On This Day, 9 December 1918

Evening Despatch 

Monday 9 December 1918

MAN WITH A MATCH!

MILLWRIGHT CHARGED WITH SETTING FIRE TO WORKS.

Howard Deakin, aged 18, millwright, in the employ of the Lanchester Motor Co., Montgomery-streel, again appeared before Mr. Commissioner Hugo Young at the Birmingham Assizes to-day, on charges of setting fire to the company premises on 4 October.

Evidence for the prosecution called previously showed that three fires occurred that night, and Deakin was suspected owing to peculiar remarks made to fellow employees prior to the outbreaks.

To-day a witness stated that a match was found in accused’s pocket.

Mr. Hugo Young: There is no offence in that, is there?

Mr. Norman Birkett (for prosecution), jocularly: Not unless he could be charged with hoarding?

Mr. Young: It is unusual for anybody to have a match in these days, and perhaps as well for us to note it.

ACCUSED’S STORY

After further evidence for the prosecution by employees the accused went into the box.

He stated that he suffered from tuberculosis and epilepsy. At his own request he was transferred to the night shift a week before the fires.

On the night of the fire he went to work at seven o’clock. An hour later he was told to assist in moving a lathe the machine shop. Just before nine o clock he went to repair belts in the sawmill and machine shop.

When the alarm for the first fire was given he was repairing a belt in the capstan section. The fire had been extinguished when he reached the despatch stores. He had not been on that floor previously that night.

He did not know of the second fire in the Government stores until was pointed out to him by an employee named Freeman. When he arrived the fire was out.

He denied making any such remark as he could tell a spy or a German from a Belgian, or that said to the man Fisher “You know how to put fires out, but I know how to start them.” He was not aware that night that a fire occurred in the carpenters’ shop

(Proceeding.)