QUEER BEHAVIOUR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 234, 11 February 1911, Page 4

QUEER BEHAVIOUR

MAN SETS FIRE TO HIS HOME. Auckland, February 8. Some rather extraordinary disclosures were made by counsel appearing for a prisoner brought before Mr. Justice Edwards at Auckland to-day. The prisoner, who had pleaded guilty at Waihi to a charge of committing arson, was John William Butler, a middleaged man. According to the statement made by Mr. Reed, the prisoner had: lived in the Waihi district all his life, and for some years past resided with his sister, a spinster, till recently. He had built the cottage in which they lived, and had made it over to his sister. For some time the sister was keeping company with a man, but the engagement was broken, off. The man told prisonersome infamous story about <>is sister's conduct, as the result of which, in a maddened state, accused rushed across the road to their cottage, frantical'ly smashed the furniture to smithereens, and get fire to the dwelling. Mr. Reed stated that the accused bore an excellent, character as a quiet, inoffensive, sober., hard-working man, and lived on excellent terms with his sister and neighbors. Nothing could explain' ...s conduct on the occasion in question, but the fact that he had been maddened by drugged drink and by shamefully cruel and malicious stories about his sister.

His Honor.: If He is a decent man.. he must explain why he listened to a man whom he distrusted, instead of thrashing him.

Mr. Reed':-It seems incredible that such a quiet man'would commit un act of the kind.

His Honor: It seems incredible that he listened to the story aDOut his sister. That is what 1 can't' understand. A letter was read from the sister acknowledging that her brother had alwavs been goou to her, and generally bearing out what counsel had said on behalf of prisoner.

His Honor: He has burned his furniture, and he must make good in the long run what lie has destroyed. Prisoner stated that he was earning--9s (id a day, and had* been employed bv the Waihi Company for the last twelve months without any broken time.

The house was insured for £ 150, and 1 the furniture for £SO. The sister estimated her loss at £347 10s.

His Honor said that he did not want to send prisoner to gaol, but he would have to make some proposal to satisfy the claim of the insurance companv, and the loss suffered by the sister. He did not think the offence was exactly a probation matter, but he could order prisoner to come up for sentence when called upon.

Sentence was deferred for a fortnight, and accused was released to give him an' opportunity of making arrangements with the insurance companv and his sister.