Fong Chai-fu, manager of a bean-shop, No. 1723 Seward Rowe, and Kong To-bang, an assistant, were charged with having been concerned together in wilfully setting fire to the said premises st 5.45 a.m on the 17th instant, thereby endangering life and property and with intent to obtaidf certain insurance money.
Detective-Inspector McDowell stated that the bean-shop was opened about a sear and a half ago. The first defendant was the manager, but he did not hold any shares in the business. The fire broke out suddenly at 5.45 a.m. the pre-ions day and the bean-shop and several adjoining shops were quickly destroyed. The contents of the bean-shop were insured for Tls. 1,500, but none of the contents of the adjoining shops was insured. When witness arrived at the scene of the fire he heard some of the neigh-toots openly accuse the first defendant of anion. It was said also that he had been seen pouring kerosene oil over the ground floor of the premises. Inquiries had been made as to the defendant's past record and it had been ascertained that daring the last few years he had been connected with no fewer than six fires. One fire occurred at a shop in Honan Road where he was manager and be secured Tls. 3,500 from the Insurance Company. Two years ago he was also managing a shop in another part of Seward Road where a fire occurred twenty houses were destroyed and out of claim of Tls. 5,000 for insurance be obtained Tls. 4,800. Afterwards the man took over the present shop where there bad been three fires, all of which had been extinguished by the neighbours. Defendant admitted that the fires bad occurred, but said they were put out by the inmates. Inspector The M.-C. herald and S. C. & C. Gazette.
McDowell proceed to detail the whereabouts of the accused on the night before the fire and compared them with accused's own statement. Defendant alleged that he was on the premises at the time of the alarm and that he jumped from a verandah 13 ft though he now bore no signs of The books belonging to the shop were all saved. The inmates of the house appeared to be fully dressed at the time of the fire, while their neighbours were only partially dressed.
The Magistrate questioned the defendant, who alleged that the fire was caused through the carelessness of an The evidence of several neighbours was heard in confirmation of Inspector McDowell's statement as to the previous fires on the premises and as to the kerosene oil being thrown buat.
The first defendant was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with hari labour, and expansion from the Settle ment, and the second defendant to we years' imprisonment, with hant loboer.
The Assessor complimented the Police upon the successful manner in which they had presented the case.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.