THE FOXTON FIRES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1618, 30 September 1916, Page 3

THE FOXTON FIRES.

ARSON CHARGES. ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Air J. W. Poynton, S.M., Wallace Stanley Martin, 18 years of age, on remand, was charged as follows : (1) Did, on August 10th, at Foxton, wilfully set fire to a tow-shed, the property of the Foxton Cordage and Flaxmilling Co., Ltd.

• (2) Did, on August 11th, wilfully set fire to the rope and twine factory, the property of the Foxton Cordage and Flaxmilling Co., Ltd. (3) Did, on August 18th, wilfully set lire to the sash and door factory, the property of Air R. N.

Speirs. (4) Did, on August 18th, wilfully set fire to a tow shed, the property of Alessrs A. King and Co. (5) Did, on September 7th, wilfully set fire to a shed, the property of Mr Hans Andresen.

All five cases were taken together’. . Sub-Inspector Alarsaek prosecuted. He said that the offences were spread*over a period of practically a month, and the damage done amounted to about £1,(100. Fortunately, the fires were discovered in the early stages and extinguished, otherwise the damage might have been several thousand pounds. Air Andresen, who caught accused setting fire to his shed, informed the police, who, however, at first arrested accused’s brother. Accused had been questioned the following day, and made two or three contradict tory statements, and afterwards disappeared. Later he returned, and his father brought him to the police station, and he admitted to Detective Quirke and others that he was responsible tor the fires, lie also wrote out a confession. The Sub-Inspector called the following evidence:

Alexander R.oss, managing director of the .Foxlon Cordage and Flaxmilling Co., Ltd., stated that on August 10th, when the factory was closed everything was safe. At 11 p.m. from information received, he went to the Company’s Star mill and found the scutching shed on fire. The, building contained scutching machinery and hemp. It was totally destroyed. He estimated the damage at £BOO. A little after 1 o’'clock next morning witness was again called out and found (he rope factory on fire in three different places. This building was about 120 yards away from the scutching shed, and was quite safe when witness left the other lire. The fire was extinguished, but the damage done he estimated at between £350 and £4OO. Knew the accused. He was employed at.the factory. Gordon Alexander, engineer, employed by the I’oxlon Cordage and Flaxmilling Co., Ltd., said that on August 10th, at about 10.30 p.m.. witness was going homo along Main Street and saw a glare of fire in the direction of the Star mill. Went to the spot, and found the scutching shed on tire. It was completely destroyed. Knew the accused. Saw him on the night of the fire when the scutching shed was burning. On September 19th, the accused, with Detective-Sergeant Quirke and Constable Woods, went to the scene of the tire and showed where he went in. He said the main door was open and he went straight in to the centre of the shed, turned to the left, and set a light to the low in the lean-to attached to the scutching shed. The spot corresponded with the outbreak of the lire. Accused then went across to the rope works tire and showed where he went into the factory, and where he set fire to the building.

James Tyson, labourer, stated that on August 18th, at about a quarter to ten p.m., be was passing Speirs’ sasb and door factory, in Main Street, and noticed that one of the doors was slightly open, and saw a Hare in the planing room. Witness went in and found some shavings and sawdust on lire, and also some timber with a tin of oil on top. Some holes were punched in the tin, and the oil was running down on to the lire. Witness extinguished the lire, and then informed the police. Robert Nelson Spcirs, timber merchant, said that on August 18th he left the factory between 8.30 and 9 o’clock, when everything was safe. Between 10.30 and 11 o’clock the same night witness was called by the police, and went down to the factory, and found the remains of a lire in the planing room, with a tin of oil on it. The oil, when witness left the building earlier in the evening, was several yards away from the scene of the lire. 'There was practically no damage, done. Didn’t remember having seen accused before the police brought him down on September 19th. The police asked him to show how he got into the building. He said: “I went in that door,” pointing to the middle door. He then went into the building and went to where the oil was stored, and said he got the oil from there, and then showed them ■where he carried it to and started the lire.

Abraham King, tlaxmiller, stated that on August 18th, just after 10 o’clock, he was going home along Main Street and smelt tire. Witness went to his mill and found the tow shed on lire. The door was locked, but a board was broken off, which would allow of a hand being put through. The shed and contents were totally destroyed. The damage done avus between £ 9d and £IOO. On September 19th, the accused, in company with the police, came to the mill. Detective Quirke asked

accused to show how he set Are to the shed. He said lie put his arm through the hole in the door and dropped a lighted match in.

Hans Andresen, carrier, said that on September 7th, at about halfpast ten, he was at the shed, which was subsequently found on five, and locked the back door. About 11 o’clock witness was bringing his horse in, and noticed a flare in the shed. He ran in and extinguished the outbreak, which was in the hay that was stored in the building. Witness noticed a man running away from the shed uj) the hill. He ran after him, calling out “stop!” Air Clark, who was coming in the opposite direction, joined in the chase. The fugitive ran into a shod at the back of an empty house in Johnston Street. Witness had a good look at him. Knowing him, witness let him go, and reported the matter to Constable Woods. He accompanied Constable Woods to accused’s father’s place. Constable oods knocked at the door, and Leonard Martin answered it. Witness thought at the time that Leonard Martin was the one he bad caught, and he was taken in charge by Constable Woods. The next day, in the daylight, witness was satisfied that Leonard Marlin was not the one, and witness was now quite sure the accused was the right person. On September 19th licensed was brought to witness' shed, and he showed the wav he went in and set the fire.

Lionel Chirk, cleric, employed by (lie Deportment of Agriculture at '.Coxton, stated that on September 7th he wits going home at about 11 p.m., along Johnston Street. After he had passed Andresen’s place he heard someone calling out “stop!” He saw someone running towards him and being chased by Mi* Andresen. Witness headed off the fugitive, and he ran behind an unoccupied house. Witness followed, and saw him go into' the shod at the back of the house. Kept him there until Mr Andresen came up. Witness struck a match, and Andresen said, “Oh, Martin, I know you,” or words to that effect. Accused said: “I didn’t do it; yon can search me for m;itches.” Andresen said to witness, in accused’s hearing: “He set lire to my place.” Andresen said he knew accused, and he was allowed to go. Witness did not, know him at the lime. He could not positively identify the accused. Constable Woods said he was calk'd out to the lire at the Star mill at about 11 p.m. on August 10th. The scutching shed was destroyed, and later on a good deal of damage was done to the rope works. On August 18th, just after 10 p.m., he saw (he remains of a lire in Speirs’ planing mill, and later on the satne night was at the /ire in King’s low shed, Avhich was totally destroyed. On September 7(1 1 , at about 11.30 p.m., witness went with Andresen to Mr Martin’s house in Avenue Load. Witness knocked at the back door, and Leonard Martin came to (he door. In consequence of what Mr Andresen said, witness arrested Leonard Martin on a charge of having set fire to Mr Andresen’s place. On the following day, as the result of enquiries made, and Leonard Martin’s statement, he found that Mr Andresen had made a mistake, and Leonard Martin was discharged. On the same day witness interviewed the present accused at the ropeworks. He promised to come to witness’ office that afternoon, when witness expected Detec-tive-Sergeant Quirke to be present. Ho did not come, but disappeared from the district. On September 19th he was brought to witness' office by his father. The day before witness had a communication from accused’s father concerning him, with the result that his father brought him to the police station. lie was interviewed by Detective Quirke, and after that interview he accompanied witness and the detective to the scenes of the fires. In the presence of the owners or their managers he described how he started the different fires .At the rope factory lire he stated he set it on fire, and showed how it was done. Last night he told his father in witness’ hearing that his reason for setting tire to these places was inspired by- what he had seen in the pictures. Witness had known accused for nine or ten years, and didn’t suspect him of causing the fires.

Thomas Quirke, detective-serge-ant, stationed at Palmerston North, said he had been engaged for some lime investigating the cause of the tires at Box ton. On September 19lh witness saw the accused at the police station. Witness interviewed him in reference to four of the tires, and he made statements admitting his guilt in the four cases. Witness did not question him in regard to the rope works (ire. Accused wrote out the confession himself, and signed them. He produced the four statements made by accused, which were as follows

(1) I remember Ross’ lire in the shed the night Alexander pulled off his overcoat. I went through a big door in the scutching shed and set tire to if with a match in the tow. After that I went back to the lire again, and was there when Alexan-

der asked about his coat. I told him that I saw it on the bank. Then I went home.

(2) I remember a lire in Mr Speirs’ timber yard some weeks ago. I went into Speirs’ yard. The door of the shed was open. I found a tin of oil that was there, and poured it over some shavings on the door and put a match to it. 1 came out and left the door open, then ran away and ran straight home. 1 wanted to see a blaze.

(3) 1 remember the same night Speirs’ lire took place. I set tire to King’s tow shed by putting a match

under the floor. It caught fire. Then I went home. King’s fire was after Speirs’ fire. (4) My name is Wallace Martin. I remember the night Hans Andresen’s shed was on fire. I left the rope works about eleven o’clock. I came along Johnston Street. I went behind his shed and dropped a match in the store amongst the straw. I ran away through Speirs’ paddock, over the fence, and on to the road. I went along the road to (he empty house —Coley’s house. Two men ran after me. One of them struck a match in my face. Andresen struck the match. He said, “I know you, Martin.” They went away. I went home. Ernest and Leonard were at home in bed. Next day I saw Mr Woods. He asked me questions. 1 promised him to go to the police station at 2 o’clock. I didn’t go to the station. I went to Manakau, and stopped a week. This was the whole truth.

Continuing, Detective Quirke said that later the same day he took accused to five different places, as named in the infonnations, and at each place in the presence of the owners or their managers, he Showed how he entered them and set fire to them. In connection with the lire at Ross’ rope factory, in connection with which he had not given a written statement, when at the scene of the fire on September 19th Constable Woods asked him about this tire, and he admitted lighting it.

Edward John Alartin, father of accused, stated that accused was 18 years of ago. He served his full lime at school, but was only in the third standard when he left. He was not of normal intelligence, and they always had difficulty in getting answers from him. This concluded the evidence.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for sentence.