THE RATTRAY STREET FIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3634, 15 October 1874, Page 3

THE RATTRAY STREET FIRE.

The Coroner held an inquiry at the Sham- . rock Hotel this afternoon, touching the origin pf the fire on the 16th instant at the board-jug-house in Rattray street, kept by Mrs Schmidt;. The only witness palled up to four o’clock was WillHm Sandsbury, who lodged with Mrs Schmidt. He gave evidence of the discovery of the fire, and assisting to extinguish it. He gave it as his opinion that the fire was wilfully caused. He said further that for a week previous he was suspicions of fire, because a Mr Donaldson had been packing up his things, because Mrs Schmidt had told him that she thought about selling out, and because the night previous to the fire he partly overbeard a conversation, in ■which some one said, “If only Sansbury were out,” Salisbury also said that after the fire he told her that he blamed her and Donaldson for the fire, and she replied, “My God, if you say , anything about it 1 will go mad ;” to which he replied, “You may sham madness, but there is no fear of your going mad.” When he taxed Donaldson with the fire he denied it; but when witness asked if it was Mrs ‘ Schmidt he made no answer. The witness gave his evidence in a very flippant manner, ’ and was rebuked therefor by the Ceroner. [The inquiry had not concluded when we went to press.]