CARGILL STREET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17689, 29 July 1919, Page 2

CARGILL STREET

FIEE.

DOHERTY ALSO SUCCUMBS.

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS.

QUESTION OF FIRE ESCAPES

THE PROCEEDINGS ADJOURNED.

Tho man named Samuel Doherty, who waa seriously burned in the fire at Cargill street on Sunday morning, and who was removed to the Hospital, died in that institution at 11.20 a.m. yesterday as a result of the injuries which he had received. In tho afternoon Mr H. Y. Widdowson, sitting as coroner, held an inquest • at the Morgue on tho bodies of both Duncan M'Donell and Doherty, the two victims of the fire. Mr Wilkinson appeared on behalf of the owners of the boarding-house, and Sergeant Murray represented the police. John Barry, miner, said M'Donell had been a boarder at hia place for 16 years. He was a man of quiet disposition, and witness, had never seen him 'the worse of liquor. Witness last saw M'Donell on Saturday evening at 6 o'clock, when he was having tea. Witness went bo bed about 11 p.m. Witness corrected himself by saying that/ he saw tho deceased Doherty later. Doherty and Clarke were then both in bed. Witness could not say whether Doherty- had his olothes off. He was in bed. The four men—Rosit (a Russian), M'Donoll, Doherty, and Clarke—were all asleep. There wWe 13 boarders in the house altogether, eight being upstairs. There were eight other members of the household in the house. The house consisted of 12 rooms, and was built of wood. About 2 o'clock on Sunday morning witness was awakened by the glare of fire. It was coming from a corridor. He found that the fire was across the passage, and wag in the room occupied by Doherty. The clothes beside the bed were burning. He tried to put the firo out, but it had a gooti Hold and ho oalled out to awaken the inmates. There was a considerable amount of smoke in the room, and he could not see if Doherty was in bed. No one came to his" assistance, but his call woke up everybody. The boarders tried to get their clothes out. Witness thought all the people were out of bed, and did not go to the different rooms to see if the occupants were out. He had no time to notify the brigade by way of alarm. There was no hindrance to people to escape from the fire. He (witness) came downstairs in his night clothes. All the time he was taking water from tho bathroom to put out the fire he was singing out to alarm everybody. He could not say who gave the outside alarm. It was not long before the brigade arrived. When the brigade came everyono was out, so far as witness knew. Mary Ann Barry, keeper of the boardinghouse in Oargill street, said she knew the deceased Duncan M'DorielL Ho had been boarding with her for about 16 years. She saw him on Saturday night when he was having his tea. He was all right and sober Witness did not see him after he had his tea. He always occupied the same bedroom. The boarders were all supplied with candlesticks. She believed that all the boarders, with the exception of M'Donell, were seamen that night Doherty and several others came to the house about a week ago—on the 21st inst Doherty came to tea*on Saturday night, but witness did not see him afterwards. He was sober. He might have had • a few glasses, but very little. M - Donell was quite sober. To tho Goroner: She had not seen either M'Donell or Doherty under the influence of liquor. Continuing, witness said there was no evidence of drinking having been going on on Saturday. She did not afterwards see any bottles about. The Coroner: Were there fire escapes in each room? Witness : There were ropes, except in the front of the house. It was easy to get out toy the front rooms on to the verandah The Coroner: You'held a license? Witness: No. The Coroner: Did the inspector ever come round ? j Witness: No. To Mr Wilkinson: I did mot know a license was needed. Dr Evans said he was called to tho house at the request of the police about 2.30 on Sunday morning. He examined Samuel Doherty. There were extensive burns on the hands, face, and back, and the eyes were destroyed. The man was suffering severely from shock, and he was removed at once to the Hospital in the ambulance. Witness saw Doherty again in the Hospital on Sunday morning, when his condition was very grave. Witness examined the'bodv of Duncan M'Donell at tho Morgue. The whole face was blackened, the hair singed, and there were extensive burns of both arms, the left thigh, and'both legs. The bums on the hands and feet had completely destroyed the Blrin. The cause of death was asphyxia due to suffocation and barns, brought about by smoke and flames. All the injuries were caused by smoke and fire. Dr J. P. Fitzgerald, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, said Doherty was admitted on Sunday morning at 2.45. He was suffering from burns to hia head,' face, neck, back, and hands. He was unconscious restless, and moaning. His breathing was laboured Witness gave further details as to the patient's condition, and said that on examining the chest there were signs of acute capillary bronchitis, due evidently to suffocation from smoke. At 9 o'clock that morning the man's condition was slightly improved. He was conscious, but very restless, and' complained of severe pain in his eyes. On Monday morning his condition was worse, and he showed signs of collapse He died at 1120 a.m., the cause of death being shock, following suffocation and burns." There was no sign of drink on deceased. He admitted on Sunday morning that ho was three parts drunk. Witness asked him if he had been drinking, and he said tc Yes." He said: " The trouble was I was three parts drunk." He said nothing about goin<» back to his room to get any money. ° William Charles Clarke, ship's fireman, said he was discharged from the Marama on the 21st. He, Doherty, Lynch, and Dunne went to Mrs Barry's. He had tea there on Saturdav night. He did not see Doherty there. On Saturday witness had very little drink. He went to bed at a-quarter to 7 in tho evening. Doherty was not then in the house or in bed. Witness blow out the light before getting into bed. At about 2 a.m. on Sunday he was awakened by a noise as of glass breaking, and on waking found Doherty lyinsr on his bed with all his clothes on. Witness shook him awake and called _ out that there was a fire. He then ran into a room where Lynch was. He could not say whether Doherty awoke at this time. All ho said when shaken was"What's the matter?" Lynch told him Doherty was got out. The fire was in Doherty's room near the window. Witness saw tho fire. Witness knew nothing about MTtonelL He identified Dohcrty by tattoo marks on the arm. Owen Lynch, marine fireman, said he went to Barry's with the last witness on tho 21st inst He went to bed at 1.30 in the afternoon of Saturday, to get over a chinking bout He had been drinking with Doherty, Donne, and Kershaw in the beginning of the week. Witness did not take any liquor to his room. He remained in bed. Doherty cam© into the bedroom about 1 o'clock in the morning. Witness did not know why he came in. Doherty gave witness a shake, and said " A*e you not going to get up out of thiß?*' He must have thought it was daylight He was sober as far as witness could tell from the way he spoke. Hie (Doherty) was not in the room more than a'couple of seconds, and then he went out. Clarke woke witness at L3O, and said there was a fire. Witness went and pulled l out Rosit «md then went in for Doherty. In Doherty's room there was a bit of flame. Doherty was on the bed, and they fetched hi-n outside the door. He could, not say what became of him then. He stood up. The Coroner: Could he stand? Witness: Yes. Tho Coroner: Neither tho flame nor tho smoke had touched him? Witirtss: Vory little. _ Witness added that he tlwn went to assist Mr Barry, A. G. Napier, Superintendent of tiie Cite Fine Brigade, said tho brigade received calk at -" o'clock on Sandfly morning. On the arrival of the brigade the front af the upstairs portion' of tho house was well alight. Two linos of hose were brought into play. Vao fire had a good hold upstairs. Witness asked if everybody was oat of the building, and was told that with the exception of the mistress of tho hotce, who was in the kitchen, everybody was out After having got ti\e woman to go oat of the kitchen, witness wont upstairs. Whilst looking under the beds ho heard a groan at the window, and, flashing his torch, aanp

Doherty leaning forward with hia hoad buried in Lynch's kit bag. He caught Doherty by tho shoulders, and, seeing hia condition, called men to oarry him downstairs. Shortly afterwards it was reported to witness that tho body o£ M'Donell had boon found, and ho discovered him in a front corner room. M'Donell was then dead.

To Sergeant Murray: I saw a good number of empty bottles; principally in Lynch's room. ...

The Coroner: Did you see any firo esCOjPOS?

Witness: No. I think the one I saw was a thin ropo at tho book. Tho Coroner: Was that sufficient? Witness: Oh, yea; but it would not comply with the- city by-laws. The Coroner: Mrs Barry saya there are ropes in oaoh room? Witness: Probably, but that could not bo termed a fire escape. It would be suffimont; especially for seafaring men to get out. Witness, continuing, said it would be three minutes past 2 when the brigade got to the burning building. Constable AfCulloch stated that about 11 o clock on Sunday Ooherty, then in the Hospital, said he had gone into his room; that be was three-parts drunk, and had sat an -j r ? a ° P^P Ol3 f °r some time. He said tho fire did not start in his room; it came up from bslow. fie said he got out and wont back to got his money. He gave his age as 33 years, anl said that his father was William Dohcrty, living in Cotton street, Liverpool. Mr Napier, in reply to tho Coroner, said the fare did not come from below. It originated upstairs.

™J% i," 5^7 *° Mr Wilkinson, Constable MUilloeh said there had never been any complaints about the house so far as he know.

The Goroner said he proposed to adjourn the inquest at that stage. He was going to look, into the by-laws for one thing and consider the whole matter further. He was not prepared to say that ha should close the inquest at that stage, and would consider tho position a bit further. Tho inquest was then adjourned till tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3 p.m., at the Magistrates Court