THE LATE FIRE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 63, 18 May 1878, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

Examination of Caroline Phillips continued— To Mr Staite: I saw Mrs Snelson shortly after the fire broke out, but did not say that there was a case of jewellery planted in the garden. There was a small box planted, but it was my own. I could not swear that I had not more than the usual number of rings on, but I will swear that I had none out of the stock. I am certain the stock was worth over £2,000. My reason for knowing so is that when stock was taken, about two years ago, it was between £3,000 and £4,000 I do not think we have disposed of £1,000 worth since. Stock has been taken since Mr Phillips went to Wellington to meet his creditors. The valuation of the stock was never decreased by the Wellington people. I am not aware that Mr Phillips hawked goods. He took some to Feilding, but he brought them back again. He has had a quantity of goods since the meeting of his creditors. He has had goods within the last twelve months, but I could not say how much. On an average he ought to be able to send Mr Nathan about £25 per month. I believe we owe Mr Nathan about £1300. Mr Phillips owes Levy something, but I could not say what it is, as the debt was contracted before our marriage, I can form no idea of what it is. He has also done business with others beside Nathan, for which he has paid bills. Goods have come from Nathan's and many other places since Christmas, for instance from Isaacs, of Wellington, and De Beer, of Dunedin. I could not say whether the business amounts to £40, £50, £100 or £200 per month. The bulk of the stock had been in for a number of years. All the books which could throw light upon the business were destroyed. The safe was in the office inside the store. When Mr Phillips was at home, he locked up the safe. There was no kerosene in the shop, unless what was in the lamps. When Mr Phillips came from the hotel, I believe it was past eleven. As Mr and Mrs. Abrahams remained half an hour, I suppose it must have been close to twelve o'clock before I went to bed. I believe I was asleep at the time of the fire. I never remove embers from fires. The stock was insured for for £1500. I have heard the building was insured for £500. The insurance money I believe goes to Nathan and Levy. The horses were not harnessed on the night of the fire. All the jewellery in the shop was destroyed, consisting of brooches, rings and plated goods. Some furniture was rescued and removed to Abrahams' since the fire, but no general goods. There was nothing, not even furniture, sent after the night on which the fire took place. The cash-

book had not been made up for the past month. Rebecca Abrahams deposed: I am the wife of Solomon Abrahams. On the night of the 8th instant, I was with my husband at Mrs. Phillips'. I went there some time after eight o'clock, but could not say exactly. It was past eleven when I left to go home. I am sure it was not past twelve. When Mr Abrahams came from the hotel he looked at his watch, and said that it was a quarter to eleven. We were sitting in the parlor, and there was a small fire there. I did not notice any particular excitement about Mr Phillips on the night in question. To Mr Staite: I do not think it was quite so late as half-past eleven. Mr Abrahams said it was near eleven. I do not think we stayed beyond half an hour. There had been a small fire in the grate, and it was still burning when we left. I did not notice any embers there. It was a wood fire, and most of the wood should have been left, as we could not get it to burn. No goods came to my place after the fire, but a chest of drawers was brought the same night. I saw Mrs Phillips on the night of the fire. She had no unusual number of rings on. When I heard the bell ring, Mr Abrahams got up, and said there was a fire in the Square. He did not say it was Phillips'. I did not get up. If he had said it was Phillips', I should have got up. Ellen Grantfield, who gave her evidence unsworn, stated that she was thirteen years of age, had not been at school since she was five years of age, and did not know the nature of an oath On being questioned by the Coroner said : I was living with Mrs. Phillips as servant on the night of the fire. I was sound asleep in bed when Mrs Phillips wakened me by dragging me. I came out in my night-dress and saw the store on fire. I went to bed at ten o'clock. Mr and Mrs. Abrahams were still there when I went to bed. I light all the fires in the house, and on Wednesday evening I lit the fire in the parlor, the kitchen fire being still alight. I did not clean out the grate before I went to bed, but there was not much fire in either grates. My clothed were lying about. Some were saved and some burned. I did not take out the embers before going to bed. To Mr Staite: I went to bed at ten, but before doing so I went into the parlor. I was fast asleep, when Mrs Phillips pulled me out of bed. She told me the house was on fire, and I ran out, and then saw Mrs Phillips running about. Solomon Abrahams examined: l am a storekeeper, residing at Palmerston North. On the evening of the 8th instant, Mrs Abrahams and myself were at Mr Phillips'. We went there about a quarter past eight o'clock, and I was there for about ten minutes, when Mr Phillips and myself went over to Gilbert's Hotel, where we stayed till eleven o'clock. When we returned to the house we stayed there for about half-an-hour, but not longer, after which Mrs Abrahams and myself went home. I wound up my watch that evening, but could not say when. Mrs Abrahams went into Mr Phillips' parlor on our arrival, Mr Phillips and I remaining in the store for about ten minutes. When I came back from the hotel I did not notice any smell or appearance of fire. I have known Mr Phillips for many years. Did not hear him make greater complaints about the hardness of times than others. As a business man, with seven years' experience, imagine his stock would be about £2000 ; mostly of drapery, but could not say what the entire stock was composed of. It would be impossible to do so from casual observation. I should consider the building to be worth close upon £500. When we came back from Gilbert's there was a fire, but not much, in the parlor. To Mr Staite : I never remarked on seeing the fire, that it was at Phillips'. I said it was somewhere on the Square. I was asleep, and the bell woke me up. I would still say that the stock was wolth about £2000, notwithstanding business men had reported it to be valued at only £1000. I would think it a wrong estimate. I know nothing about Mr Phillips' business tranactions. He might have had old or new stock— I cannot give any opinion upon that point. Some stock will not depreciate by being old—ironmongery, for instance, which may even rise in value should the market so change. I have heard that Mr Phillips had a meeting of creditors some time ago, but I know nothing beyond the fact. I believe Mr Moeller made the valuation. It would not be above half-an-hour from the time I left Phillips', until was in bed. George Matthew Snelson deposed : I am an insurance agent for the Victoria Insurance Company, and reside at Palmerston North. Mr Phillips insured with me for £500 on the dwelling house, store and furniture, on the 24th of June, 1877, for one year ; there was also £1500 on the stock-in-trade insured in the same office and on the same date ; and a further insurance of £150 on the stable and buggy, dated 27th September, 1877. I have visited the site of the fire. The buggy and stables are saved. I do not think that is the amount of insurance at present in force. On the 11th of April I received a notification from the Head Office, that the insurance of H. Phillips was cancelled, and that it stood in the name of J. Nathan. I have received a telegram to-day informing me that a portion has been cancelled. In consequence of a communication received from the Head Office, I three months since visited Phillips' store; and formed an estimate of the value of his stock at £1000. I reported accordingly. I could not say whether it was a new or old stock. I arrived at the scene of the fire about ten minutes past twelve on Thursday morning. They were then removing the furniture out of the house, which, however, was not on fire. The front of the store, and the wing next to Mr Waldegrave's was then untouched by the fire. No efforts were made to get into the shop by anyone, all attention being directed to saving the furniture, all of which was saved. I imagine the jewellery in cases could have been saved, and the case got out. No one had an opportunity of seeing the stock, as far as I am aware. The fire was confined to the lean-to at the back of the stores. There was no fire in the

grate in the parlor. I could take my oath of that. It had all been apparently cleared out. No remains of wood, but merely the ordinary sprinkling of dust that would naturally remain if a shovel had removed the rest. I saw Phillips about, who appeared somewhat frantic. The bedroom was being cleared when I got there. I saw Mr Beckett, Mr Cash, and I believe Mr Dungan. I saw a brooch picked up. I also saw a number of rings on Mrs Phillips fingers. I should say there were half-a-dozen, or perhaps one or two more, in fact so many that it struck me as unusual. I should have thought that at that early hour a fire would be observed by persons being near the Square. To the Coroner: There is no night watchman in Palmerston, but there are always persons about town up to twelve o'clock. There is no constable for night duty. As at present insured, the £1500 would go to Nathan and Co., and the £500 would get to Phillips. That is not endorsed to Levy. I have no notice that Mr Phillips has insured the stock in any other office. John Waldegrave deposed : I am an insurance agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company. I remember having occasion to give a rough estimate of Phillips' stock, about six or nine months ago. It was made at the instance of the office in Wellington, holding risks in Palmerston. I went into Phillips' shop for the purpose of making a rough valuation, and set his stock down as worth about £1000. I did not make my estimate m conjunction with Mr Snelson, or anyone else. It was entirely private. I would be surprised to hear it was worth £2000, but it is very difficult to make a rough valuation, as there might be a quantity of jewellery and other valuable stock not easily seen. George Cottam sworn : I am Railway Stationmaster at Palmerston, and have acted in that capacity for the last two years. Daring that time most of the goods for the business people has passed through, me. Since July last there could not have been above five tons of general merchandise forwarded to Mr Phillips, and not much of that within the past three months—somewhere about a ton. To the Foreman : I will not swear that Phillips may not have received ten tons, but certainly he has not had twenty. Part of it may have been jewellery. John Dungan examined : I am editor of the Manawatu Times, and reside at the Clarendon Hotel, in Palmerston. On the night of the 8th, in company with other boarders, I was sitting at the fire. At ten minutes past twelve a lady upstairs called out that there was a fire in the Square. I have reason to note the hour particularly, as I had determined to retire at a quarter-past twelve, and was watching the clock when the alarm was given. I rushed over in the direction of the flames, which were visible from the hotel door. On arriving at Phillips' I saw Mrs Phillips holding on to the outside fence, screaming. I went through the gate, and in the passage along the garden I saw Mr Phillips running about with nothing but his shirt and drawers on. He was wringing his hands, and appeared quite demented. I asked him if any person was in the fire, but he did not not answer me. I then went into the dwelling-house, and he followed me into bed-room. I told him he had better secure any jewellery money, or whatever was most handy, but he appeared perfectly helpless. Some persons then came in and we commenced removing the furniture. I did not notice that the fireplace had been cleaned out, but I am sure there was no fire, nor burning embers in the grate. The fire appeared to be in the back portion of the shop. No effort at all was made to burst open the store. Thomas Nelson deposed : I am a storekeeper, residing at Palmerston. I remember walkng past Mr Phillips' store on Wednesday night at half-past eleven o'clock, but did not notice anything unusual. If the place had been on fire then I should have seen it, as there are glass windows in the shop. To the Coroner : I know it was about half-past eleven, because I live close by, and when I got home I looked at my clock, and it was then twent minutes to twelve. I broke the front windows of the store, but could see nothing but smoke. I did so with the object of seeing something, but could not. It was with the intention of saving jewellery I broke the windows. I fancy if the case of jewellery had been there I would have seen it. There was generally jewellery in the window, but I do not know that Mr Phillips kept it there at night. William Moore deposed : l am in the employ of Mr Moffat, butcher. I was instructed on the night of the fire by Mr Phillips to put the horses to the buggy, and went to the stable for that purpose. The horses were unharnessed, I harnessed them, and brought them round to the house. This was during the time the fire was raging. I yoked up the horses, and brought the goods to Abrahams'. Mr Dimond, MirAbrahams, and Mr McMahon came on the van, but I cannot say if they loaded it. It was by Phillips' authority I acted. I believe the first load consisted of bed and bedding, and the second, of furniture. To the Foreman ; There was nothing in the shape of stock. Thomas McMahon, examined ; I am a storeman, residing at Palmerston. There was bed, bedding and furniture on the first van, while the second consisted of nothing but furniture. There was also a small trunk, which I believe I assisted to save fromt he dwelling-house. John Octavius Batchelar : I am a hotel-keeper at Palmerston. I am managing the Royal Hotel. On the night of the fire Mr Abrahams. and Mr Phillips were at the hotel. They had drinks at the bar, some cigars, and left about ten minutes past eieven. Edwin Phillip Straker deposed : I am a telegraphist, at Palmerston. I remember the night of the fire. I think I was the first person there. It was about two minutes past eleven when I first heard the alarm, and nine minutes elapsed before I went to the fire. When I arrived I saw Mr Phillips running up and down the passage. I afterwards saw him in the bedroom, when he seemed to be half demented.