THE FATAL FIRE AT REEFTON.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1463, 12 April 1873, Page 2

THE FATAL FIRE AT REEFTON.

The Inquest. fphom our own correspondent.} An inquest on the body of W. TayloT was held at the i Oddfellows' Hall, Broadway, on Thursday, the 10th iiist., \at 2p.m; ; , ; Margaret Bailie : My ' husband's, h'airie is John Bailie. I knew a ma£.' named Taylor, known as "Scotty." Isaw him last evening passing the door. ; was working at the ; premises adjoining those of ours. I heard someone go into ,the adjoining house early- this morning. /I- heard the person make a noise. ""Tihen Vent to sleep ; I cannot say how, long ; and I heard someone .moaning about half ,an hour afterwards, .{heardra noise like the wind. I got up and: went to the back door, and saw fire in the place where " Scotty •" was, l immediately gave the alarm. I had no time to save anything. My husband's entire stock was destroyed/ also all my own personal effects. My ;husbatid is at Greymoji.th,_..sh.e_.mQaning appeared to be in thefhquse where the fire originated; ; ;? > : >■; ■■;<<o * J oseph Jones : I was engaged repairing Hayes's house.';! 1 ; knewi^ man "named William Tayjor, or . V Sco^ty." He was engaged to build the chimneys. He eompletod one yesterday.' Ho was to finish the other one this morning. He got all the material prepared.' He never tol& me he was to sleep in the place; J I used to lock the back/dOor ; the front door Was only cIdSM-^with; wa^/foorW I

discovered this"morning that he had done a |pg|tion of work. Deceased knocked off wprk^bput sii o'clock last evening. v H^w^|Kt sober when he knocked off wSrlg^There was a quantity of shavings lying about the floor. John Temperly : I knew a man named ' came to my day. -^c cara^ for tha purpose of/making arrangements' about fikitfg a' stove in my or nine in the evening. "*Me measured the chimney with ItK^rule. The piece of the rule produced is similar to the rule he had with him.. . He told me he was working at Bfayes', bit the carpenters were in his' road* and b£, intended to work all night, in order to do my house this day. Heiappeared the mn& of driqit at the' time. • -•.:•■: •■•';. Ifi. 'Mrs Benjamin : I live two 6r*three dobrs from the place wherer? ibje^T^re occurred.^ I knew a man .named Taylor ; he was in my , place ( r a^p\xt t one or twb ; o'clock this : morriing^i'' .he.asked for a ;Candle. He ' .warite4^'/.a'v&&idle to finish" the ; work ;.he wisa ' 4bjng f for Hayes. I told him I' would* not 1 give him one; '■'■ ■ About two houra afterwards, I heard th' 6 noise arid alarm -of ftie. ■ :?>t „,C onstable^.Jeffries,:^t 435 ibis morning I heard of a fire; being ]in Broadway. I came up immediately. On arriving at the.placeJifo.uqd that the emjtty; building belonging to Mr.. Hayes was', on 'fire./ At fthis .iimjß, the/fife :; was r CQnfin^r^' f his place. Several others ,' and niyselfj^id all .we, could ) to arrest the .progress ofythanfire. .Mve houses*; wereuburaed* About 1 -twenty- minutes -' after,'; = some parties^ -stated -had ionn'd" l & r( body on going to the side of Hayes's, building. I found what appeared ttf be 1 ; a body,' or a portion of a body ;i the ; legs and arms were burned off.^ On removing the portion of: the body left, I found the 7 portion of the rule produced. T believe the body is that of William Taylor, as I saw him - last ;nig% about half-past; M r:) He 1 said he was bricklaying at Hayes's riew house. 1 have knoWn Taylor for Bomfe timei: 1 He was addicted to dfiiik. He was a bricklayer. ■■; .He Was abdut fif ty- £ .y^ars „p| Tjßge. I have heard he wasaimarrisdiman: Ho owned a brickyard. To the. best -ol my belief the body is that "of William Taylor, and that he .dgt^his -death accidentally by fire, The lowefMejEfcremities were entirely burned; . off, , as also the greater «^olßji| tion of his arms! The 'only u pc£tion^ left < was the skullj and /the body seemed to be completely roasted. It is supposed that lie jwent,, into , the place to dopwork and .that T he, r leftf ; the candle burning among some, .shavings which caught fire. ; ' ' v '■'''•':'}.. f: f : . . The jury returned a verdict in accordance withthe evidence.