A FIRE INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2762, 4 May 1916, Page 7

A FIRE INQUIRY

A SENSATIONAL STORY By Telegraph-Press Association. Cliristcliurcii, May 3. _ Ail" inquiry into the recent ware'house lire on the premises of James Murphy, Ltd.-; Lichtield Street, was hold_Jo-day by 31r. H. AY. Bishop, District Coroner. ■ Max Eobins, a" Russian Jew, stated that lie liad arrived ill Wellington two or three months ago, and for some time was employed by Mrs. Siegel, dressmaker, Wellington. On the morning of March 20 he saw Hollander in Siegel's shop. Hollander left the _shop in tho company of a man named Kalia, an . Austrian Jew. Hollander returned to the shop during ;the afternoon. Mrs, Siegel was called- away, and he remained in the company of Hollander, who asked him what ho was doing for a living. Witness said lie- was travelling for Siegel. Hollander asked him if he'wanted to make a few hundred pounds, saying.lie would'put the position in front of liim. Hollander told him lie- belonged to Christchurch, and had a warehouse, factory, and shop, 110 also said business was very quiet, tho stock was running out, and it was very hard to live. Ho asked witness to come down to Christchurch, and lie would show him an easy way to burn down the place, which was insured for nearly £6000. Ho said witness would bo required to go to tho warehouse one ivening, shut up tho windows and shutters, plug the keyliolo witli putty, and turn, on the gas. Ha would return later, remove tho putty, and at the same time drop a lighted mateli through the keyhole, and the place would then blaze up. Witness told' Hollander he was surprised at him making such a proposition, and said ho was living and earning in a straight, fair way, Hollander replied that witness was a "mug." Hollander then asked him to say nothing about it, saying that witness only saved him money, as lie would do it himself. Hollander offered.hiin £200 to set lire to the warehouse. .After this conversation. Mrs. i Siegel appeared, and nothing more was said..

Morris Hollander, costume-maker, Christcluircli, said ho was a Jew, born at Tuleha,. in the Black Sea country of Rumania. At the ago of 10 ho went to London, where ho was employed, subsequently going' to Paris to iearn the tailoring . business. lie afterwards went back to London, finally coming to New Zealand, .where ho had been for ten years., Recently lie entered into partnership -with .Tames Murphy. Tho business . was carried • on- as James Murphy, Ltd Witness • was a shareholder and a director;' he also had ' his . own . business to look after. On March 20 lust lie was in Wellington, and was, introduced to Robins. • He did not catch the name. Some conversation ensued, about tlio cost of running a Ford car. Robins then .hurriedly left the shop. Witness remained, and had never, seen Robins before or since the episode. Witness was not in financial difficulties. Since the fire ..business was set going, again, with the necessary additional- bank overdraft of £7000. Tho finance of the. business was secured on his own personal securities. He nover received any profit from tlio. business of J. Murphy, , Ltd., since tho commencement. AH proI fits had gone as capital, otc., and invested in material, 110 denied ever having offered anybody £200 to burn down the premises. Ho did not know anything, about Robins. Personally he could give absolutely no reason why lie made tlio statements about him in the witness-box. _ He could, not bo 'sure of the 'present insurances of the business of James.Murphy, Ltd., but thought it was about £4700.

Alter Hollander's evidenco was completed,, the coroner said it was obvious that further' evidence would elicit no further information' on the subject. • It was fjtiite evident that Hollander knew nothing of tho details of the business of Jaincs Murphy,. Ltd., and therefore must assume he had no connection with tlio planning of tlio fire. In. regard to Rcbins's evidenco, the matter would rest very unsatisfactorily,, for search as he would lie could not iind a motive' for. the statements made by that witness. On tho other hand, it was extremely difficult to belicvo that Hollander was such a consummate idiot as to go.to.a perfect stranger and make a proposition to him of such far-reach-ing consequences. Robins had given his evidence with every appearance of truth. It was a difficult problem, but one that lie was not called upon to solve, the solution rosted with those interested. No doubt many would endeavour. to reach it. As far as Murphy was concerned, lie had given lis evidence in a straightforward manner, quite beyond suspicion. He (the coroner) would bo compelled to find an open verdict, which judicially was unsatisfactory, though from other points of view perhaps not so. Ho recorded a verdict that on April 1 a, fire occurred on tho premises ;occupied by James Murphy, Ltd., whereby- they were destroyed, there being no evidenco to show how t'ie fire' started/