INQUEST ON THE FIRE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1811, 12 May 1874, Page 3

INQUEST ON THE FIRE.

The inquest into the circumstances connected with the late fire was resumed at the Court-house, Grahamstown, at one o'olock yesterday, before Mr J. E. Macdonald, coroner, and the jury. Mr F. C. Dean was present on behalf of the Boyal Insurance Company. The following evidence was taken :—

Albert Bruoe deposed: I am a watchmaker, residing in Grahamstown (OwenOn Tuesday morning last, I left my residence a few minutes (eight or ten) before 5 o'clock a.m., for a day's shooting at Parawai. As I was coming down Queen-street, I saw smoke coming through the shingles of the melting-house at the back of the Union Bank, and also a small flame coming through the shingles. I called out "Ere," and at the same moment some one else called out " Eire." The fire was coming through the roof, about mid-way between the furnacestack and the corner next the Advebtiskr. I ran back with my gun and dog home, and then returned. I was not away more than a minute. On my return I went to the front door of the bank cottage. Mr Grant just then opened the door'. There was. no one there bat me that I saw. I went through the cottage to the back to look fct the fire. The back door was open. There wore one or two people in the yard when I went through. I believe the firei bell had mag before that, Iho door of

the melting-house was shut and locked, for I v tried the handle. The windows were all down. The fire clearly was from the inside, and seemed to have been at first about midway between the melt-ing-furnace and the Advertiser end' of the building. Seeing it wa3 no good trying to save the molting-house, I returned to Mr Grant's cottage to see what to save there. I was in the melting-house on the previous day about 3.30 p.m. Mr Grant was there with me. Neither of us were smoking, or used matches. I went in to put in a pup I'had given Mr Grant. 'We made a bed'for the pup in the comer nearest the, Advertiser office at the back. The bed was a sack. I was' not in the melting-house after that time (3.30), nor was lon the bank premises again until'! was there at the'fire. I tried tho gate opening to Queen-street, and found it was fastened.

George James Cooper deposed: lam employed at the Advertiser newspaper office. On Tuesday morning last between four and five a.m. I had occasion to go to

the rear of the premises. The newspaper premises are next door to those of the Union Bank. I did not then observe anything about the bank premises, but half a minute afterwards I came out again,'and my attention was called by a pane of glass bursting in the window of the melting-house. The window was the one in the end next the Advertisbr. Looking at the building I saw the whole of the inside of'it was in flames, the force of the fire appearing to bo on the Advertiser end. It was a bright moonlight morning. The fire must have been burning when I was out the first time, though I didij not then see it. When I saw the fire I gave the alarm to the hands in the office by calling " Eire next the. office j go ring the bell." Some one went to ring the bell. I went into the street, and to Mr Grant's door, when I found one of the hands knocking. We tried to. burst the door, but could not- I went

lack through the Adveetiseb office, and

got over the fence into the back premises. I found the back door of Mr Grant's cottage open. I went in. I saw Mr Grant and Mr Bruce (the last witness). They were in'Mr Grant's bedroom.. Bruco appeared to be assisting Mr Grant to dress. I said, "The best thing you can do is to clear out here; the fire is close on top of you." I then went out at the back, and saw the melting-house allinflames. The fire originated inside the building at the end next the Adveetiseb office, I should say. I had not

seen Mr Bruce before I saw him when in Mr Grant's bed-room. I did not see anyone about but our own hands. John Douglas Partridge deposed: I am manager.of the agency of the Bank of Australasia at Grahamstown. lam also assayer to the bank here. As assayer I use nitric acid; also sulphuric acid, and hydrochloric acid. Ido not think that any of those acids, either singly or together, would ignite wood. I have never known it in my experience'. This morn-

ing I placed the two pieces of wood produced in strong nitric acid. Neither piece of wood shows sign of ignition. I touched the acid with a match, but it' did hot ignite the match. The acid I used was of the usual strength.

Constable Satchwell deposed: I was paraded for duty in the Grahamstown station on Tuesday last, at a quarter to 5 o'clock. After leaving the station, I went' along' Queen-street to Albert-street. I passed the Union Bank at about a quarter to .5. I observed nothing uuusual'. I went as far as the. Pacific Hotel, and saw the clock, when it was a quarter to 5 by it. I saw the night watchman, waiting to put out the lamps at the Pacific corner. When I got to the Governor Bowen Hotel, I heard the fire-bell go, and ran

towards the fire and to the station to alarm the other constables. As I went along Albert-street, the melting-house could not have been blazing without my seeing it. It might have been smoulderin?.

Samuel Alexander deposed: I reside at the corner of Davy and 'Williamson, streets. On Tuesday morning last, in consequence of an alarm, I got up and ran to the fire. I saw flames coming out of the top of the melting-house and out of the window- towards Queenstreet. The fire ,was inside. .I. did. not see anybody when I got there. I saw some palings down or the side wicket open, and I went through with two buckets of water. I saw no one when I got inside the yard. The back door of Mr Grant's house was shut, the windows and door of the melting-house were also closed, The fire was then confined 1 to the melting-house. The flames were then coming out of the roof all over it. I was there for about five minutes

when Mr Hymau, bootmaker, came with a rush. I don't know where he came from. He told me he jumped the fence. It was about half-an-hour, and we used

;wo tanks of water very near before we

saw any person from the Thames Adveetiseb. We poured water on the

back part of the Advertises to keep it cool. Before I saw anybody the meltinghouse was pretty well consumed, and the fire had got hold of the, bank. i I heard the bell before I got to the fire. I did not see Mr Bruce, Mr Grant, or Mr Cooper to notice them before Mr Grant's back door was opened. By the Coroner: I believe I was first in yard.' There is no reward that lam aware of for any person being first. By Mr Bullen: I heard the cry of " Fire," just about five < o'clock. While' I was working agaiust' the side of the Adveetiseb office, I do not recollect any one speaking to me from the roof.' George.Eobertshaw.deposed: ,1 am assistant" melter at the Bank of New Zealand; I recollect a case of nitric acid being received for our departmwit .of the bank about six months ago. It contained 12 bottles. During the removal the carter broke one bottle while bringing it into the yard. My attention was called by a man named Jones to the fact that it was smoking; It was on a Saturday. We were busy, and I did not notice the time I opened the case. The sawdust was red hot, afire, and the side of the case charred. It was red and alight, and could be fanned into a flame. By the jury: .We used the other bottles as nitric acid. The oase was, I think, made of deal. This closed the evidence, and the Coroner summed up, saying that so far as he could see, there was nothing in the evidence to enable the jury to oomo to a decided verdict as to the cause. The jury, after about five minutes' deliberation, returned a verdict that no evidence of the origin of the fire appeared to the jury.