A native lodging-housekeeper and his servant were charged with attempting to set fire to an empty house next door his own, No. 804, Fuhkien Road, on the with order to defraud the Hamburg 1877 Insurance Ca. of Tix. 600. Inspector Vourke prosecuted und a representative of Messrs. Kirchner and Boger, the agents of the Insurance Ca., appeared. Inspector Bourke stated the charge and added that the man had been charged with a similar offence in 1898, when he was lined $100 or 100 days' imprisonment. The attempt then was at the same house. Detective Nergt. Johnson said it- had since transpired that prisoner spoke English. A witness in the case had given the same story to the police as to the Insurance Ca. Inspector Bourke pointed out that am important point in the case was that two notices had been posted on the door of the empty house stating it would be opened by a well-known opium hong in three days' time, two witnesses had seen these notices in prisoner's possession before they were posted. Besides, the chief witness had, when shown a rough plun, pointed out where a hole existed im_ the wall, which he must have known of previously as no one had been permitted to enter the house after the fire by the police guarding it. The principal witness called, said he was studying English under prisoner's tuition and on the 28rd he went to his house for lessons when at 10 p.m. he smelt fire snd kerosene oil, he went upstairs and found a pole stuck through the wall into the empty house next door, on looking into the hole be found 'a quantity of cotton saturated with kerosene "oil, and on the floor of the room a bundle of firewood alo soaked with kerosene oil. Prisoner called him away and scolded him for going upstairs, He had seen the notices about the opium hong in prisoner's possession. A priest, also a'witness, called, said he had been living in prisoner's house about two months. He had seen the previous witness come to the house on the night stated, but did not know what passed Vyetween them as they spoke in English, soon afterward the witness mentioned went away, Witness himself had smelt kerosene oil. He was asleep downstairs when the fire occurred at about 2 a.m. He also had seen the opium notices in prisoner's possession. The servant's story was that two men slept upstairs, himself being one. He had not smelt any kerosene oil. "He was asleep when the fire occurred. The landlord was not called. He came downstairs and went out, but being followed by an Indian constable he was afraid and Fan away, being afterwards caught by 4 native constable." Prisoner said he was awakened by native constable knocking at door and saying there was a fire next door. He got up and poured two buckets of water on the flames coming into his house. A coolie had come downstairs, but had net called him. A Chinese constable took him to the Police Station. The evidence of constable 525 was that on seeing the fire he noticed that both doors of the houses in question were open, on Stuer tying up beni oF clothing. Conjoing into the lodging-house he saw pr
stable 170 said he called two coolies of Messrs. Cushny and Smith's, where he knew a hose was kept and, with their assistance, put out the fire. The hole in the wall between the houses was stuffed full of cotton bedding soaked with kerosene oil the floor of the empty house was covered with kerosene oil. A watchman employed by Messrs. Sqssoon and Ca. to look after the premises stated that a Ningpo man applied for the house on the 19th instant, and he opened the door for him with a sav. He had seen about half a picul of (Magistrate) and Mr. firewood taken into the house, but he was not sure who took it in, The priest said prisoner's family had all gone to Ningpo about a month before with thirteen boxes of clothing and ornaments. Constable 170 stated that when he called prisoner he expressed great surprise at the fire being next door. Inspector Bourke said there was another important point and that was the prisoner's policy could not be found. He had given rambling statements as to its whereabouts, but the police had looked for it. unsuccessfully everywhere. Prisoner in answer to the Court said his wife might have packed it away with her things. The insurance representative said the man had had the house insured for two years; this was the second year. Inspector Bourke mentioned that the first witness had stated to him that he had had his suspicions aroused by what he had seen in the house and watched the house until he saw the fire, when he told a constable. The Assessor thought witness had behaved very honestly all through and deserved to be rewarded, also the two coolies of Messrs. Cushny and' Smith should be handsomely rewarded, and especially Chinese constable 170. They had all acted well, and the matter should be brought to the notice of the Fire Insurance Association. Sentence was passed on prisoner as follo cangued for ten days in all quarters of the settlement and to serve three years' penal servitude in the Municipal ga Prisoner's servant was discharged. Tie charge sheet was endorsed ™ that the witness and native constublo 170, together with Messrs. Cushny and Smith's colies deserve to be rewarded, specially constable 170." Inspec-for Bourke thanked the Court for the trouble taken int inspecting the premises.
Mr, F. Maitland, the Hon, Secretary of the S.S.P.C.A. prosecuted a_man for cruelty to a fowl.. Mr. Maitland said that on the lith instant he heard an wiusua noise while in his house and upon looking out saw prisoner with a chicken in his land with its head doubled hack and prisoner plucking the feathers off its neck and breast. He did not think the man knew he was doing wrong, but the object of the Society was to impress the natives that that kind of thing was wrong. After he spoke to him he went!
ide the house and threw the chicken out with its throat severed. The compra dare of the Bank had been to him and begged to let the man off, being an old man. The Magistrate told prisoner he must not repeat the offence and thought it would leave an impression on prisoner's mind, if he was find $2. The fine was paid to the Society.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.