R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2546, 11 March 1887, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON-FRIDAY, (Before Mr Vox Sturmer; R.M.' '■- AIJiKOED Inokkdabism, n .

Henry White was oharged, oni re'-, roand, with feloniously setting fire to the Prince of Wales Hotel, Masterton, on Pabruary 28th, 1887. Mr Beard appeared on behalf of Mrs Wagg, and Mr 'Skipper for defendant. All witnesses tiere ordered to leave i the Court. "' .' ■;'/;!' : '•■''"" ■'

Thomas Wagg dbpbscd that he was manager of the Prince of Waleff Hotel, Masterton, on behalf of' bis, Mrs?.; Wagg. . see: ing the defendant at the Hotel, during ike afternoon of February 28th, and also on the evening of .that-day, when he asked witness for. the loan, of halfa crown. "Witness refused, when de-. ; feiidant Remarked ' something, about: "He did''not care"; this occurred outside '-the Ifidtel. >.; Hev next saw him inside the hotel at the north l erh'end;, ; The ! witnosß'here drew a' skeloh of ; thehotel,to ! sh6V' where he saw defendant. Th& defendant jvent and witaeßsleftibbut .nine o'clock to get the mail, Jeavingdefendant standing af the same, jlace.. When; ~\ritheßß retincned >; ; defendant 'sworQabout some beerof histhat had ■baen talito away, d man iM kig<

ley was .had his ; hat off/ami'appeared rather excited. ' N . Defendant'.'asked forsVioanof half , r acrown,butsntnesarefused•;and defendant. grumpy "remarks. A. young man named E. Thompson was . also in ; the house, and .defendant called himpd-isaid someihing, Thomps6ji; , }\- : fct-.bea4||lubba;'^'Bell;yoarpttjisi ,, i ''.(. ■ De|enda'ilfswore • ifo Thikpwa, road .''* :'■ roMe ■bouse;': *,' ■■* j|alS r .,witnflPß:;/ii^difltfe^..- ;■ I'Nundtheback ofjhe prop and■'.'.< rushed up and on coming flown )*; again wasted by Miss Scott tha| -the i;' greenroomwasonfire, Hei«i|ediately ■';. .opened the door of the|||§,. JM-fe owing.tothesmoke and' :agaidf called ,oufc ■" some water. With the aSßiHahcec|®K several gentlemen in the hotel the firii'W' smputout.- Witness .described the position of the fire iriftlie room, and j also enumerated, the Various articles j burned. Witness stated that lioiro | ;had,been lighted in the fireplace in tho j rooiri for about-six months. Thefjro j had originated in the room opposite J the fireplace, and ■in some blankets j that;werein the corner 1 . 1 From what j defendantsaid, h'ehadrsason to suspect '] that tie web' the cause of th'e outbreak, : j On one occasion he said he would "make it,b—r-y hot for witness," because h& was. ordered out of certain !' rooms inthehouse. He had threatened witness several, times■ lately, be., cause he had, .refused to let him •' ' hive liquor or money when he wanted .. itr Defendant appeared excited about . ] the time of the fire, both before' and .after it,, He did.not appear to be the ■ ;wprse for liquor,. although ho had two ;'' or three : drinks'that evening. There was communication from the bar to the green -room, ,and ,alsp.from, the '. 'outside of ; the hotel: without ':going • near 'the bar. ' • The distance from tho \ bar to the green room was about 20 feet. After the fire defendant 'carao up, laughing and enquired if all the ' fire was out. ' By Mr Skipper.—The green-room is occupied as a sitting-room, and there '.', j. is.a bedroom adjoining. The greenr - room is rarely used, and tho door is [ usually "locked. Defendant was about the : Ihotel duriijg the afternoon and It waa , through defendant ihat the fire waa discovered,.by him,telling someone else. Had known'defendant about eighteen months. Had cause to think he had animosity agamstwHaess... He was not allowed to go into some.park '''■ of the houso as be .was rather,quarrel.- ' some/ He did lqave the'house about'the lime '.of.^'ire, ■ He oame back aftorihe alarm' of 'fire had been given;, The room waßiOConpied during the afternoon and evening , by a person who was not the worse for ;

drink, and had not blankets. 'Did not sqb noar the green ro6fii aftorabbut ; tsmy minwtea past nine, when ,he,oame;&oni that direction with his hat in his hand. Did.nQfeknow/ ; whorß;\aeM3ant'want to when the alarm was givianv Defendant was a Member of the Volunteer Fire Brigade..; Whon the fire was all out defendant made a' kind, of sneering remark and enquired,-," Is/lhejire all out," 'DeWaatwaggiV^'tbboasttngi" esgßpially-v about liis ; fighting powers; and;had,thr-eatoned witness Beveral timeß. •. Did nbt charge, defendant with Betting fire to the plaoo then. When witness wanted 7 to-sKut the house that night at 11 o'clock defendant, would not leave 'for .some ; time,..and' appeared rather .quarrel- , some,. When defendant made use of the remark, "I will make itb-—y-hot for "you;" witness-did not Iknow •,.1,/U-'l./.«...!". ■ '

what he meant. ; , By Mr Beard: There wag. not ; anything to prevent defendant telhng me of the five if he wished .t0.., Thompson first told me about it.-- There was no one in the.green room.after.seven o'clock that evening.- The room was alright at nine o'clock and there was a musical box on the'blankets.'.Tho window was locked at seven o'clock that evening. ' ' ;..''' Kate Scott, a barmaid at the of Wales,: stated that as she was serving in the bar on February M, she saw defendant at the passagevbar about quarter to eight.. He stood there some time before he ordered-any liquor. He was, continually passing: in and out during that time and,the alarm of fire. He was - with'' another man named Langley. A'few minutes; ' before the alarm of fire, Langley trod on a match, and witness went out to see' what.tho smell was caused through. On going to the green room she found it to be on; fire, 'and 'immediately gave to; Mr Gould not say what state Wm%&as in, heard defendant 'wdj t,P Thompson before the fire, but did'not-hear f what he said. .Very few wereaboutithVbw at the time. ■ .When serving would not.be able to sea anyone gping from Queen-street through the: green room passage. • ' -, ' Mr. Skipper.—l did not>see,s<icugecl go down the passage, The/psaeaga leads equally' from the bar- window tci the main street, as it flols tb'y&a passage that leads to the green robm. A short time after 'Langley trojj off [i match. ißmeltthefire; : Have'jm6wri White about seven weeks, but.djdi'not thinkho was a man who would attempt to.sot.fire. to the" place. White; and Kb friends were":at ,; the hotel- 'Buring tho..'greatorpartof''the day. ;,I; haVe nothing 1 to do with'the green rbpnil;-it is a room that is seldom wero others besides White.ahd Langley drinking together dilrjig' tho day,' bo far as know. therß'wasftioiU;. : fpiel-. : ing arid-,'^ ; 1 •Waeg'.'V .Thomas Parsoni'/said: I'reeolleet . the'Prince'of v About 10.8& pimi'l wentin tnemainentranee . ;into the parlor behind; was there ! a short : timeV^heti I. Heard ; a cryVof■ " fire." : Went' out' arid/? faun J smoke, coming .out of. a bedroom leadinginto the green room; .Went in arid found.the' |room ;■ smoke. [ 'Came, mi '^ ~ intotbe gr;e6n'ioom : ;and. fojmoWtaall ' spot of firei >iia : somo"watfei overitl/'liUii^«tii; : and , 'got a candle fta '.' nes?'. ;i ,Saw':no flames.;^:Th|re|ero. ; some blankets: there -whici '%% I flmouldering,■;.ThewaUswerbnteked i several -feet' utp 1 - M<M .-pap&iaj

behind wherethe blankets wore.; Noticed the fire was opposite the fire-; place near; the sofa. , There was no firo in the fireplace, : Throw tho, .blankets on one side.' I saw defendant in tho passage leading. from the bar into Queen-street standing,, opposite . the bar. doorl ~n .' ■'. Br Mr Skipper; Did notisea defendant in the green ijoqqj,. The fire. may hate been'srMMHophg sortie' time. ( .1 ■ did'noi ss© defendant until some time. gf the &e:Kad''beeh''pht.'6ut,'' when v- him/iu the' 'company;of.'the jeant and'onetf' two. constables iri ; .the firp originated;. ', { .Bob'ert Thompson, groom, said he -remembered 'the night of 28tH "Feb* fruary.- Was in Prince of Wales Hotel that evening.- About ten minutes before the alarm'saw. White in the Hotel. He called out thai he wanted me several times. Did not go so, he came into the dining room where witness was and said " Get ready for {lie engine, there will bo a fire here directly." Witness said "Where is it?" He C ' said "Go round the corner, and you will hear it crackling." Witness .•went round, but said nothing further o him. Boforo he went defendant tried to Btop witness by holding him by thearm\and saying "Don't go yet.". WitoesVfiaw. Mr Wagg.who found out where the fire was, and witness loft to ring the • firo bell. Did not seethe accused again till after tho fircS when ; he was in the company of the police.; Could not say who was serving in ■ tho bar at the time. Persons serving , in the bar could not see anyone going into green room, .;."■'.," ■ - ■ By Mr Beard; From the time I first 8a w the fire I should think -lmd it been •left a minute" or two late the would have been in a blaze. The chairs that were partly burnt were /.standing up alongside of the blankets, j'in usual position. :; -,By Mr Skipper: I was at one end ; of .the bar and' White at .the other ; when accused called to me, a distance .of 80 feet. Did not see anyone in the '■ bar or serving at the time. I wa3 alone . at the time sitting down. Defendant called ;to me but I would not go. ..'^fier^about ten minutes he camel \Jrpuiid'tp mo.' I.anl a member of the j .Oyplutijijaer Fire Brigade, as also is' | When ho came round hc | npt, seem joxcitcd. I have no' v#B3.on to' suspect'that accused : would ■ be ; a person likely to set fire to'theplace. l&ja positive'.heiidid not say he -smelt j f'.-tyle called me on one side and sperod Utis me. I asked Mr gg if he' could smell-anything •' burning, and -;': ho said "Yes." I then wenttod rang the firo bell. I baye lived atfche hotel thegroaterpart of my life, arid the green room has invariably boen, kept closed.- Did not tell Mr Wagg who told mo thero was going to be a fire until after it had broken out.'/ . .'.'(Left Sitting.)

NEW ZEALAND BIBLE, TRACT '' AND. BOOK SOCIETY. THIS Society hna opened Depot in premises lately occupied by Messrs Price & Dickson, adjoining Club Hotel, Masterton, with a large and well : assortetl stock of Evangelical Limaature, consistmj; of Theological Worka, Sunday School Library Books, at special discounts, Teacher's Helps, and all other 'Sunday School Materials at published prices, Family, Pulpit, Pew, & Pockofc Bibles in ij'r'eat variety. Prayer Books, Church Service!), and Cathedral Psalters, Hymn Books of all denominations. Birthday Cards. Sunday School Roward Cards and Tickota. Illuminated Toxtß for walla. Splendid collection. of Gift and Prize Books, all the latest Annuals, and a assortment of Traotß and Pamphlets! KSriOIION IXVIIED fob a I'KW days ohlt, 2544_ J. MATHERS, Aomr."