22 November 1934

FIRE EPIDEMIC THAT CAUSED WEEK OF TERROR 

Kensington Night Prowler In The Early Eighties

Perhaps the most terrifying epidemic of incendiarism ever experienced in the history of Adelaide was that which broke out in the eastern suburbs in the summer of 1884. 

As a result of the activities of a fire-crazed night prowler, whose twisted brain conceived the most cunningly laid plans for the destruction of valuable property, more than £25,000 worth of damage was done in the course of a week, and the residents of Kensington, Norwood, and neighboring localities were in a state of abject panic, until the arrest of a suspected man put an end to the series of conflagrations in the district. 

To this day, however, the identity of the culprit has never been definitely established for there was insufficient evidence to justify the accused being brought before a jury, and the case was not proceeded with. There was something ghoulish about the manner in which the incendiarist eluded the vigilant night watchers during that week of terror in the Kensington district. 

Hundreds of residents kept a keen look-out for the culprit night after night, but the fires occurred despite their wary vigil. The womenfolk were afraid to go to bed; they sat up all night with buckets of water in every room, while their husbands lay concealed in the dark streets awaiting the coming of the fire fiend. 

Late in February, 1884, a market gardener, Mr. J. Townley, was driving along Parade, Norwood, about 2 o'clock in the morning, when he saw flames issuing from some jarrah stacks facing Sydenham road. He promptly extinguished the flames, and it was later discovered that a piece of towel, which had been placed in some inflammable chemical, had been pushed in between two large pieces of timber, which be longed to the timber firm of Cowell Brothers. 

On March 2 the premises of Mr. D. Packham, in Chapel street, Kensington, were destroyed by a fire which occurred in the early hours of the morning. It was from that date that the reign of terror in the district began. On the following night the incendiarist stole along the silent streets and lit four separate fires among the timber belonging to Cowell Brothers. Thus set ablaze, the premises were soon alight from one end to the other, and thousands of people watched the weary firemen battle with the conflagration until daylight saw the grim fight won. Fortunately a row of cottages abutting on Cowell's premises were saved, but the damage to the timber stacks ran into many thousands of pounds. 

A haystack was the next scene of the incendiarist's attention, and the damage was estimated at £240. But even this did not complete the fire fiend's work, for, on the same night — a little after 4 a.m. — some compositors, on their way home from work, noticed that a shop in Rundle street, Kent Town, was alight. They succeeded in putting out the blaze, and it was later discovered that a child's hat, saturated with kerosene, had been placed among some loose wood where the blaze was first seen. Residents of the district were now in a state of terror, and the streets were patrolled by extra troopers and plain clothes officers, who had been drafted from the city. 

But still the fire fiend continued his work, about the same hour — between 3 and 4 a.m. On the Wednesday morning he went to the premises of Mr. J. W. Cossey, Magill road, with the result that a blacksmith's shop was completely destroyed. By this time the brigade was very much overworked, and civilians were eager to assist, the weary fire fighters. 

But still the reign of terror continued. On the Thursday, at 9.30 p.m., a woolshed, belonging to Mr. J. Stout, was set ablaze and destroyed. At 1.30 a.m. on the following day, Mr. J. Bennetts (who was later mayor of the town) was standing outside his premises in Sydenham road with other watchers, when he heard a noise, followed by a crash of falling glass, at Mr. F. Penschke's carpenter's shop opposite. A tongue of flame leapt out of the broken window, and the watching men were rushed to the scene and extinguished the blaze. In the shop they found a bath towel, which had been saturated with some chemical. The room also smelt strongly of methylated spirits. 

Not far from the shop was a little three-roomed cottage occupied by a photographer, a recent arrival from England. When the fire alarm was given, the watchers saw a man rush out of the shop, and, scaling a fence, take a course which would eventually bring him to this cottage. He was later arrested and charged with arson. In due course, the man was committed for trial, but the evidence against him was so weak that the Attorney-General entered a nolle prosequi, and the case was not called on at the next Criminal Sessions. The fire epidemic ceased, however, with the man's arrest, and residents breathed freely once more. 

Each of the members of the fire brigade was presented with a gold medal for gallant work during that week of terror in the district. The recipients were: — Captain T. S. Warman, Lieutenants R. E. Kippist and W. Warman, and Firemen T. A. Caterer, J. E. Gooden, F. A. Gray, F. R. Steed, J. E. Steed, R. J. Buttery. P. J. Little, and H. Newberry.— F.R.D.

3,000 Cats At 1/

For Persian cats and tortoiseshell ones there is usually a fairly steady demand, but it is seldom that 'tabby' cats — especially thousands of them — are wanted. Such was not the case in 1883, however, when the following advertisement appeared in the daily papers for several weeks: — 

CATS, CATS, CATS.
Wanted, 1,000 cats, six months old and over.
Price 9d. each delivered next Monday, October 15, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
No geldings received.
ROBERTSON BROTHERS, Globe Hotel. 

As may be imagined, this advertisement attracted much comment, but people were persuaded that it was genuine, and proceeded to collect cats for Monday. October 15. On that morning, however, another advertisement appeared under 'Miscellaneous Wants' in 'The Advertiser': — 

3,000 cats wanted immediately, 1/ each.
Apply Milford, manager, Singer's Sewing Machine Company, Rundle street. 

This offer of an extra threepence for each cat was a strong incentive for people to take their cats to the Singer Sewing Machine Company rather than to the Globe Hotel. The result was that Mr. Milford was 'besieged by all kinds of cats,' and one can imagine his wrath when he found that he had been duped by a practical joker. When owners of cats found, too, that Mr. Milford did not want their pets, they mostly grew exceedingly angry and abusive. The angriest of them all, however, was a man who had brought no less than 150 cats in a van from Kapunda. Meanwhile Messrs. Robertson Brothers, at the Globe Hotel, could not obtain enough cats. By noon only 17 had been brought to them. They had it circulated that their offer was genuine, but, by that time, Mr. Mil ford's 'customers' had gone home again. The youngsters of Adelaide, however, managed to collect 100 cats and received 9d. a head At the Globe Hotel by 11 o'clock that night. These cats were placed in large boxes and were taken to Chowilla Run to help in rabbit destruction. 

Another advertisement appeared in 'Miscellaneous Wants' the following day:— 

Wanted,
the SCALP of the JOKER who advertised in my name for cats,
NO CATS REQUIRED.
J. S. MILFORD, Singer Manufacturing Co., Rundle Street.

-- 'H.'

A Queer Crowd

It is interesting to note the simple mindedness which runs in some families. When I was a lad I knew a family, the members of which were simplicity exemplified. 

The two eldest sons once took a contract to excavate a tank. They took it out in real workmanlike fashion, and the owner, very pleased with the job and its appearance, paid them there and then. The brothers, however, could not for the life of them divide the cash to each other's satisfaction, so they gave the money back and filled the tank in. 

Another son was once out shooting. The day was hot and the sport tame, so he sat down in the shade of a tree to rest. A 'green-tail' kept alighting on his boot, and he, laughingly kept throwing pebbles at it. The fly, how ever, still persisted, and at last the lad, getting annoyed, said, 'Can't I shift you?' He raised his gun and fired. To day he limps round on half a foot, but he said he got the fly. 

A younger member of the family was engaged on part time work. One night he came home and told his mother that he wasn't going to work for that push any more for a half a crown a day. 'Why?' asked his mother. 'Why?' he replied, 'Because I can get two and sixpence over at Thomas's. That's why.' 

Another son was one day out shooting with a friend. He had spent some time sneaking upon a rabbit, and was just taking aim when his friend said: — 'What's the use of you firing? You have no shot in your charge.' The other rose on his haunches, and the rabbit dived into a burrow. 'Well,' he said, 'I've met some muts in my life, but you are the worst, what did you want to say that for? The rabbit didn't know.' 

The father also seemed afflicted. He had in his snare moments dug a large number of holes in his yard. One day a man came alone and asked him what he was going to do with them. He was staggered when the old chap replied that he had heard that there was a good market for postholes. — M.M.

Accidental Baptism

Many years ago there lived on the banks of Saunder's Creek a farmer who had a large family of sons. On account of this he decided, when the new lands across the river were opened up, to take up a large holding, as his farm was too small for the boys. 

Fortune smiled upon his enterprise, and about ten years later he, his two eldest sons, and another middle-aged farmer, decided to go to the annual stallion sales in the city. Instead of going by the long rail trip they decided to hire a half-ton lorry, which was fitted with a seat high up above the driver's. 

When they arrived at the ford across Saunder's Creek, near where the old farmer had lived for many years, they found the creek running a banker. The driver pulled up undecided whether to attempt to cross or not. On talking it over, the farmer said, 'I think it will be quite safe.' When they were about half-way across, however, the lorry began to drift with the current until it came to rest against the ford post. 

The sudden stop was too much for the two elderly men, who were thrown off the lorry into the stream. When the lorry was backed out, and after a lot of trouble in rescuing hats, walking sticks, &c, from the flood, the old chap remarked, 'Many a pound have I made by pulling stranded motorists out of here, little thinking that I would be served such a dirty trick by the same creek.' 

On the return trip from the city the two who had received the wetting decided to return by the safer, if longer, rail journey.— 'Whiskers.'

Useless Strategy

In the early days of Fowler's Bay residents sometimes needed to send letters to Streaky Bay, 180 miles distant. Mail deliveries were infrequent. One method used was to engage a blackfellow to take a letter. The time needed for the journey was known, so the recipients could tell whether the messenger had come straight through. 

One blackfellow, on being handed a letter, was instructed that he must not delay on the way. Should he do so 'Paper yabber would tell.' Temptation to stay at Denial Bay proved too great, however, so a ruse to outwit paper yabber was adopted. 

Later on, when the letter was read at Streaky Bay, the blackfellow was told, 'You been stop three days along road. Paper yabber been tell.' Greatly surprised, the native said. 'How could paper yabber tell? Been put-tem under big stone, so couldn't see.' — A.M., Buckleboo.