Loi

The North Australian reported on the trial of Loi on 3 May 1859:

Loi, a Chinaman, was fully committed for trial on a charge of wilfully setting fire to a house situated in Ridge Street, Ipswich, occupied as a sort of hospital by his countrymen when coming out of the bush; and, from the evidence of one of them, John Sein, had been erected by subscriptions among their number. District-constable Harris was on duty on the night of the 21st instant, and saw a fire lighted up against the building; he went to quench it; on going to the door he asked if any persons were within; without receiving an answer, he then went for a bucket of water, and on returning saw the prisoner standing at the door with an axe; he asked prisoner who had set fire to the house, who replied that he had. Prisoner then endeavoured to prevent Harris carrying the bucket, and held up the axe in a threatening attitude. Harris put the water down and caught hold of the prisoner and the axe, and held him down till assistance came, when he was taken to the watch-house. Robert Castling, a resident at Little Ipswich, corroborated the evidence of Harris, and deposed that the prisoner had also ordered him away, and threatened him with the axe.