VOLUNTARY CONFESSION OF ARSON.

Shannon News, 6 February 1925, Page 3

VOLUNTARY CONFESSION OF ARSON.

NAPIER Last Night. Already serving a term years’ detention in the Borstal institution in Invercargill, to which he wa» committed in 1923 from the Napmr Supreme Court for burning down the homestead of the Smedley estate in March of last year John Cartshor Robertson, a well-set.up, smarUook ing lad, about 19 years of age, stepped into tlic dock at Napier Pollen Cnun this morning, before Mr. R. W- Eyer, SWI to answer the following charges:—(l) Setting fire to a building on the Smedley estate near Tiko kino consisting of sleeping quarters, dining-room and kitchen valued at £4OO, the property of His Majesty th King, on July 14, 1922 thereby conk mitting arson; (2), further, with, on the same date, committing ter by setting fire to certain buildings on the Smedley estate, thereby causing the death of one John Juden. Accused was undefended and Detec-tive-Seregant Butler, who conducted the prosecution, said it was a mo extraordinary case. Accused had appeared in the Napier .Court m 1923 <>n a charge of arson and was subsequently sentenced to the Borstal m ttute at Invercargill for a term of seven years. The arson charge in question then was the burning of mc liomestead on the station on March 25, 1923. Later the men’s sleeping-quar-ters on the same station were - ously destroyed by fi fire ’i” d ;an had result of the latter fire, the man hafl lost his life. Accused had admittea causing the first fire butdenied causing the second outbreak. On Oct ber 16, 1924,. while prisoners at the Borstal institute were bei "f accused handed to. the chief warder a note confessing Ins responsibility for causing the second fire, and that not was the foundation of the present pleaded guilty aud m* committed for sentence.