R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2547, 12 March 1887, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

. MASTERTON—FRIDAY,/. ?•> (B»fore Mr Yon Siubmbb, K.M.) ,■ AtLEOBD war 'M^rWm-iS^oa^y ; the Prince of Walea'Hotel, Masterton,. on Febr ; Wagg, and Mr Skipper for defendant. All witnesses were ordered to -leave the Court.

we ..went to,^preas^ yestoday., v Mr Skipper continued. I was not in that part of the house, near the green .Comd'4i(stoßay#lio was-inicompany with defendant. Did not see defendant .again till the Sergeant of Police, put liina-out,• afteivthe fire.) '/Did> toot go into' the' room where' {He fira was. Mr Wagg told me to ring the fire bell. By his Worship:... Defendant was.not : under the influenoe of could 1 1 v'Af' U William Maonamara, bootmaker, Qn oath, deposed he was at Wagg's hotel on the night-, of 28th February last. Saw defendant there a little, after ton j o'clock in the side bar. Heard him calling to Thompson, but as Thompson - did not go he came round to;: hk in tho dining rp6pi'. •ant Bay to Thompson'" Go roun'd ' the corner and you will hear oraokling." Thompson said " You are. only getting at me.' 1 Defendant said'" No i -am not." and then rushed through 1 the, kitchen. Defendant tried to stop Thompson, saying Not. that, way." He spoke low at first, but then, raised his voice, Ho (witness) was not' a fireman.' By Mr Skipper: I was about. three yards away when Thompson and defendant first spoke. There were several others in the house, but not near enough to hear tho conversation. There were three or four other ways, of getting out of the rOom besides through'the kitchen. Heard ; defendant say something about "in the green room." and also about "smelling fire.'v: I distinctly heard him say "Go round tiie corner and you will hear it crackling- Defendant was flushed in the face, but that may have been through drinking. Did not think he was excited. I went through the room with a bucket of water-to assist in putting out thq fire. Had not been in the room before. I never saw defendant again until I saw the Sergeant putting him out after tho fire. . Morgan Ward O'Meara, painter, stated that he was a branchman of thq rlasterton Volunteer Fire Brigade;'Ho Mew defendant ; a8 a member of the Brigade'. Remembered 28th February lasti' ; He was'at the fire- ■ beU rang; when h« to the engine shed and> proceeded -with the Btreet. he saw defendant at the stand pipe,)!;.He was r Brewing a cap up. Told Em he : wasV screwing it up whereas he ought to be unscrewing it. Were jiist; getting, it loose, when we ■were, told;, the. fire, was out. Going home from the station saw defendant at the corner of Queen and Perrystreets. He came up to me, pnt Ins arm on my shoulder and said, "Morg, I set the b—place alight. ll Witness told him to be careful-what he said, bnt he replied He did not care a. dam." As ft V'fireman no t notice anythiiig peculiar in defendant's behaviour. Defendant's duty asa fireman was to ttßsist with the hose etc. On this occasion he seemed to act as if lie did.not know what he was: doing, seeming to do all' in his power- to retard the work. 1 ;" Should say ho was sober. Have known, defendant. some time, but not intimately. , ■ • By Mr Skipper .—The/first duty when the bell, is rung is to ; hasten to the engine shed. - When I got there the engine was coming out/ Am certain defendant was trying to sorew the cap, of the stand pipe np. It is the duty of firemen to do the best they can without waiting for:; orders. Defendant did not give any reason why he set the hotel on fire. • By the . manner in which he told me' lie had set fire to the hotel-1 believed him. know nothing against defendant that, would lead me to think him capable of Betting the place On fire. He helped me to lay on the water', ! The fire, 1 believe, originated in a room known as the "greenroom." I told Mr .Wagg I had suspicions of a person,'and 'would tell him who, after a meeting of the > brigade; Wednesday. -It was on Monday night I told Mr Wagg I had Buspioions. At a meetingof the brigade ' on. Wednesday night one of the officers' brought up' the charge' against defendant/There has never been any jealous feelings between • defendant and me whilst in the Brigade. .I' had .my evi-dence-taken down .about a.week ago;' !

By,Mr Eleard: The reason I told Mr Wagg to wait until after the.: meeting, was on account of defendant being a member. I considered it my duty to report the matter to the Brigade first. The defendant was present at this meeting when I reportedhim.jvlt was' in consequence of this the censure was passed on him. After the meet-' iiig I mentioned, the affair to Mr Wagg,.. . r ', r " . John Williams, batcher, stated. he was at the corner of. Bannister .and Queea streets between 9 and 10 o'clock on Monday morning, 28tb February. The defendant was standing at the cor-' ner of the Club verandah; Defendant« asked' Jacksdn' if-h© at 'WrigleyV fire on Sandfly ' toprning. . Jackson said " No," Defendant' then said ■''You will., sag ;a fire nearer than Wrigley's fire before 16ng.'H-,% Saw defendant last Friday moraing abputj 8 o'olocki when ,;he (witness) was'in;the lock-up charged with being drtink the ;bejbre. : y/ wtaj;. he wat?. doing; tk©re t V i wii3 he; said' • iFor • settiijg i tjs :■ 'jagg's h6use." 'jiv'Wftn6sd.;-aa,ia.?b6 >' hai iio.ii heard wytluiig'tabolt' $ and asM hitil vftfo ]^ey^ good< i'A

iV? am k almost .mre ; | the conversation took place on Friday morning. ;'Oti being brought up '• before 1 ' the ' Court' the next day : I. was fined, 10g. I only had Ba, and Mr Wagg lent me -the other 2b. I. saidi'to tho defendant " I am glad to see you here (in prison); R3, ; it oheera ! me hp : a;bifc" (Laupter,)^^'were •- V .Waiter |asia^4 : sitting off; ■#' -foflsi ' '■ haying a.cup of; •, ; : .Satiorif iopji placdi»A-is n(h---"p£iii6'nlfl,Ftnߣd*of^ it strapge-thai •. me;; ;'I ftjbdut What I-was-toid W in the day, while. . '■ having a "glass of l 4eer"-m- Wagg's. hotel, where. Mr Wagg oVerlieard ma .and brought me doYm.to'.jiie police station/' IwheUil naon{.ioiied: - eation to the : was halfpast two the same I. mentioned it outside. ■■■' ■ . .By Mr Beard: I liave ndt men* - tioned anything of the conversation to: either Mr Wagg or the-Sergeaht sinoe. .. ■ Wm. Pragnell, carrier, 'a-member of the MasteiW Municipal Fire Brigade, remembered-Monday mora* .-.- ing, Feb. 28/ Was standing near the ' eorner'ofthe.'Olub verandah with ..defendant and [others. - Referring to .Wrigley's-fife defendant «aid ; .to " You ought to have been with me." Someone said, " Where were you." Defendant's reply was, "Iwaa in ths ;■ Volunteer Brigade Station waiting; for the bell to ring." After t&lkirig about Wriglsy'a fire defendant'said,. We sM me a hotter flare np: than that • oloeer' to town Bhortly." He'did not mefitioii any particular block,. but pointed in the direction ofWagg's hotel,- -. • -•..' ' ■By Mr' Slapper';Have heard many men remark owing to dry weather wo would one of these times have a big v fire in Queen street, but have never heard anyone.speak ; so pointedly as did accused on this occasion. There is a . ;■ little jealousy between members of the t opposition brigades, I don't know . J that-iti is üßual to keep a watch on the brigade premises of a night, . \ ; Robert Henry Elliott,'proprietor of " the refreshment room at Mauriceville, . rememberedhearingofthefire on Mon'day 28< Saw defendant on the -samo day as'th'e firo in Boss's blacksmith's Bhop. He was speaking about a fire that had occurred the night previous, and about "being up all night, He . said " It was not a large one but there would be a larger one before many. hours." Did nof say . where but understood he meant in Masterton. By Mr Skipper: Did not think 1 defendant wap sober at- the time, and . thatjia why he did 'not s' takie 'much . notice'of what he Was talking about. Charles Coopor, constable, stationed at Masterton said oh receipt ,of infor- ' mation • h'e ' arrested defendant on,a charge of sotting fi'ra.to the Prinea 1 of Wales Hotol., i Bcenooftlie fire and found.-that ther# ' had been a fire a room known as 1 of the.door in aicbnier furthest awjqr.- ! trom-the-fire plaee,-T Know, the main ' entrances : very well. He -gave ft • i description-of the room, and the ■ situatiqn'of, the furniture. Defendant .' 1 made tip statement, when arrested. ■ By Mr Skipper. -Iwaa.never in tho ! the night of the -28 th:; February. '. It » wouid:be possiblo for a pereon to go ■ ■ down the passage and into the green. ! room .witho.ut being detected from the i bar. Defendant seemed to be .'very i shakey , when'.arresM,. and;neither , i admitted or denied the chsrgei ' This ' Concluded the. case (for the t prosecution,. And Mr Skipper'applied ! for an adjoiramerit .pf a quarter of an - ■ hour to consider what line ofaction he • .should take for the defence. Hifl • ' Worship granteditho , On resuming, His Worship agked ) Mr Skipper whether he intended to i address the Court on behalf of his 3 client, at the. same time intimating that aj)mw/a«<casehadbeenmadeon4 f and that the evidence was very strong ) against defendant. , ; • 3 Mr Skipper stated that being the ■ case lie would not detain the ! Court, 3 but would advise his client to,; reserve. 3 his defence, i The depositions were then read to ■ defendant, who pleaded Not Guilty.'' i He was then committed to : take his f trial at the next sitting of the. Suprome ) Court at Wellington on the 4th. : April. 1 Mr Skipper, on behalf of his. client, ,/■ 1 applied for bail)'; which ,was; .fixed at { £IOOO, in two surieties of £26o"each j and defendant' 0600. The witnesses , in tho case were bound over to . appear ; s. ,at the Supreme Court sitting.;,;,. r ; :