KILBIRNIE FIRES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 138, 1 September 1927, Page 14

KILBIRNIE FIRES

BOILERMAKER CHARGED SHOES AS CLUES WELLINGTON, To-day. James Perry, a boilermaker, aged 36, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial to-day on a charge of attempting to set fire to a house at Kilbirnie on the night of August 19. Accused, who admitted breaking and entering five houses in that district within the last month or so, was committed for sentence on the latter charges. Alexander James Pollock said that about 10 p.m. on August 19, while sitting in his dining room at his home in 11 Onepu Road, he heard a woman scream. He immediately rushed into the front room just in time to see a man clear the window. “I then went out of the front door and round the back,” said witness, “and saw a man on the fence. I asked him what he | was doing and he said he had heard someone scream as he was passing by, so he came in to help.”

Chief-Detective Holmes: And what did you do then, Mr. Pollock?

“Oh, I just cracked him quickly on the head with a piece of wood.” (Laughter.) BABY’S BED ON FIRE

Norman Clark, of 30 Yule Street, Kilbirnie, said he had put his baby to bed in the front room about 8 p.m. on August 19. His wife called out to him. “Come quick, all the bedding is on fire and the room full of smoke.” Witness immediately caught his young baby in his arms and rushed it out in the open air. On the bed and under the bed some burned paper could be seen. A few minutes later a fire was discovered in the lumber room at the back of the house. Next day he said he saw some peculiar footmarks on the lawn near the front room window. The heel-marks were of a most unusual shape. He told the police about it. Detective McClennan said accused told him he had walked up to a house in Yule Street that evening, and had looked through the window, but not gone inside. He made another statement saying that he had entered the house in Yule Street. He said he had not set fire to either room, nor had he noticed the baby in bed. I think a case of attempted arson is quite clear. His shoemarks were exactly the same as those of the shoes he was wearing when arrested. No application was made for bail.