THE FATAL FIRE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 92, 18 December 1914, Page 4

THE FATAL FIRE.

INQUEST CONTINUED

SOME STARTLING DISCLOSURES

The inquiry into the death of John Williams, the Cingalee, who lost his life in the lire at Capill's Temperance Hotel last Sunday, was continued at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, commencing at 10 a.m.

tsTbe inquiry was conducted by Mr J. P. Aidridge, coroner. The body had been identified by Mr M. Morrison at Monday's inquest, which was adjourned to allow the police to gain information as to the cause of the conflagration and incidentally the death of Williams.

The police proved successful in their efforts and it is due to their ability that the mystery was solved at yesterday's sitting.

The first witness called was John I Cap ill, proprietor c£ the boarding- ; house, who gave evidence to the effect 'that he was acquainted with the deceased and had given him a bed on the night cf the 12th in Room No. 13. Williams retired at about 10.45. sober. There were four rooms in the cottage, No. 12. adjoining No. 13 be--1 lug occupied by "Hollis and Laurence. i No. 14 was empty, but No. 15 was occupied by Reagley and Heggarty. All < were in bed at 11.30 when witness re--1 tired, all lights being out except in ! No. 12. There was then no sign of fire. ! Fe was awakened some time later by 1 ■ • ' a general commotion and on arising | discovered that practically the whole ! front cf the cottage was in flames. He ' obtained hose and played on No. 15 where the blaze was weaker, and on extinguishing the flames entered, but the occupants were out. He could not

nf the time reach 12 or 13 on account ;of the .flames. The brigade arrived shortly afterwards and in a short time i got the fire sufficiently under control I to enable an entrance to be gained ! into 13. Captain Cribb was the first |to enter. At first ho could not see I anyone for dense smoke, but almost ! immediately discovered. Williams. Wit- | ness at once 'phoned for medical aid I but in the meantime Dr James had ta- ! ken charge. Witness had examined I the building later. In his opinion the | fire started in No. 12, No. 13 being | damaged very little. Later still he found a pillow in the yard, partly burnt, end also a heap of burning kapok under a stand pipe. Whereupon he formed the opinion that the pillow had been taken in flames from a room and had been, extinguished at the tap. He was satisfied the pillow had belonged to No. 12. He had not seen the occupants of the room after the lire. The Captain of the Fire Brigade had, on arrival, asked him if the rooms were occupied, but witness did not ! know.

3 The cottage was insured for £35 1 land the furniture for £25. The actual 1 ' values were much more than that. D'r James gave evidence that lie had ' examined the deceased when brought " from the building, and found life ex- ' tinct, but had nevertheless used artificial respiration for about 15 minutes. On carefully examining the : body he found that it was deeply burned. There was a flesh wound above the right eye. Death, . in his 1 i opinion, was due to asphyxia from the ' poisonous effects of the smoke. G. H. Cribb, Captain cf the Fire Brigade, said he had received a call ja< 1.30 a.m. en the 13th. On arrival : j the fire was burning fiercely, but it only took a few minutes to. get it under. Mr Capili told him-that he was * net sure whether the men were all out and asked him to see. Witness thereupon entered No. 13, but the smoke was too dense to see anything. Later he returned to No. 13 and found deceased lying between the bed and the wall. lie obtained the assistance j of C. Kelly and remove;:] the body to | the betel passage. Witness could de- | tect no sign cf life. If he had been : told from the first that there was i anyone in the room it might have been j possible to have attempted a dash inI to the room, but that, of course, was only a surmise. From the time the alarm was given to the time the body w r as carried out would be about 10 I minutes. He considered that the tire i had originated in No. 12. Walter Laurence said Mollis and he I had occupied No. 12. Both were per- ■ fectly sober. He had been asleep soma I time when he awoke and found llol- ] lis' pillow on fire. Hollis ran outside with the burning pillow and did not bring it back, saying he had put it out under the tap. The mattress was also en (ire and Hollis extinguished it with ! water. Both then came across to the j stables for their horses intending to j go to Taoroa, but did not do so. Some time afterwards the fire bell rang. Witness went to the fire, but Hollis remained behind. He had not considered there was any occasion to tell Mr Capiil of the previous fire. Questioned, witness said Hollis was smoking cigarettes in bed. He was quite satisfied that they had extinguished the fire before leaving. George Hollis gave evidence similar to previous witness. When the firebell rang he was on the street looking for his dog, and had walked slowly to' the fire. He could see that the blaze was in the cottage he had previously left and knew there were men ; in the adjoining rooms, but did not ] make inquiries if they were all out. j He was' cjuite satisfied when he left i the cottage that he had extinguished j the fire/ He admitted smoking a cig- ~