THE FOXTON ARSON CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1189, 27 December 1913, Page 3

THE FOXTON ARSON CASE.

TWO YEARS’ REFORMATIVE TREATMENT.

James Warren Williams, who had pleaded guilty to two charges of arson committed at Foxton on the 7th instant, was brought before the Chief Justice at Wellington on Tuesday morning for sentence.

Mr H. R. Cooper, who appeared for the prisoner, stated that Williams was about 68 years of age, and had been convicted and discharged for attempted suicide within the last year. He had an unblemished character, and was held in considerable respect by the residents of the district of Foxton, where he had lived for many years. The opinion of Constable Woods, of Foxton, was very favourable to the accused. Williams had been living with bis wife from 1887 until last August ; there 'were some differences between them, and a separation order was granted, which seemed to affect his mind and' worry him to a great extent. In November he agreed to sell his property of 35 acres, but when the time came lor the completion of the transaction, he found that bis wife had registered a charging order against it protecting her maintenance. The sale had not been completed, and this seemed to affect him considerably. “He saw me day after day,” Mr Cooper added, “and seemed to be suffering from the delusion that his wife was guilty of infidelity. He went to where she was living, and set light to the house to satisfy himself as to whether there was anyone else iu the building. The damage was only slight, being estimated at £2. He knocked on the window to see who would come out. He then went back and destroyed his own house and effects, and no doubt tried to burn himself with it. However, he came out again, not having the strength of mind to see it through, and gave himself up to the police.” Continuing, Mr Cooper said it was not possible to suggest legally that the accused was insane, but there was very little doubt that at the time of the burning of the houses he was not in bis right mind. His health was far from the best, and it might be that. he had not very long to last. This was not a matter in which probation could be sought, but he (counsel) would ask His Honour to pass a short sentence. His Honour: “The difficulty in probation is the risk to the community and to the man himself. I don’t know what to do with him» but I think it would be better to let the Prisons Board see if they can make some arrangement.” His Honour added that he could not send the man to the asylum, but perhaps an arrangement could be made for some pe’son to look after him, and an application could be made on his behalf to the Prisons Board to see if they would make any recommendation.

*ln reply to a question by his counsel, the accused stated that his wile was forty-eight years of age. Mr Cooper said -he thought there was good reason to suppose that Williams and his wife would live together again. / .His Honour, addressing the nrgccused, said: “Yours is not an Jf ordinary case. Apparently you have not control of yourself. This is shown by a previous case this year, when you attempted to commit suicide. It is perfectly plain that you are not responsible for what you do. I cannot leave you without control, to injure yourself, your wife, or the community.” His Honour referred to the fact that the prisoner had been drinking whisky on the night of the crime, and pointed out that if he were not under restraint he might take more alcohol, with the possible result that it might send him off his head altogether. He would have to be sentenced, not to imprisonment with hard labour, but to reformative treatment. If any re-arrangement was to be made, he could, apply to the Prisons Board, and someone might be found to look after him, and they might also ascertain what his wife thought. The prisoner could not be sent to an asylum ; he was not lacking in mental capacity so much as to warrant that—yet a man who set fire to houses could be allowed at large. He j* would be sentenced to two years’ reformative treatment, and could apply to the Prisons Board to let him out on probation. His Honour asked Mr Cooper to see if any arrangement could be made to look after Williams. If this was done, he would call a . special meeting of the Prisons Board to consider the case between this date and the second week in January, because he realised that this was not an ordinary case at all. .