THE RATTRAY STREET FIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3635, 16 October 1874, Page 3

THE RATTRAY STREET FIRE.

The only witness examined after we went to press yesterday was Alexander-'R T ynd, a snilmaker, who resided with Mrs-Schmidt-; He liaid tbab oh Mrs Sulunidt giving tbe alarm of fire, his ftDow-lodger, Sansbury, never rose from his- seat, - but merely said, Its. ,T.i right; I know aJI about it.” Afterwards, Salisbury went' into his bedroom .-which .was next the kitchen, where the fife, was, and threw water upon it. When mdre water was asked for, -Donaldson said, “.It’s all up ; s ivc what you can.” The latter gave-no assistance.-. -In-the-porch near tae doorway, Reheard Donaldson say to Mrs Sohmidt “Have you got them or these things all right.” she h<d a bundle under her arm, and went across the street with it. Donaldson, after going with Sambury to the kitchen doer, which the latter broke open, >am said “it was no use': it was all up and witness common’ed to take his tilings , out of the house. Donaldson had taken some clothes as- oss the street, . n °t i ?fc turn :.to - the house till twenty minutes afterwards,’ when the fire was out. The witness then gave evidence as follows I had a look at the place where the fire-occurred. My su-picion was directed to the circumstance of Mrs Schmidt having stated that she had seen a man in the back yard. I found several small pieces of timber on a wooden case near the chimneypiece,- and about two inches from the wall. I saw some burnt rags between the box and the wall. The top of the box, was not burnt*.*- Mr -Sansbury wanted to have a conversation wiih me in the street about the fire, but I said, “There is a great doubt about the fire, and 1 will not accuse anybody without gom! foundation.” _ Mr Sansbury was sitting in the parlor with his watch in his hand, and he said, “ Well, i can’t solve this problem at all. ” Mrs Schmidt and Sansbury left tbe room together, and were away about half-an-hour.' Sansbury said he would hot believe that so small a quantity of timber had occasioned the fire. About half-an-hour after Mrs Schmidt and Mr Sansbury left the room, I heard something fall m the passage. Mrs Schmidt’s sister was walking the kitchen, and 1 said Your sister has fallen in the passage.” As far as I could see, there were no symptoms cf sickness about Mrs Schmidt. She was carried into the parlor. Mr Sansbury opened his door, and said “ I want to have a word with you.”; He was then undressed, and I afterwards' Went into his room. He then said, “ There is nothing the matter with ” er * Bs right. She has- confessed everything to me.” I remarked, “ Confessed what?” He said, “It was she who aet the house on fire, bat not to blame Donaldson.” I replied, “If s «ch is the case, go and give her up to justice.” Sansbury dressed and came into the parler, when Mrs Schmidt got np and said, “ They are coming for me ! Don’t blame Donaldson,” or Don t blame him,” She was not in a fit 1 remarked that I cou T d hot make out the action of Mr Sansbury in this matter, especially when he deliberately rose from his seat and said •* It’s all right. I know all about it. 1 have not heard Mrs Schmidt say that she was going to ( hristchurch ” The inquiry was resumed to-day, Mr Stout watching the proceedings on behalf of Mrs Schmidt. . . ...

Charles Reid, manager of the Standard Insurance Company/ said the effects in Mrs Schmidt’s house were insured in their office for Ll5O about four months ago. The things in the house were considered to be valued at about L2OO. Detective Shury detailed the results of his visit to Mrs Schmidt’s bouse shortly after the extinguishment of the fire. Examined the rags [where the fire occurred] carefully but could not detect the smell of kerosene or any other oil. They appeared to him to be such as wouid bo used for dusters. Saw no sign of anything of an inflammable nature about, nor anything to lead him to believe that there had been any preparation for a fire. Was in the house about two minutes after the-bell ran<* but other persons had been there before'’him. Having heard that a man had been seen iu the backyard, examined the yard* but onlyfound one footmark under the kitchen window. From its small size considered it to be f a woman. The ground was wet, and if there had been footmarks further from the house they would, in all probability, have been washed out. Under the kitchen window, and about three feet from the footmark, found the pillow-case produced (partly burned), which- he thought had been thrown out of the window, in witness ai opinion the fire originated in the kitchen. There was no communication between the kitchen chimney and theb-x on which the l]re was said to have originated. There was a little fire in the kitchen fireplace. 1 he house is approached from the back, by the Well Park brewery yard. Anyone could get into the yard from the Dell Tower steps—which, however, are in a dilapidated stgte—leading frpm it np to the Tower. Next day searched the steps, but found no footmarks, On the night of the nre bansbury never hinted its origin to witness. It was perfectly possible for anyone ®, g° fc through the kitchen window, . w , ltQ !^ B P rodueed a statement made bv as to the origin of .the fire. ] Mary Schmidt: I have lived in Rattray street between three and four months, during which time I have kept lodgers. I insured my goods the first week I went into the house. The statement produced by Detective Shury is quite correct, with the exception of the reference to- the apples, which were not kept in the kitchen. The r.etective has made a mistake, i got them from the passage where they were- kept. I have not the slightest conception how the fire arose. • In the ease in the recess there were, I believe, potatoes kept. 1 don t know muob about the kitcm n, which wag in charge, of my sister. On the top of the case was a box containing shoe and blacklead brushes. Our kerosene was kept on a box outside. There were a skirt and jacket; but so far as I know there was nothing inflammable on the side of the bitch' n where the fire was. The cloth produced by Detective Shury is our kitchen' Wind, the statement made by Sanabury' yeaterday is not true, but of course 1 can’t prove it. Mr Stout : Some time ago Sansbury .was about to leave your house. What was the cause? Mr Sansbury made me au offer of his hand, which I refused, inconsequence of which he said he was going to leave the house. -: Lsaid he should leave | it Mich were, his feelings towards me; Ha. afterwards- wrote . me a, letter, -of apologv and ..asked me. to .allow -him to stay! .not ; care about leaving, and.;that it . would, not occur again. ' t^at letter ot apology to my sister at, the time, ..and then- destroyed it. I- did not sell my Bewing machine untilthe Patur- - toft****® 1 Kab L7for.it. It was--5v » W , heDL the fire occurred,' I* was?S° W^en Sanabury asked me to accept his haad...,Wo;bavedjeen on/ gqod. terms since. Ho afterwards bough b me a.pair otearrmgs, and .told, me that his'feelmgs. were quite ,ohaugod- so far : -that he; wished to .be friendly. On that condition I accepted the, earrings, which I have still in my possestieo. I thiukien Monday morning —but Twill not swear that-was the day--Sansbury came to me and told me that there was. going to be aa inquiry, and ha wanted 1 ! mq to. T'A urn his earrings, which I refused to dp,,, i lie also, said that Lwaanot to think-he i hiyi.gaHe to, the police-to getme into trouble ; ( he ~bad been-sent iior .and-, -had merely given his evidence, . -The ■ Coroner; Can

you imagine any other cause for Sansbury miking what you call false statements than that hi< j ;alousy—in a word, your refusal of his hand ? I think it is spite ; nothing mor -. Tbe dr ss Sansbury speaks of I wore on Monday a 1 temoou. On iuesday I r e*ched it from my budioom to mend it, but finding I had n • silk throw it oyer the back of one of the chairs in the diningrooms. I never again went into the bedroom after 5 o'clock until I went into it in company with one of the detectives In my‘bedro6tn| left mytpurse containing sovereigns arfd n no or ten shillings in silv'er, and 1 have not seen it or the money since. The mornirig' after the fire Sansbury asked me if I had any money, and on my saying none, be said “ I will lend you LIOO if you want it.” My sister and I have always been on good .tefius, though we h'avfe disagreed, people do, on household matters. The ' ear-rings wferp bought at Mrs C hilcott’s. Sambury gave me the privilege of choosing them. T had two pairs which he said were not good enough, and said he had seen a pair worth L2 14s which I should have; also* that on some future day, if we kept good friends, be might buy me the broocii to match tbe earnngs. Hft- one' occasion' .Salisbury gave me t i rn<> - kec ? f ° r hiui ' He told me he had Ll.oOO m the bank ; but he did not cat© to let people know he had that money, in case j ot any failure in ids business. On a second oc- 1 casioa I minded Ll2 f-r .him, and it was in j consideration of that he bought me the earrings. (heft sitting.)