THE STAR OF GARTER FIRE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 65, 19 March 1915, Page 7

THE STAR OF GARTER FIRE

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY. I Oamaru, March .18. At the magisterial enquiry into the .ircunistances attending the recent tire at,the Star and Garter Hotel, sen. at.oiml evidence was given by S. B. Slack, a commercial traveller, who deposed that Miss Teller, a boarder, said to him the afternoon before the fire ‘Have you brought your luggage with you, Mr Clark?” He asked why? Miss Teller replied; “Jf you have much luggage with you to-night, have it ready for getting out.” Being pressed for a reason, Miss Teller eventually said the Star and Garter was likely to be burned that night, as Mrs Harvey told her two months ago that they were losing noney. The house was not paying, .uid the only thing was to burn it down and get the insurance money. The enquiry was conducted before Mr. J. R. Bartholomew.

The hotel, which was the property ,1 the Vex man Estate, was administ>red by the Perpetual Trustees Com- . ay, Dunedin. It was insured for 5.4000 in the Standard Insurance Com»">v, who were represented by J. B. Nichol, of Dunedin, and the effects of Mrs. Harvey (lessee) for £IBOO in the same office. The damage is estimated at £IB2O. . Superintendent O’J/onovaii. of Drilled! i, conducted tire enquiry. Chirk also swore that in conversation vith Miss Teller after the fire she offered to maim' good his losses 'so long ,i; he did not report what she had said to the authorities. Witness gave as bis excuse for not reporting the alleg’d conversation that he was so bewildered and worried.

Asked why he stopped in'the house .)!* did not mention the matter to the Harveys, he said they would have wanted an explanation as to why lie left them after stopping there inveriably on his visits to Oaraarn.He was subjected to strict crossexamination, and was in the box for over three hours. Miss Telfer, whose examination did not conclude till 5.15, absolutely denied the alleged conversation with Clark. Clark caught her up on the way home to tea on the 13th and suggested that she should visit him in his room, •die refused. Witness detailed at length all proceedings on the night of the fire and the subsequent days. When, she visited Clark’s sample rooms with a companion to choose some goods Clark was in a great state as to his losses and as to why George Harvey (son of lessee) had not attempted to rescue them.