THE FIRE IN HIGH STREET.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 453, 26 November 1875, Page 2

THE FIRE IN HIGH STREET.

An inquiry was held on Thursday at the White Hart Hotel, at 2 o'clock, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq, coroner, with a view of arriving at the cause of the fire which occurred in Mr A. W. Wright's furniture shop, High street, on Monday night last. Inspectors Buckley and Feast were pn sent on behalf of the police. Mr Oowlishaw watched the evidence for the insurance companies, and Mr Superintendent Harris and the agents of the several insurance companies were also present. Mr Wm. Stringer was chosen foreman of the jury. The coroner said before he proceeded to lake any evidence, he would like the jury to go with him and inspect the premises. After the jury had returned the following witnesses were examined.

Constable James Wheatley—On the night of the 22nd I was on duty in High street. Shortly after 11 o'clock I had occasion to pass Mr A. W. Wright's premises. A light inside the shop attracted my attention. There were shutters up, and the front of the shop was wholly enclosed by them. I distinctly heard a chair being moved across the floor. I then went up to the corner of the street (the corner of Cashel street at Matheson's Agency") and then I went back. Why I went back was that 1 was doubtful about a fire, as when I got to Matheson's Agency I could see smoke coming from the premises. A man named Abraham Aarons then came up to me, but before this when I got to the corner, Mr Deßeer, tobacconist, called my attention to some smoke or fog over the back of the houses in the block, where the fire occurred. When T got back to the shop I broke down the shutters and burst open the front door, and called out to some one to go and ring the fire bell. When I got in the place was filled with dense smoke, and barricaded right up to the door with chairs. A thick red flame was proceeding from the middle of the chairs to the left of the doorway, and the gas was burning in the shop. I and Aarons threw the chairs back till we got to the first fire and put that out; at that time we saw two other distinct fires besides the one we put out, and there was also a bed on fire, which we threw out. This was in the front shop, where we saw the first fire. The fires were quite distinct from each other, and about four or five feet apart. We put those out, and then went into the back part of the shop and found another fire there, which we also extinguished. The fire in the back was right in the centre of a stack of chairs, with other chairs placed over it. We had to throw down about half the chairs to get at the fire. This was also about five feet from one of the fires in the front. After putting this out, we waited until Mr Harris and the police came. The danger was over then, but we left the fires smouldering, so that their position might be seen. We disturbed the fires as little as possible. By Inspector Feast—There was no connection whatever between Nos 1,2, 3, and 4 fires. The shop I have been speaking of is the one I visited just now with the jury. The chairs in the back room and the bedstead stretcher and bed in the front room are now in the same position in which they were the night of the fire. I overthrew thestretcher that night. All the things are much in the same position as when I entered the shop on Monday night. The shutters were only up in the furniture and earthenware shops in High street. They were not up in the shops fronting the triangle facing the space between Manchester and Lichfield streets. I was on duty there on the Thursday previous, and to the best of my recollection all the shutters were not up on that part facing the High street on any night before Monday night. I noticed this when passing, and wondered why they were put up that night. By the Foreman—When I heard the chair move before the fire I thought some one was inside stocktaking. I did not see any one leave the premises, but I noticed two persons standing at Black's corner that night for a

very long time—from about half past ten o'clock, and I wondered to myself wtiat they were doing there so long. I do not kuow who those persons were. By a Juror—There was straw burning in the back room when I went in on the Monday night, but the beds and chairs were burning in the front room.

Mr Wright, who was present, said he would like to ask the witness if he knew anything of the men who were standing at Black's corner that night. He had a reason for asking the question. The coroner told him there was no occasion to ask the question just then. Louise Florence Wright, who before giving evidence was cautioned by the coroner, said —I am the wife of Alfred Walter Wright. My husband carries on business as furniture dealer at the corner of High street. lam always at the premises, and was there on the evening of the 22nd. My husband was also there up to between seven and half-past, when he left. I remained after he went away until about ten minutes to nine, f locked up all the doors about that time, but I had no watch or clock. I believe I put the gas out before I went away, but am not certain. I would have left before, but a customer came in. I was in the furniture shop shortly before I left, as two men came in to see a mattrass; that's why I lit the gas. One was a short man, and I could swear to him. They did not purchase anything. Before the men came in the gas was not alight. I couldn't swear that I turned the gas out when the men left. I felt nervous after they had gone, and went round again to see that the doors were locked, but I forget whether I turned the gas out. The shutters were up when they were in the shop. I afterwards weut straight home to my house in Lichfield street, about three minutes walk from the shop. I had the key in my pocket. I could not say what time Mr Wright came home, as I was asleep in bed at the time. Mr Ringwood called us that night, and said the place was on fire. T could not say what time he called, but Mr Wright was in bed and asleep. This must have been some time after Mr Wright came home. I could not say whether my husband was asleep when Mr Ringwood came. We used to live on the premises, and moved about six or seven weeks ago on account of the children, as we had no room for them at the shop. There is a yard at the back of the premises, and there are four back doors, but only two are used, and I can swear they were locked that night. The two other doors are blocked up with pieces of timber and rubbish. I kuow the kitchen door leading from the old dwelling house, and I can positively swear I locked it, as I went back twice to see if I had done so. I have not been in the place since the fire. I know there was a large bedstead standing in the centre of the shop, also a stretcher and a single bedstead. Neither my husband nor myself were in the habit of returning to the shop after going home at night time. We have never had occasion to do so. We have shutters to all parts of the premises except the fancy shop, but they have not been put up, and only those in High street lately, as we have had so many panes of glass broken there. The shutters in the crockery shop are always put up, as there are no windows to this portion. On Monday last Mr Wright did something to the shutters of the furniture shop, as they were such a trouble to put up, not fitting properly. We have only one key for the front door. We lock only one door from the outside, all the others arc locked from the inside. We have had a large pane of glass in the furniture shop broken frequently, that was wby we put the shutters up. There was a pane put in a few days ago and broken next day, 1 have no reason to believe that any person used to be in the shop at night time, and have no recollection of a Mrs Bowler telling me anything that occurred there one Sunday night. By the Foreman—lt would be very easy for any one to get into the back yard from Page's stables. 1 think even a woman could get in. The back doors are fastened with bolts.

By Inspector Feast—l had unpacked some gold and white crockery on Monday evening, and put the paper which covered the articles under the paper rack in the furniture shop. By the Coroner—The men who came in about the mattrass looked very burley vulgar looking men. One was short and the other tall, and I felt sorry at the time that I let them in. I felt rather nervous, but they begged me to let them in to see a mattrass. I could swear to the short man if I saw him, as it was he who made the objection to the mattrass I showed them.

Alfred Walter Wright, being duly cautioned, said—l live in Lichfield street, but my place of business is in High street, where the fire occurred on the 22nd. I lease four shops. I was at the shop on that evening between seven and eight. I had my trap at the door at that time, and took some goods out which my wife had previously placed on the kerb. I took the crockery to Mrs Bobison's, near the Golden Age. I had an arm chair to take to Mr Almao's shop, but it was closed. I then drove to his private house in Armagh street, but seeing no lights there I drove home to my own private residence, where I have stables. I left my horse outside my house picking some grass, and went inside to have something to eat. Mrs Wright was in bed at the time. While I was having my supper Mr and Mrs Almao came in and sat down until I had finished. They might have sat there for about twenty minutes or half an hour, but I cannot say positively. I told them I had got their armchair, and I then drove them to their own house, and also left the chair there for them. Mr and Mrs Almao would insist on my coming in, and I did so, and stayed for perhaps half or three-quarters of an hour. I did not go to the shop afterwards, and could not get in if I wanted to, as Mrs Wright had the key. I could not say what the time was when I got home, but it might have been about twenty or ten minutes to eleven o'clock when I returned from Mr Alraao's house. I then put the horse up, and went to bed, I had had two or three nips of brandy, and soon fell fast asleep. I did not hear the fire bell, but Mr Ringwood kicked at the door and awoke me. I dressed immediately, and went over to the shop. When I got there I saw the chairs and furniture were piled in their usual position, but somew hat knocked about, and there were a number of chairs in the Btreet. I c;nnot give the jury any idea as to the cause of the fire, but I say now as I said when I saw the place on Monday night, that it had been set on fire maliciously. I have no suspicions to who could have set the premises on fire. I have always been a very quiet man and not tried to make any enemies. I took stock in August last and had then about £I9OO worth on the premises. Since the Ist September I have laid down over £9OO worth of stock, ia

addition, bin have of course been selling it since. At, a rough guess I should value the stock on the premises at over £2OOO T had £(»00 of insurance in the New Zealand offh-'*, and £250 in Messrs Edwards and Bennett's office. I think it is the Batavia office, and ;is I do business with that firm they put me on without any solicitation on my part. This was put on by them on last Wednesday or Thursday t wish it to be understood that Messrs Edwards and Bennett put this amount on without any solicitation from me. I am lessee of the premises, and they are insured for £4OO. I am indebted to Messrs Edwards and Bennett to the amount of about £250. Ido not import my goods, but generally buy original invoices or get my goods from merchants. I have no safe on my premises, and generally keep my trade boVks in the little office or parlour behind the shop. I have a banking account at the Colonial Bank, This rffice I speak of is behind the fancy shop. On the night of the fire some of the books were on the desk, some in the fancy shop, and some in the cashbox, which was taken home.

Inspector Feast said that was all the evidence he had to offer just now. The case was a very important one, and he would ask for an adjournment for a few days, when he would have the evidence completed. He intended then to further examine Mr Wright,

Mr Wright, in answer to a juror, said the stock was all present then on the premises the same as it was prior to the fire, and all the chairs were then in the shops the Eame as they were before the fire. A juror observed that Mr Wright had stated that he had 2000 chairs on his premises the night of the fire, and desired this to be noted, as he considered it was a most important point. The Coroner referred to his notes, and could not find that the witness had used the words in his evidence. The foreman said the words had not been used in evidence, but the remark had been made during some desultory remarks between Mr Wright and some members of the jury.

Constable Wheatley, recalled, said that when he examined the back doors after the fire, in company with the sergeant, he found one door bolted, and a screw in the other with a catch. There would have been no difficulty in pushing open that door. The jury were bound over to the amount of £lO in their own recognisances to attend at a future date, aud the inquiry was adjourned until the 2nd December, at the same hour and place.