THE FIRE AT M'LEOD & CO.’S

Evening Star, Issue 2923, 2 July 1872, Page 2

THE FIRE AT M'LEOD & CO.’S

We continue our report of the Coroner's inquiry yesterday. Roderick M'Leod was briefly examined. There wire no duplicate keys to the doors of the shop. The purchase of the business was satisfactory to witness’s firm. They meet their bills as they became due ; and had no bank overdraft. By the Art; they lost about LI3OO or LI4OO, inclusive of the LSOO cash witness paid ; and he was personally liable on a current acceptance for LISOO for the purchase of the business. John Payton and John Lcnton, in the employment of the (inn, ami Arthur Coxhead, in the employment of Calvert and Campbell, deposed that they did not enter the premises from the time they left them on the previous evening, till after the lire had occurred. Francis Le Brim deposed that about three years ago a man named Freeman, employed at the store, used to get the key from Mr Campbell every morning. He (witness) used to call upon Mr M'Leod fur the key. In cross-examination the witness stated that he was not employed at the same time as Freeman. The Coroner remarked there was a good deal of evidence, but nothing whatever to lead them to a conclusion as to how the fire originated. No motives had been attributed, and if any had been, facts would have to come before motives. One fact did crop up, and that was that the goods were insured for tl>eir full value, or very nearly so. It was within their province to express an opinion on the practice of insuring up to full value, or neat ly so. He did not say that there was any suspicion of inmndiarism in this case, but the practice of insuring to about full value would to some be an inducement to incendiarism, and would lead others to be careless. lu this case they found it was usual to leave a lire burning, and that too in a fireplace in close proximity to paper and wood. The jury brought in a verdict “ That there is no evidence to show how the fire originated.” To prevent misapprehension, we have been requested to state that the Mr Mathison alluded to at the inquest as a partner in the firm of K. Macleod and Co., has no connection with Messrs Matheson Brothers, Princes street, china and glass importers.