FIRE AT SHANNON.

Shannon News, 18 November 1924, Page 3

FIRE AT SHANNON.

SHOPKEEPER GUILTY OP ARSON. WANTED INSURANCE TO PAI DEBTS. A recent fire in a stationer's shopat Shannon, which fortunately was checked before it had done extensive damage was recalled.at the Police Court at Palmei'ston North, on Friday ™£? n i a &? nia ¥ , nian earned Walter Clifford Flogdell. appeared before Messrs J. P Kendall and D. J.. Lovelock J.'sP., to answer a charge that on November 7th, at Shannon he wil- , to a building in Plimmer Terrace, the premises being- occupied ' by Isaoella Gladys Vaughan. . Detectiv-Sergeant Quirke explained that the accused had been in Shannon for about four months, and occupied a small room at the rear of Mrs "Vaughan's shop, where he carried on business as a bootmaker. At about 5 p.m. on November' 7th, he was seen to lfcave the premises, and «a little later the fire was discovered. When first interviewed by the police, accused had denied all knowledge of the affair, though he subsequently admitted guilt when ii> the presence oi a detective. His stock and effects were insured for £75.

I Harold Edward Hook, the owner / cf a block of three buildings in Plimmer Terrace, one of which was leasea to 'Mrs \aughan. gave evidence or having visited the premises on November Bih, when he found that a fire had taken place. He identified tne boards which had been charred, and estimated the damage to the premises at between £3O and £4O. The shops he owned were covered by an insurance policy of £6OO, but if they had been burned he would have lost £IOOO. K i4Ujit Julia Wallace, grocer, of Shannon, related having sold the accused a bottle of kerosene about noon on the day of the fire. He frequently purchased kerosene from witness, but on this ocoasion he took his purchase through the back door of the shop and into his own place. Upon hearing a crash, as of breaking glass, at about-1 5.30 p.m.. witnes s looked out and] perceived a blaze in Mrs Vaughan's | shop. She gave the alarm and assis- ] lance was immediately procured. I Evidence v was given by Constable < McGregor, of Shannon, as to his investigation of the circumstances attending the fire. He said when he Inspected the premises several of the boards on the shelves bore evidence of saturation with kerosene. Witness subsequently interviewed the accused, who asked questions as to the time the fire had started, expressing surprise that he had not noticed it. In a slatemenc made later, the' accused said that when he left the shop at about b. 30 p.m on November 7th, there way no sign of fire, and he could suggest no manner in which it might hav e started. It was not till later that the accused confessed his gtiilt in the presence of Detective Holmes, after having oeon shown the kerosenesoaked boards.

Mrs Vaughan, in her evidence, estimated Jior loss at £76. She admitted that she had sued the. accused for £4O. Her stock was uninsured. 'lt was stated by Herbert Victor Hudson, an insurance agent,' that shortly before the fire accused had increased the policy on his stock from £6O to £75. ' '

Further evidence was given by Jean Jarniesbn, the girl in charge of the stationery shop, by Win. Conway, who saw the accused leave his shop immediately prior to the discovery oi the fire, and by Edward Sothern, who participated dn fighting the flames. Detective Holmes related hi s interview with the accused, who had admitted in a statement that he. had been hard pressed by his creditors, and had decided to burn the shop, in order to secure insurance money to' go towards the payment of his debts. Th e insurance would pay only one third of his liabilities, wnlch totalled £ll7, and which had caused him. much worry. Later, accused remarked to witness that he had had hard luck, in being discovered, and regretted that he had lighted the fire at the top, intead of at the bottom. Accused was a married man with "two children, both of whom were under three years. The accused, who did not "wish to say anything, pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.