Inquest on the Late Fire.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3151, 25 March 1879, Page 2

Inquest on the Late Fire.

An inquest on the late fire in Owen street was held at the Empire Hotel, at 11 o'clock to-day, before Pr Kilgour, Coroner, and the following jury:—W. J. Speight, A. Hume, S. Alexander, JVC. Williams, Bobt. Burra, W. Burton, S. Turtle, W. Davies, D. Orme, J. McGowan, J. ■ Gibbons, and Geo. McCaul.' .

Mr Davies was elected foreman, and the jury was duly sworn. Mr McCullough was present to represent the Imperial Insurance Company. The jury visited the premises. The Coroner, in his opening remarks, said that in this case there was not the slightest suspicion of incendiarism, therefore it was not in consequence of any suspicions circumstances that this inquest was held ; but in consequence of a public feeling which of late years had been gaining ground in the colony that (there #ai a necessity to hold inquest's on all fires, as persons likely to set property on fire would be deterred therefrom by having full knowledge that an enquiry would be held ; and he might furthermore state it was his intention to hold inquests on all fires. _- AlW*HltttleTr sworn; deposed—l am a publican residing in Grahamstown, and am thel landlord of the premises lately' burned. On the morning of Thursday I left the hotel at half-past seven, after breakfast, and went to work on the beach. While sitting on a raft, I heard the firebell ring, and saw smoke rising from the town 3. I sang out to my men "There is a fire in Grahamstown," and they went up; I following in a few minutes. When I [arrived the house was pretty well burnt. I tried to save what things I could. I caa form no opinion concerning the origin of the fire, which commenced in the front of the house. There were some rats about the house but not a great many. There was no store of matches kept in the front of the house. There were no fires in the front of the house that day, and no candles. The bouse and billiard table was insured for £600. Brown and Campbell hold; the policy. Their interest is the balance of a mortgage of £430 over the buildings. Neither the stock nor the furniture was insured. The stock and funitare lost was worth from £300 to £400, hot including our personal things. The stock and furniture was absolutely my own property. The freehold of the site belongs to me. I By the Jury—l; slippt in ;the front ' of the bedroom. I remember taking the matches to work; witk me. I was not indebted to Brown and Gampbell except for the mortgage. There was no candle alight after we went to bed. I don't think £650 would replace the building as it was before the fire. I saved some of the stock and some things down stairs, but all the upstair furniture was destroyed. The policy was on the house and billiard table. The house was set down for £500 and the billiard table for £100. I never noticed any gas escaping upstairs lately. ; :. Bridget Butler, sworn, deposed—l am the wife of Mr Albert Butler. I recollect last Thursday morning. I got up at about eight o'clock, and went downstairs into the kitchen, and there poured out some coffee. I went into the bar to get the paper, and while there heard the glass fall. On looking out I saw a stream of smoke issuinf from the upstairs window. A young person then came to the door, and said the place was in flames. I called out " Fire!" and ran upstairs, and when I got to the top of the stairs, the flames were over my head. 1^ tried to get into my room, but couldn't. I then went into some other bedrooms to throw some bedding out, and Mr Logan came up and dragged me downstairs. After that I have no recollection of what happened. I have no idea how the fire, originated, unless it was caused by a spark coming on the roof. There was no smell of burning when I left the bedroom. I went to bed at 12 o'clock the previous night. I was the last upstairs on the morning of the fire. By the Jury—None of the front rooms were occupied, except by Mr Butler and I. No one slept in the house that night except the two servants and ourselves. A Miss Bestic gave me the alarm. ; Julia Bestic, sworn, deposed—l reside

at Moanatairi Creek with my father. recollect Thursday morning last. I was passiug Butler's about half-past eight, and saw smoke coming out of the window over the bar door. I went into the bar and told Mrs Butler, and when I came out again the flames'were coming from the window. There were no flames coming through the roof at that time.

By the Jury—There were no other persons about when I first saw the fire. Tljis concluded the evidence.

The Coroner then briefly summed up. He said the evidence had all been of a negative kind, and there was nothing to show how the fire originated. Mr Burton considered that if 12 men were taken from their business at every fire, it was time they should be paid. Mr McGowan said Mr Burton had anticipated him in a great measure. In . reading over the Coroner's Hand-book, he saw that the Coroner had absolute foWiicT. to call a jury together. He thought the jury should take it upon themselves to bring it under the notice of the Government. He objected to the power being given to one man to decide What Wai the current, of public opinion. The Foreman thoiigWi^ Wai almost unnecessary to call iTfury t together in ».. case like this. tt jtifif selfaviaent^lial^ !the conflagration had been the resulT^t" accident. He did.cot think the time of twelve men should' have been taken up. Mr McGowan said he thought his time was of quite as much value as the coroner's. He though (he jury should be paid.

; The Coroner said that he .thought, the jury should - be paid, and had s*veral itimes made representations to the Government. , , .■"' :-V--ir;j ■ .to The jury then recorded a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated. : :'■ ■■• ■-■• ' " ' *'r ' r- "!.t?Ov'. a ti;