THE FIRE AT MATHIESON AND M'LEOD’S.

Evening Star, Issue 2922, 1 July 1872, Page 3

THE FIRE AT MATHIESON AND M'LEOD’S.

An enquiryinto the origin of the lire at Messrs M'Leodaud Mathieson’s earthenware warehouse, on the 2Sth inst., was held at the Mayor’s Court this afternoon, before Mr T, M. Hocken, City Coroner. The jury comprised Messrs A. Mercer (forman), Dunning, North, Hudson, Allan, Ividdell, R- K* Murray, R. Hart, Sampson, Young. The Commissioner of Policc conducted the examination ; Mr Macassey watched the proceedings on behalf of Messrs Calvert and Campbell; Mr Turton, on behalf of Messrs M'Leod and Co ; and Mr Hodgkins on be:,half of the Northern Insurance Company. j; Constable Fitzpatrick detailed the dis covcry of the fire by him on the morning o the 28th inst. After giving the alarm, he got to the back of the premises by scaling the fence. The lire was {then coming out of the jwiadow, principally out of the upper windows. There was a slight blaze on the shutters, and the tire was all round the shelving, but the body of the fire was in the rear, about the staircase, where the most wood was. Witness saw nothing suspicious about the premises. He had been on duty since 9 o’clock the night previous, and observed nothing strange about It was not witness’s beat. By a nothing of an explosion after going toYhc back. Was not present when the shutters fell in. Was there when the first body of smoke made its appearance; but heard no explosion. By the i ommissiouer; Passed up the street about half-an-hour before, but saw nothing, nor any person passing By Mr Turton : Did not examine the back door on entering at the rear, John Cowie, constable, passed the shop, and on that side of the street" about twenty minutes before the lire was discovered ; but observed nothing, neither did he smell lire. Witness generally observed the hack as well as the front of premises ; but was unable to get at the back of M'Leod’s and Co because of the fence. By Mr Hodgkins : On hearing the alarm of “ fire,” witness approached the building from Gray’s saw-mill, by Dowling street, but observed no one. There might have been persons in the street without his noticing them. Peter H. Kirk, assistant storeman to Messrs M'Leod and Co., locked up the premises on the night of the 27th ultimo. He locked the back door, leaving the key in the lock ; the front door key was left at Him die’s, next the Glasgow Arms Hotel. He was in the habit of leaving the key there whilst Mr Dickson, the storeman, was away. He did so about a week before, and six months before that. While Mr M'Leod Was clerk to Calvert and Campbell he took the key, but since lie got the business the key was left at Hindle’s, in Mr Dickson’s absence. Was not aware of there being any other keys to the shop. Before leaving put out the lamps, but did not put out the fire

which burnt in the office. The fire was generally left to burn out. By Mr Macassey : There were seven cases of kerosene in the shop that day. M'Leod and Co, were in the habit of selling kerosene. When witness loft the fire was very low. They were in the habit of burning Newcastle coal. There was no grate, and in front of the fire place there was a screen or kind of fender. By Mr Hodgkins: One of the cases of kerosene had been opened that afternoon between three and four. Kerosene, for the shop lamps, was kept on a case just under the stairs. There was generally two or three gallons The distance from the tire place to where the kerosene stood was measured by Sergeant Mallard ; and found to be eight feet. The floor about where the kerosene stood was saturated with kerosene, about half-a-foot all round. There was no straw in the shop. George Hindle said that for the last two or three years M'Leod and Co.’s key w r as left on one of the shelves in his shop. On the evening previous to the fire it was brought there, but ho could not say by whom. He noticed it in its usual place at eight o’clock. It might have been taken away when lie was not in the shop. The key was very often taken away after it hj .d been left there. Witness could not account for the origin of the fire, except that it arose from waste paper igniting. He had often seen a good deal of waste paper about. By Mr Hodgkins ; The floor where the oil drum stood was saturated with kerosene about four feet round. The waste paper was thrown at the back of the drum.

George 11. Campbell : About nine months ago I disposed of my retail business to M'Leod and Matheson. I carry on the wholesale business in the sheds in the yard. I was frequently in M'Leod’s shop on th; day previous to the fire, I was last in it about six in the evening. I was in my own office, for two or three minutes, at about half-past ten o’clock. I was not at the rear between five and the time of the fire. The key of the front door of M ‘Lead’s has been left at Hindle’s for the last five or six years. I believe it to he the same key that I had. I{ am not aware of its having been changed, or of their being duplicates. We had got in some new kerosene ; and tested its quality in M ‘Leod’s shop. I cut open a corner of one of the tins with a tomahawk: none of the oil was spilled. These seven tins I had sold to M'Leod and Co I hold policies of insurance for the stock inM'Lsod's office as follows :—New Zealand Company, LLSOO effected June G, 1870, and LI.OOO February 11, 1870; London and Lancashire, LI,OOO June 16, 1868, and Ll,ooo July 3, 1869; Northern, Li,.700 July 10, 1869 ; Victoria, LI,OOO June, 1872. The last-mentioned LI, 000 was originally insured in the Northern, and is simply a transference. The sale to W, M'Leod and Co. was effected by deed, bearing date September 28, 1871 [produced]. By it they agreed to pay me for the stock for the sum of L 7,029, exclusive of interest, in addition t0L1,500 for the goodwill of my business,; and M'Leod and Co. covenanted to keep their stock and trade insured in my name. Payment of the L 1,500 for the good-will with interest at 10 per cent., was to be made within two years. The L 7,029 was payable —LSOO cash on delivery of the goods ; and the remainder by bills of exchange drawn as follows;—L1500 at 3 months, L 750 4 months, L 750 five months, L 750 six months, LI, 250 nine months, .and L1,G29 at twelve mouths, M ‘Leocl and Co. had met all the hills that had matured. None of the Li,500 for the good will has been paid. At the date of the fire, M'Leod and Co, were indebted on current account and for goods purchased in the sum of L 7,700. My books, which I am ready to produce at any moment, shows that. In stating M'Leod’s indebtedness to me to be L 7,700, I do not include the LlqOQ. M'Leod and Co.’s book debts were generally about LI7OO. Assuming that I got the insurance money, and M'Leod and Co. realise the LI7OO book debts, thoy aro still indebted to me LISOO. Besides, I have discounted their bills, which would bring it up to LB6OO. So far. as 1 t know, M'Leod and Co. have no means of mooting their indebtedness to me, They rented the premises from mo for 1.280 a year. 'They covenanted to make all their purchases from mo; and when I was out of anything, thoy were at liberty to purchase from others, but for cash, the reason therefore being “to prevent their firm incurring liabilities so long as monies dne to the seller remain unsatisfied either in whole or in part." During the nine months they have had the business they have purchased from me to the extent of LBOOO. Apart from the loss of the LISOO, I will, by the fire, have 110 goods, (except small shipments) to sell for twelve months; and 1 shall lose M'Leod affil Co. as customers, I took from L6OO to LBOO or LIOOO a mouth from them, One montfi I took LI2OO from them. At the time of the fire I hqd, at the back goods to tho value of L4QUQ or LSOOO, uncovered by insurance, Originally there was ameanaof entering the shop from my office, but on selling my business the door was closed up, and shelving placed on both sides of tho wall. M'Leod put LSOO cash in the concern, which he has lost. During the time he had drawn out of the business about L»1 which would be at the rate of about La per week. While he was my bookkeeper his salary was L 5, 10$ a-wcek, so thar he loses his* LSOO, and his {nine months labour, and is still indebted to him at least L 1,500. unless I release him from it. By Mr Hodgkins. Outside their liability to mo M'Leod and Co. do not owe more than L6O. I never refused to let them have goods ; on the the contrary, I would have let them have all I had if they had required. They got goods as late as Tuesday, When I transferred a policy to tho Victoria, 1 was under the impression that the LIOOO I was transferring from the Northern was under the head of stock, still leaving LGOOO on the stock and LIOOO on the building. By a juror : 1 cannot account for the origin of the lire, except that the fireplace had nob been used for years, save for ten days previous. [The inquiry had not concluded up to the time of our going to press.]