INQUEST ON THE LATE FIRE IN DEESTREET.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 83, 16 December 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

INQUEST ON THE LATE FIRE IN DEESTREET.

An inquest was held on Saturday and yesterday before Dr. Deck, coroner, on the origin of the fire' in Deß-street, on Friday morning. The subjoined is the, evidence taken, and the verdict of the jury: — ... x ' • Thomas M'Chesney, being sworn, said — I am a constable in the Invercargill Police Force. I 1 was on duty yesterday at about 4.40 a.m., in Dee- . street! My" attention was attracted by smoke coming from Myers' house. I wa9 then opposite the Southland Club .Hotel. I gave notice to the rest of the constables, and proceeded to the place.I saw no person about at first. Immediately after I turned to go to the place, a woman rushed from the door; she was ' Myers' servant. "When l got up there, I saw Mr. Wright's cook coming down , .from the back of the bowling saloon, The smoke appeared to me to be coming from the roof of ' the house of Mr. Myers, coming off right from, the centre of the house in front. I passed by the premises ten or fifteen minutes prior to having seen the amoke. There were no other houses on firo at the time. The Empire was not on fire at the time. Whenl arrived, the smoke was beginning to come out of theto.p of the door of Myers' house, and also was coming out of the upper story windows. It was coming-out of the green baize doors which open on the staircase going, up to the top floor. The woman went back into the house directly after she came out. I did not see Mr. , Myers. I saw no firo at the time, only 'smoke coming out of the front part of the house. I could not say exactly how the female was dressed, but she appeared, to have on her gown. She was crying out when she came out. After Mr. Wright's cook came out;. I gave alarm to the inmates, and ran to call Mr. Weldori. I think that the bell rung about a quarter to five. I saw no light in the house during the night previously. My beat was from the Post-ofEce to the Hospital, up and down, and down the side streets occasionally. I went on at nine o'clock, and remained on until the fire was discovered. I judged of the. time I did not wait to have an answer. The next I saw of him was when I brought my box down, and he told me that he had heard the noise : but he did not know what it was. He .was not dressed, but he had his clothes in his hand. I could not see where the fire was, the smoke was coming up at the top of the stairs. 1 heard noise as of the crackling of fire in the middle of the house iv the tobacco shop. I did not see any flames at that time. I live at the back room up stairs, over the toy shop. There were two chimneys. Each, back room below had a fire place, and there were two five places up stairs. I went to bed about half-past eleven p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Myers were up wlien I went to bed. I cannot say when they went to bed. There was a fire in the sitting room that evening behind the tobacco shop. There was a little fire in the fireplace when I went to bed. There was a little wood burning. When I went to bed I left Mr. and Mrs. Myers standing at the front door speaking to Mr. Eoebuck. Mr. Myers came out drawing out a small leather trunk, as he could not go back any more, that was all he said. I did not dress myself before I came round by the back afterwards, and found Mrs. Myers in the garden with her child. I went to sleep that night soon after I went to bed, "a quarter of an hour about I think. , I do not think they were later up that night than usual I did not wake through the night. The kitchen was at the back of the sitting room. I recollect smoke coining out about four weeks ago on a Sunday, behind Roebuck's house; it had come out from Mr. Myers' kitchen. The fire had been out in the kitchen the day before yesterday in the afternoon. The smoke four weeks ago had passed from one house to another by an opening made by rats for the floor beneath the oven. There was no wood burning afc that time. Prom the noise I heard the fire seemed to be on the ground floor. I could not see into the tobacconist's shop, as I was going up to get my things - down, the door was locked and the shutters were up. The toy shop was nearly full of smoke when Mr. Myers pulled his trunk out. I think that Mrs.' Myer3 got out of the bed-room by ■ the window. We have had no fire up stairs at all. There was no kerosene in the shop but what was in the lamps. There was a tin with some inside a shed in the garden. William Eoebuck, sworn, said : — I was proprietor of the Empire Hotel, which was ■ burnt down yesterday ' morning. I woke in a start, and smelling burning, got up and heard a voice calling out fire. I ran through the honse up stairs to wake the servants. I went down stairs through the house to the front, door. The only man I saw was Mr. Myers, in a kneeling position, among some things that were tied up. I asked him what was wrong, and he said the place was > on fire ;is Mrs. Eoebuck all right ? I went in and got the women all down stairs. -I. saw them out at the back door, then went back to my bedroom to see if I could save anything. As I opened one of the doors of a bed-room, the fire burst through the wall between the'hotel and Mr. Myers' house. I tried to get a hold of some of my things j but did not save much as the room was so full of smoke I could not stay in it. When I first got up, there was no fire or smoke in my house. I could only smell the _, burning. The constable had broken the front door open some few minutes after I got up, before any smoke had been in my house. The first fire I saw was preceding from the up-stairs windows of Mr. Myers' at the back. That was when I took the women out into the back yard. When I first woke,, l looked through a small window that overlooked their kitchen and back premises, and I saw neither smoke nor fire, but I smelt burning. The first five I saw came out of the up-stairs window, nearestmy house. " The hotel and Myers' house were connected together. The part of my house that first caught fire was about the centre upstairs. The bricks of Mr. Myers' chimney did not in any way communicate with my house. I had gone to bed between one o'clock and half-past, that is my usual hour ; I always see everybody to bed first. I had nothing belonging to^me insured. On Sunday, about three weeks ago, about two O'clock, one of my servants called my attention to smoke coming out under my house I went and . looked under the house as it is built high upon piles. I could see no fire. I then ripped, up the boards in front of my 1 own fireplace, could see nothing there. I then ! ripped the boards up at the other end of the room, got my head down, and saw the smoke ! coming out from under Mr. Myers's kitchen fire- • place. He put his fire out and the smoke disappeared. That fireplace was away from where the L fire took place, the kitchen was a lean-to, and the fire took place in the main building. From what 1 I have seen I believe the fire originated upstairs, • in the room next "my house. At the time I had ; taken- the women out and saw the flames coming i out of the upstairs window next my house, I did not see any names or amoke coming out of Mr. ' Myers' bedroom window. The smell of the burn- , ing when I first awoke and looked up, was very • strong, but I did not wait to hear anything, I r do not know what time elapsed*between that time [ and the time I had thewomen in the yard. Mr. P Myers was quite dressed when I. saw him; he had *■ his hat, coat and trousers on. The conversation I I had with Mr. Myers about insuring was Boon ; after Mr.-Sroderiok came here. He always went *-

out into hit b*pk rtor» for matches* whenever I had bought them. 1 This biibk store was a pailing building at the back of the building,* but detached. I Was never in it. ' Mr* Myers bad one or two bundles, one like bedding tied up in carpet, when ■J^saw him, and some parcels. ' "Lguis Myers, being. duly sworn, said— l am a tobacconist. I occupied the premises lately destroyed! 4 "* yesterday morning somewhere between four**and five o'clock by the noise of fall* ing glass. Infqfcdiately afterwards I heard the crackling of burning wood. lat once woko Mrs, Myers, and told her there was a fire near. I could see no fire "at the time. Mrs. Myers immediately tumped up, and got through the window into the yard, and called out to give her the child. I handed her the child, and'then took my clothes and ran out through the shop to the front to see where the fire .was, On passing through the toy shop, I looked through the glass door dividing the toy shop from the to- . baoco shop, and noticed the opposite "wall o£ the tobacconist shop— the wall dividing my house from Mr. Roebuck's, smoking, and ■ some flame leading up to the corner next the wall dividing the wall from the sitting-room behind it. I . could not see the wall as I passed through. I keep shutters up in the shops, but some light was thrown in through four lights on the front door. I rushed through the Bhop with the intention of waking the servant, who was sleeping up-stairs; Opening the door in the front of the shop I found the two folding doors wide open. I cried out for the servant as I ran through the shop. I went up stairs ' part way to dress myself - a little. I noticed a great smoke up stairs, immediately the girl came from the street back and brought down a box with some of her things, passing me on her way upstairs, as I? was dressing. ■ I then ran into the shop again, and brought out a trunk and some things. There was no fire-place in the tobacco-nist-shop ; the back of the fire-place that was in the back sitting-room projected into the back of the shop, but was about two or three feet from the wall where I first saw the fire between my house and Mr. Roebuck's. At the same time that I looked through the glass door and saw tte side of the 'shop smoking, I saw a hole about eighteen inches across through the ceiling in the corner between the chimney and the wall next Roebuck's, the northeast, corner of the shop. As I went up stairs I saw as much smoke in the upstairs as below, I only looked into the servants room upstairs, and I did that without quite going up to the top of the stairs. I think that the smash of glass I heard might hare been the falling of the lamp which was hanging over the counter/ in the centre of the r00m... But the noise may have been caused by something falling on glass cases in the frorifcrbom. The room above the tobacconists shop Kas^been occupied by Mr. Murray, but has not lately been nsed, and there -were only few things in it. I had not been into it for a' week previous to the fire. ~ I had some goods stored in the back room over the sitting room, I had not been there nor anybody else for a fortnight previous. I went to bed about 12 o'clock that night, I extinguished a little fire there was in the sitting room by pouring water npon it. My place was insured. ' The building was insured in the Northern 15 or 16 months back for £400, and the stock by the Liverpool and London for £400, either in July or August ; the furniture and household goods for £100 in the Marine company, either July or August last. There was nothing saved except a leather trunk containing a suit of clothes. The insurance on the liduse was effected in my own name. There were no matches in either of the rooms np stairs. ' I got my safe from the ruins yesterday. The matches I had were in tin japanned boxes ; they* "were placed on a -wooden shelf about eight feet from the floor, in the corner adjoining the chimney between the chimney and the wall. I was present at the building of the premises, I did not notice how the partition was built, I had some fusees and vesuyian lights, on the same shelf as the matches. The principal quantity I kept behind in the yard. I ■ had about a dozen boxes of matches, and about two dozen boxes of fusees fin the shop. The matches were about 6-ft. - from the ceiling, and" about 4-ft. from a point directly under the hole that I saw burning in the ceiling. I think I was dragging out the trunk when Mr. Roebuck saw me. I think the fire ignited somewhere between my house and the Empire Hotel. I had the sitting room fireplace repaired three months ago and an iron plate put in. I had the chimney swept about six weeks ago. I cannot say how .the fire eriginated. I have never noticed any rats in the shop, but I have noticed them in the sitting room and kitchen. James Bailey, being duly sworn, said :— I am an inspector of railroads, residing in the Province of Southland. I remember the morning of the 9th. I was getting up at four o'clock. I was staying in Colyer's Hotel, Dee-street. I was going out to measure some work, and I thought I smelt some fixe as I was getting up. I looted round the room, and seeing nothing, went . and opened the front door, and saw smoke issuing out of Mr. Myers' place, o^er the top of the shop door, on the side towards Mr. Roebuck's. I did not notice any other smoke at the time ; and I saw a man coming from Mr. Wright's, who jumped up and rang the bell. I came back and called up Mr. Colyer, and all the people in tlie house. That was about ten minutes past four o'clock. I went out again and saw the flames catching Mr. Roebuck's' place. The first time I went out I saw none beside the man, there were no doors open at Mr. Myers' when I : wenfc out then, and I saw no flames. Andrew Mackenzie, being duly sworn, said : — I am a pastrycook, living at Mr. Chennels, Deestreet, Invercargill. I remember the morning of the 9th inst. I was sleeping, the night previous, in Mr. Chennels 5 bakehouse, and on hr-aring women cry out fire, I walked up to the place to Mr. Myers'. His servant was outsidewhen I got up then ; and I saw a policeman who had been calling out. There was no smoke coming out of the front, no windows were broken, but the place was full of smoke inside, and there was the noise of a large fire inside. I looked into the tobacco shop through the glass door, and heard the noise of a fire about the centre of the shop, but owing to the smoke I could see no flames. Another gentleman tried to get into the toy shop, but could not get in. I then went to the hotel. I asked the womon if there wasany one inside, and she said no. I left there for Mr. Wright's Hotel, to get the people ap there. • I think the woman had on her petticoats and a few things in her Jiand. She had no box with her that I saw. Margaret O'Hara, being duly sworn, said : — I am the wife of Mr. O'Hara, bootmaker, who occupied one of the shops that was burnt on 9fcli instant. I remember the morning of that day. I was sleeping in the back ro6m behind the shop, and was wakened by the crackling of a fire. I got up directly, went out at the back door, and suw ; smoke coming from Mr. Myers', from the roof next the Empire Hotel. I did not notice any smoke at that time exactly, coming out of the upstairs windows. I could not see the lower part of the house because of the fence that was between. The first person I saw was Mr. Myers. There was only one fence between our back yard and Mr. Myers' back yard. I saw Mrs. Myers down in the garden. She was in her night dress. I did not observe a child with her. I did not observe) whether any smoke was issuing from the lower window of Mr. Myers' house. Mrs. Myers said to me, "Oh fire, fire." That was all t she said, and I reached back to get my own children out. I don't think any flames were coming from the house at that time. I came out a second time into the back yard with my children and saw a great many, people. I was awake several times before that night, but heard nothing particular. Eatina Myers, being duly sworn said — I am the wife of "Mr. Myers who occupied the shop that was burnt on the 9th inst. - I remember the morning of that day ; I awoke that morning whether from the voice of the girl, or the crackling ot the fire I do not know, but I heard some crackling, I called Mr. Myers. Mr. Myers jumped out of bed, and looked through the door that opens into the toy shop, and he told me that the cigar shop was burning. . Iran from the bed , to the window aud got out of the window iuto' - the back yard. There was no smoke in my roora , ■"•>. at thafc time, I never «aw anything of the flames"/ w £

whilst in tho house. When I got out into tho yard I Ba-w smoke .oonnrg from the roof between Mr. Myers's bouse, and the Empire Hotel. I did hot see any smokd coming out. of our upstaics 1 ' 1 \rindow3. The first person I saw was M5. J?oebuck, who came to the window as I w»tf railing out. in tho yard We went to bed fihont halfpast eleven or twelve o'clock the .night previous. I donfc remember „ -whether we "had a fire that { evening in the sitting roonv or not. I awoke Eoverol times that night for the child, but smelt nothing before. I did not see' the sen-ant at all. She sleeps upstairs. I have not been in tho upBtah*s room for four -weeks. Tho firo was directly bo great, that' we could only escape with our lives, We could not do, anything to put it out. I heard the breaking of glass sometime before we heard tho crackling of the fire. Wo were not up in the night. We had a candlo burning in our room through, the night, it. waß our usual custom. Mr. Myera has a safe ; it -was.kept in tho eigur shop j bo kept all lijb papers in it. It was always ft practice Trifh liira to put a3l 3n& books and his documents into , the" safe every evening ; he did so on tho evening previous to tho fire. He used to do it before ho -went to bed ; ho left out that evening some postage stamps and two i books ; but he always pxit them away in tne 6afe before. They -were both, books in use in tho shop. Things that were not in use in the shop, he always left. in, tho policies of the assurance were always left in. i don't think the policies, of insurance •wevo taken, out that day. The two books •were left ont that.evening through forgetfulnea9. Mr. Myers and myself were both out on the evening previously j we returned about eleven o'clock, and spoke to Mr. Eoebuck just as we came home. When I returned, I did not , see Mr. Myers go to the safe ; but I esjtect he did ; lie always loeis the safe when he leaves. He does not pub all the things intojihe safe until he coxoeß back for good. Louis Myers being re-called, and duly sworn, said— -I had aniron safe in: the -building, which was destroyed. I put private letters, the lease, policies, some jewellery, that I had no immediate use for, and the books into the safe. I generally put the books in every- evening, • before going to bed. The lease was in the. safe at .the time ; ..the policy of insurance was there as well ; lam quite certain it was there, it always has been there, I put it in the cash. box. (Policies produced.) The jury then retired, and lifter a short absence returned the following verdict: — ''That the lire commenced in the shop occupied by Mr. Louis Myers, on the 9th Dec. ; but that there is no evidence to show how the firo originated." * ■*'