CORONER’S INQUESTS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 455, 21 February 1867, Page 2

CORONER’S INQUESTS.

ON THE LATE FIRE AT THE ‘HERALD 5 OFFICE. FIRST DAY. An inquest was held at the Masonic Hotel, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday last, 18th February, before Thomas Hitchings, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, touching the origin of the recent. fire at the ‘Hawke’s Bay Herald * office. The following gentlemen comprised the jury;—G. D. Hunter (foreman), Gt. H. Swan, M. Boylan, F. Sutton, G. Lament, A. Bryson, J. Dinwiddie, A. Ford, H. R. Holder, W. Smith, E. W. Knowles, and W. A. Robinson. The jury having viewed the premises, raises, the following evidence was taken : Nicholas Fitzgibbon, deposed:— lam, a policeman. I was on duty on Friday morning last, the 15th inst., from 4 a.m. At about a quarter before 5 I was in Shake-speare-road, opposite Mr Swan’s hotel, and saw the light of a large fire shining through the window of the building at the rear of the ‘ Herald ’ office. I at once gave the alarm and hurried to the spot. As I approached, the flames burst through the roof- I knocked at the door of the sr.artment in which two of the workman sleep, and aroused them. I then went to the fire, and found that the whole of the centre of the building was in flames. The fire had evidently commenced inside. IWent round to the front and aroused Mr Wood. I was the first person on the spot, -n.t it was ncarlv ten iniiiu* oo before «nv BUU IV tlc*o w ' l ' " —' «r

vug clog Came. I trunk tbe fire began a few yards from the stable, as the partition was hot burnt through when I got there. I did not notice wnether the hoor was ■raised above the ground or not. I bad ho difficulty in obtaining access to the burning building. It was hot open to the public, but there was a gate at the side. The gate was half open. I had not seen any one about except Captain Hunter, who was going to bis stables. James Wood deposedl am printer and proprietor of the ‘ Hawke’s Bay Herald,’ and am the owner of the premises destroyed by fire on the 15th inst Early on the morning of that day—l do not know at what hour—l was aroused by a loud cry of “ Fire.” I got up and saw flames issuing from the back premises. The lire seemed to be confined to the room which was used as'a warehouse and book-binding room, and a small room adjoining, containing hay and oats. The flames were issuing from the roof when I reached the fire. The exertions of a number of townspeople and the fire brigade soon extinguished the fire, but not tid the binding room was •completely destroyed. The only inflammable thing in the room was a box of candles, which used to be under the charge of the binder. There were no matches in the place. The buildings were used on the 14th inst. The room containing the hay, Ac., had not been entered later than 5 o’clock, and the binding room had been left at 6. No one had any right to be there ■after that hour. There had' been no lights in the place since Monday night. The atable and room where the hay was kept were locked, and the key left in the door. I cannot help suspecting that the place was set on fire wilfully by some person,' partly because 1 am unable to account for it on any natural or accidental grounds, and partly from certain indications in the burnt building. A person named Charles Stewart, who was recently in my employment, told me, when I discharged him, that I should dive to repent of it. He was serai-intoxicated at the time, and I paid no attention to the words. He called upon me' on Sunday last, and said that he had just heard a rumor that he had set the building on fire, lie indignantly disclaimed any knowledge of the affair, and said ho was surprised that he should have been suspected. He said he could account for his time during the whole of that night. I think what he said to me when I discharged him might not have been a threat, but have meant that my business would sutler tfarongh losing him, as he is an excellent workman. 1 estimate the loss sustained at £6OO. lam insured in three offices for £2OOO. This would not have covered my loss if the whole premises had been destroyed. The contents of the warehouse, in addition to the binding materials, was principally printing paper. James White deposed :—I am a private in the police force. I was on duty on Fri» ciay morning from 12 to 4. My beat extends from the Union Bank to the Albion Hotel. I saw no ouo in the streets after 1 a,m. The inquest was the adjourned to obtain further evidence. SECOND DAY. The inquiry was resumed at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 20th February, when the fol lowing evidence was taken : Charles Seton Stewart deposed :—I am a compositor, and reside at Mr Villers’* board and lodging house on the Spit. I am employed by Mr Harding, of the * Times ’ office. I recently worked for Mr Wood, of the 1 Herald ’ office. Mr Wood discharged me about a month ago, and I have been working for Mr Harding about a fortnight. When Mr Wood discharged me I remember saying that he would be -sorry for it. Ido not attach any importance to it. 1 have often said the same to Mr Wood, and nothing ever came of it. 1 first heard cf the fire at half-past 5 on Friday morning ; I heard the milkman tell Mrs Villers. I was then in bed. At 8 o’clock, at the breakfast table, I heard of it from Mrs Villers. On Thursday evening 1 bad tea at Mrs Villers’s about balf-past 5 or 6 o’clock, and about a quarter past 7 came into town with Mr Baxter. We called in at Mr Kemp’s, and stayed there till about half-past nine. We then went directly home, and reached there about 10 o’clock. A man named Peter let me in. Ido not know his other name. He was one of the lodgers. Mrs Tillers sleeps in a separate building. I sleep in a room by myself, but have to piss through a room in ■which another lodger sleeps to get to it, and I could not pass without waking somebody. William Stewart Baxter deposed : • I am a printer in the employ of Mr Harding, and lodge on his premises. I remember Thursday, the 14Ch February. On the evening of that day, about half-past 7, 1 accompanied Mr Stewart into town. We went to Mr Kemp’s, where we remained fill about half-past 10. I returned to the Spit with Mr Stewart, and saw him go into Mr Yillers's. I saw no more of him that night. jfr* Yillsrs deposed :-—1 keep a board and lodging house on the Spit- Mr Stewart is one of my lodgers, and occupies the front room. He sleeps alone in' that' room, but has‘ to pass through one where another lodger sleeps to get to it. I sleep in another building. I made the beds on Friday, and found that Mr Stewart’s had beeaj slept in. I was told of the - fire by the milkman, and at * breakfast time I told the lodgers. : Mr Stewart said that he was very sorry, and that be would go and see Mr' Wood that day. He was at wdrk that morning before breakfast.

• T 1,; i.i T/1 _ul Joy a jury uinu ; —a. nan aim £*u u uvm on Thursday night with Mr Baxter. He was then perfectly sober. Ido not think hr could have got out of the bouse during tho night without the other lodgers knowing of it.

Peter Lawson deposedl am a laborer and live at Mrs Villers’s. I slept there on Thursday night, I occupy a different room to fllr Stewart. I saw him about 10 o’clock. He went into his room. I saw or heard nothing more of him till breakfast time next morning.

John Bruncker deposed:—l am a laborer end reside at Mrs Yillers’s. I sleep in the same room with Lawson. On Thursday night X saw Mr Stewart go into his room. I afterwards heard bun drop his boots on the floor, and get into bed. I do not know at what time he got up next morning.

William Stewart Baxter recalled :—ldo not know, whether or not Mr Stewart was at work before breakfast on Friday morning. Robert Cpupland Harding deposed : —I am a printer and work for my father at the ‘ Times ’ office. I remember the morning of the 15th February. Mr Stewart was at the office before breakfast, for he told us of the fire about half-past 7. Ido not know whether or not he was at work. If he had been I should not have known it. He might have come merely to tell us of the fire. This terminated the evidence, and the jury, after a short deliberation, decided that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated. ON THE BODY OF JAMES FIX.KINGTON. An inquest was held at the Napier Hotel, at 3 p m. on Monday I7th February, before Thomas Hitchings, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, upon the body of one James Pilkington, then and there lying dead. The following was the evidence adduced: — William Healy deposed:—l am a laborer, residing in Napier. I recognise and identify deceased as James Pilkington, whom I have known for five years. He was in the 65th Regiment with me. On Tuesday last, 12th instant, at about 6 a.m., deceased and I started to go inland, from the Napier Hotel. He was a little the worse for liquor there, and had been the night before. We both slept at Mr Morton’s house. He (deceased) had a glass of spirits before starting, and at M'Murray’s Hotel he had two. We then went across the NS arur oro on the punt, where we were joined by a man named Fitzgerald, who accompanied us to within three miles oi Havelock, where deceased sat down and said he could go no further. He had a glass of grog at Clive, and seemed drunk and tired. It was about II a.m. when I left him on the road. He refused our remaining with him but said he would follow us. He attempted to do so. but apparently could not. ij did not see him that day, nor since, till now. Since I have known him he has been addicted to drink. I returned from Havelock on the next day, and heard from the ferryman that deceased had come back the evening previously.

Richard Fitzgerald deposed ; —I am a laborer residing in Napier. On my way to Havelock last Tuesday, at the ferry, deceased and Healy came up and crossed with me. We three walked to Clive, and. at Jeffares’ house deceased called for three nobblers, which we drank. Deceased was rather drunk at the ferry, and at Clive he got more so. He was refused a seat in the Waipawa conveyance, apparently from his being too drunk. He carried with him a bottle of grog ; I saw him drink some between the ferry and Jeffares’. He went with us to about three miles from Havelock, where he sat down and refused to go further lie lay in the fern on the roadside. I saw nothing more of him until now.

John Brown deposed:—l work the Waipureku ferry. Last Tuesday morning I crossed three men, one of whom was Healy. One of three (deceased) came back the same evening about 8 o’clock. He appeared moderately sober; he refused a cup of lea, lit his pipe, and started home.

James O’Shannassy deposed:—l am apprentice to Mr Cosgrove, Napier. Yesterday about half past one or two p.m., I was going along the beach and near the second mile stone, I saw in the water the body of a man, and pointed it but to Mr Dennett, who was driving. Mr Colin Campbell came along. I, on a horse, got the body out of the water by twisting the whip round its neck. We left the body on the beach, and Mr Campbell took the information to town. Deceased was much swollen and discolored when taken out; we thought he had been dead a week. We searched his pockets and found three tailors’ thimbles, a handkerchief, a pipe of tobacco, and fifteen shillings in silver. We did not Police any marks of violence on bun. Tbs jury returned & verdict of “Found drowned.” j