HOTEL AND SALOON BURNT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 8

HOTEL AND SALOON BURNT.

;.' g .BARMAN'S 'BODY 'FOUND.-. .:.,-.- ■ '■;' (By Telegraph.—Press' Association.! ■.'.. "'':!. Invercargill, February, 10. , ,- 'About six o'clock tnis morning, the Railway Hotel at, Winton, an. old laud mark for nearly halt' a century, was /totally,- destroyed .by-..fircand. Thomas MJlii'erney, v aged 38,..brpthcr-in-law,'of Mr. 1 Keith, ;,tno;-' proprietor,', ..was,\burncd' to; death.'-. Doceased '. was. employed- as:' b'arriian.at. the hotel, and at-.the time .was : in;'sole charge.v Mr. ,ftiid'Jlrs.:Keith;.liav.mg' started tlierpreviousfday on a.' motor 'trip tb,l)unedin.-The incinerated remains ■ : of, deceased wero i discovered about < inicU ;'day, there being evidence- that .lib had "been, endeavouring lb save the cash-bos. ; ahd .'books, tho remains of which .were found near bj-l'l Fortunately, there.were Jiipt many boarders in,the house at the ■time, but those who 'were,, thei'o found great 'difficulty' in' escaping.,. .'Pierce's hairdressing-saloon,, alongside, ''tho.; hotel,' -was', also".'destroyed,; but Coonibcs's livery .stables at-tho. rear were. saved, though the side ahd> s top : of; this' building . ignited. .'■.;. For ;somo;timo." the 'Bank of New Zealand was ''in imminent danger* tho projecting: eaves taking.fire ; frequently,-'but the , promptness of a bucket brigade eventually saved, it. \,Tho insurances on the'hotel were: .£7OO on, the building,-.£525 on tho furniture, and ; £100''oh the stock, in the- New. Zonland, Yorkshire, arid South British .offices. Mr. Pierce's insurance amounted to-'.£2oo' in tho' Standard offico, and the 'stables were . insured ,; for' ,£22s'in the South British and Now Zealand.offices. , .It is supposodrth.it-tho! iiro .'started'in' tho kitchen, where, the hotel; porter,: at about's.3o, had. lit up ithostovo-before ■leaving for Mr. Keith s' farm.'..'.■•'■■■-.