, in which he said : “I climbed up the spout. I got through the window, which I pushed up. I went to the drawer, but, finding it locked, I set fire to the counterpane, because I could not find any money. I wanted the place to be on fire, but I did not want to burn all.” The sweets and the money, the subject of the second charge, he bad taken from the room on an earlier date. He was remanded.