Narrative
SUSPICION OF ARSON. — Kate Gawthern was
charged on remand with having, on Friday
last, set fire to Mr. Ayscough's chemist shop
on Red Hill. Inspector Lewis prosecuted,
and Mr. Appel defended. Detective Nether-
cote deposed to finding some kerosine oil at the
residence of the accused, after which
James William Ayscough stated that between 8
and 9 on the 4th instant the accused was in his
shop at Red Hill, and behaved in an insulting
and abusive manner, during the course of which
she said, " I will teach you to let your wife
write anonymous letters to me." Witness told
her to leave the shop, but she would not do so,
until a constable had been sent for. The ac-
cused had on previous occasions been
abusive and insulting. About midnight on the
4th instant witness was informed of something,
and he returned to the shop at Red Hill. On
examining the door he found it to be charred
as if it had been on fire. The accused was in
an excited state when she left the shop that
evening. She did not tell him what were the
contents of the letters complained of, but he
thought they were the cause of her excitement.
He had had no disagreement with her since
her husband's death. Constable Hanley stated
that he saw the accused in front of Mr
Ayscough's shop on the night of the 4th
instant. She told him that Mr. Ayscough was
a murderer, and had poisoned her husband.
He told her to go away, and she departed, going
in the direction of the Normanby hotel. Charles
Henry Howes, an apprentice to Mr. Ayscough,
stated that he closed up the shop in question a
few minutes after 10 o'clock on the night of
the 4th instant. The place was all right then,
and there was no sign of fire. Peter Louis
Peterson stated that about a quarter-past 11
on Friday last he was returning home, and
when approaching Mr. Ayscough's shop he
noticed a bright light at the door of the shop.
He went to the shop and found it on fire,
which he assisted to put out. He saw
Constable Hilton take possession of some par-
tially burned paper saturated with kerosine.
George Fitzroy Bendell, residing at Red Hill,
next door to Mr. Ayscough's shop, stated that
about a quarter to 11 on Friday night last he
passed the door of Mr. Ayscough's shop. As
he did so he saw a woman dressed in black
sitting on the doorstep of the shop,
with her back to the window. About
half an hour after getting inside he was
alarmed by the cry of "Fire," and on going
out saw the chemist's shop on fire. On exami-
ning the place after the fire was out, he found
the door covered with kerosine oil. This was
near where he had observed the woman (whose
face he did not see), sitting when he went in.
When the door was opened he saw some
paper, which was wet with kerosine oil, and
partially burnt. Witness had not seen the
accused before he saw her in the court on Mon-
day. In reply to Mr. Appel, witness stated
that it was pretty dark under the veranda,
and while he could not swear that she was
dressed in black, he could say positively that
the woman was dressed in dark clothes. At
this stage the case was adjourned for a week,
bail allowed — accused in £80, and two sureties
in £40 each.
City Police Court. (1885, December 9). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 2. < a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174683845"> TROVE