THE FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1129, 18 September 1879, Page 2

THE FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

ALLEGED ARSON AGAIjnST WATERS. \ [by telegbaph, press association.] Dunedin, Tuesday. The evidence adduced at tho inquest on < the fire directed suspicion against William i Waters, alias Walter Clair, alias William j Woodlock, the proprietor of tho cafe, and ] he was arrested yesterday tipon the charge i of wilfully setting fire to the building i The evidence of Inspector Mallard shewed that, owing to disgracefully rowdy conduct at the cafe, he had told Waters i that he would not be allowed to continue i the entertainment given there ; that the ' < place was not licensed ; that, without the i recommendation of the police, the Council : would not grant a license ; and that the police were about to take proceedings ; against Waters m consequence of the i disorderly character of the house. It also ; transpired that Waters had, with extreme , difficulty, obtained an insurance policy, < and the evidence of the police shewed '. that there were strong reasons for believing he was the person described m the Melbourne Police. Gazette as having been several times convicted of felony. ; Two witnosses, George Ritchie and Alfred Hall, both gave evidence which leaves no doubt that the place was wilfully burned. The latter witness stated : — " I : have frequently heard him say, m talking about fires and so forth, that it was quite easy to put a match to anything and all that. I have also heard him say, that he would not do it without first being insured. This is since he came here. He said it m the presence of Mrs E. Woodlook, who is called Mrs Waters, and she told him to be careful what he said. I met them out m the street one day. I suppose a week after he said these things, and he told me he had had a devil of a job to get his things insured, and that he had been running all over the place. I went to live with him some, time after this. He then said that he believed that bank managers must hold communication with the insurance companies. He thought the reason they did this was, beoause, if a man had no funds m the bank, they would not insure him. He said he had about £100 m the bank the day before, and I had pat £100 m the bank the day before, and that he had about half-a-dozen there Aviting to insure the place. Coroner : Do you attach much importance to what Waters said ? Do you think that a man- who was going to set fire to his place would go and tell an employee about it. • Witness : I cannot tell anything about it. Coroner : What did you gather at the time as to the meaning of a man who would say such a thing ? Did you believe that he was m earnest or only m fun ? Witness : I took it m earnest. Coroner : What made you take it m earnest. Witness: Because I thought he was capable of doing it. I thought m my own mind that a man who would go away with his brother's wife and child would be capable of doing anything, especially after saying it. Coroner: Any other reason besides that? Witness : Well, I have another reason, certainly. Coroner : What is it ? Witness : On account of his having been convicted before. Coroner : "Why did you not, when you thought he was m earnest m this matter for the reasons you have given us, mention it to some of the authorities. Witness: I don't know; 1 thought it was best to let it drop at that time, and so I took no notice of it after a bit. To-day, the inquest was adjourned, as Waters could not be present, having been committed by justices this morning to gaol.