NELSON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3552, 27 November 1882, Page 3

NELSON.

November 27

A fatal fire occurred yesterday afternoon. An old house on the hill above Washington Valley caught fire in a manner unknown. It was occupied by a man named Thomas Martin, alias Rock Coody, and Twoney, his wife, better known as Margaret fitzsimmons, whose former husband was in the 14th Regiment at Auckland. A young man named Pottestrode and another named James Moriarty were also living in the house. They were all in, and the men were quite sober when the fire broke out. The woman was drunk. On the alarm being given and assistance available,' Martin told a constable that he did not know' where his wife was, but she might be upstairs. It was then impossible to get upstairs. It transpired afterwards, however, that the woman was in the front room below. Morairity says he tried to drag her out, but she was helplessly drunk. He says he Btayed with her till his hair caught fire. The house was completely destroyed, and tbe woman's charred remains have been found.

The Nelson Jockey Club have arranged a two days programme for March. The added money amounts to £450.