THE CASH PALACE FIRE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2621, 15 August 1881, Page 2

THE CASH PALACE FIRE.

An enquiry was held at the Resident Magistrate’s' Court this morning before R. Beetham, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr C. B. Grierson was chosen foreman, touching the late fire at the Cash Palace, Main South road. Mr C. Perry appeared to watch the case on behalf of Mr A. Moses.

Mr White appeared to watch the ca.se in the interests of the various insurance offices concerned.

The inquiry was conducted by Inspector Pender. His Worship questioned counsel’s right to be present at a preliminary enquiry of this kind. As yet no person had been accused of anything, and the services of counsel were therefore unnecessary. If, however, counsel desired to ask any questions m the course of the proceedings he could do so through the Bench. Not'otherwise. The jury then asked for and obtained permission to revisit the scene of the lire, and on their return the following evidence was taken :

Frederick Tern per ton, in the employment of Mr .J. B. Stansell, said —I was awakened by my brother, who resides next door to the Palace, on Sunday morning, August 7. The premises were then full of smoke. I afterwards gave information to the police. The Palace closed at 10 30 p.m. on Saturday night, August 6. The ordinary closing hour on Saturdays was II p.m, Inspector Pender stated—About a quarter past six on the morning of Sunday, August 7, I was called by Teraperton to the fire at the Cash Palace, I made an examination of the premises. The windows were darkened and the place full of dense smoke. I immediately placed constables in the front and rear to watch the building. The Fire Brigade was present and burst open the door. Mr Turnbull pointed out to me lire blazing under the counter. I couldn’t stand the smoke and had to retire. Afterwards Mr Henry George, a member of the Brigade brought out a tin of kerosene (produced). It was quite warm: So soon as the smoke cleared I further examined the shop. There had been fire underneath the counter on the floor and the boards were burnt through. Found the partly burnt case produced. The inside was burnt. It was lying by the side of where the fire •was. * Subsequently found the pieces of material produced (tarlatan) saturated with kerosene. They were lying close by the case. That morning, just before the Brigade arrived, I asked Mr Louis Moses, Mr A. Moses’ brother, for the key of the shop. He said it was at home, and he went to get it, returning with it after the door was broken open, I asked Mr Lewis Moses for the insurance policies. He said they were in the Bank. I also asked him where the books were, and said I should like to see them. He looked for them, but could not find them. I said, “ Have you no particular place you keep your books in ?” He said, “ Oh, they are here somewhere. They must be here. They had not been found since. Both Lewis and Abraham Moses told me the kerosene had been placed under the counter because the place at the back where it was formerly kept was too warm for it. A kerosene lamp was burnt at the back of the shoo. Lewis and Abraham Moses told they had never seen the case (the one before referred to) before it was found at the fire. They said they knew nothing about it, and it was quite a mystery to them. The lid belonging to the kerosene tin and the two dippers (empty jam tins) were found lying close to the case under the counter amongst the burnt embers. I found, in looking over the stock, a number of empty packciges, like the brown paper one produced. They were on the shelves. The back windows and back doors were firmly secured. There was no possible entrance to the premises bat by the front door. By the Foreman—Mr L. Moses said

that he an 1 his brother, and Mrs Moses and the shop boy left'the premises about 10.30 on the Saturday night. Lewis Moses locked the door and took the key with him. Whatever goods were removed during the fire were brought back again and replaced. By Mr Perry—Botli the Moses said they had never seen .the case produced and found under the counter before. I said the shop hoy Ind su'd he had never seen it, and they said it was quite a mystery to them. Detective Austin Kirby said—l visited the fire on the morning of the 7th. Burst in the back door and so gained admittance. The back window was securely fastened. I tried to reach the shop from the hack, and the door in the passage had to be opened from the inside to allow of it. I recollect while there seeing L. Moses come into the back room and put n cash-box and bowl into the desk. They contained about 22s in silver. He took tbcin from underneath the counter.

Thomas Giese, a member of the Tirm.ru Fire Brigade, deposed—l pulled out the box or case produced from under the counter. Where it was, a mass of fire was burning. I saw no goods of any sort in the box. Fancied I smelt rags burning, but did not smell kerosene. By Mr Perry—The fire had burnt underneath the box. The fire, I should say had burnt from it downwards. ‘By Inspector Pender—The position the case was in would shade the blaze under the counter from the front of the shop. H. George, member of the Fire Brigade, said—The smoke was very thick. I got out with great difficulty with the kerosene tin produced. It was three parts full. I did not spill any. It was about nine inches from the burning embers when I removed it. The tin was centred under the counter.

Frederick Karton, shop-boy, said — I reside with my father in Timaru. Up to the time of the fire, I was employed at the Cash Palace during the day up to six p.m., that is on every day but Saturday, when I stopped until 10.30 p.m. My duties were to clean the shop and carry parcels, I have been employed for three or four months. On the Saturday before the fire I left at 10.30 p.m. On that night I was walking up and down outside the premises from 8.15 to 10.30. I was watching the goods for sale. Mr Lewis Moses was in charge of the shop that day. At 8.15 I met Mr A. Moses at the railway station. Mrs Moses was there too. They left me at the station and I followed them to the shop. We all four, the two Mr Moses’, Mrs Moses and myself, left the shop at 10.30 together. It was usual for Mrs Moses to remain to a late hour on Saturdays. Mr Lewis Moses locked the door. There was a fire burning at the time in the back room but none iu the shop. I put the gas out that night, and Mr Moses turned it off at the metre. A table-cloth was hung up at the back window. It was always there. The green blind was put up on that window three or four weeks ago. The windows were first frosted. The kerosene tin was kept under the counter. I don’t know why. Only one lamp was used. It was in the back room. I never saw the box produced (found under the counter) before the fire. The lump was used every night. The gas was not lit in the back room. About throe weeks or a month before the fire I was filling the lamp one afternoon, and soon afterwards Mr Moses sent me out with a parcel. There was a tap in the oil can. I thought I had turned it off all right, hut when I came back Mr Moses said, “ You let the tap run.” He *

showed me the kerosene on the floor. It had run down from the counter. We dried it up with rags. I afterwards took the rags outside to the back. I have since seen the rags. Some of them I burnt at the back in the fireplace. I filled the lamp at the tap in the tin. The tin stood on a shelf eight inches from the floor. I last saw the tin on Saturday night just after dark. It was theli on the shelf. The tap was facing the shelves. I knelt down with my back to the shelves when I filled the lamp. By the Foreman —I did not see the box produced when I filled the lamp. I never used the jam tins for dipping out the oil. I was usually sent outside the shop on Saturday nights to watch the goods. I don’t think I ever loft the oil tap running.

By Mr Perry—The shelf under the counter was about eight inches from the floor. There was usually brown paper under the counter. It was used for parcels. I usually went to the railway station on Saturday nights to deliver handbills. When I helped Mr Moses to mop up the kerosene tilery was a good deal spilled. The matches were generally kept on the shelf. I remember their being knocked down on one occasion whan I was putting up a blind with Mr Moses. This was not long before the fire. The matches were spilt on the floor, and I picked them up. Never had any rats in the shop. I know poison has been laid for rats by Mr Moses. I have seen goods with holes in them as though they had been bitten. I put up the curtains before leaving on the Saturday night as usual. There was no fire under the counter

then. By Inspector Pender—l found tno matches next day on the drapery shelves, some distance from the hre. If there had been a case like the one produced near the kerosene can I think I should have seen it. But L did not see it. I know nothing about it. The paper there might have prevented me from seeing it. By the Bench —When I filled the lamp on Saturday night I am quite certain the can faced me.

11. George re-called—When I found the kerosene tin the tap was not facing the back shelving. It was side on, as I have placed it. ("The witness here tilted the can to one side.] It was on the left-hand side of the counter, nearest the fire, F. Karton, examination resumed—The can was kept just about where the tiro

was. William Keen, a boy of about twelve years of age, was at present employed at Geraldine. Had lived some time with Mr Moses, at the Cash Palace, up to about seven months ago. When I lived at the Palace there was a case or box kept under the drapery counter. It was a small case. It was not the case produced. I used to put it under the counter at night. The kerosene tin was kept underneath the counter. It was brought in shortly before I left Mr Moses’ employment. The gas fittings were then kept in the back room. The entiy book was kept in the desk in the back room. By Mr Perry—Some old blinds were

kept underneath the drapery counter when I was with Mr Moses. When we went to press some seven or eight witnesses remained to he examined, and the enquiry will probably not conclude until six or seven o’clock.