The Inquest.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3745, 28 December 1880, Page 2

The Inquest.

An inquest on the remains of the unfortunate deceased was held yesterday morning in the old Court House, Shortland, before Dr James Kilgour, Coroner, and the following jurymen:—Messrs Hugh Mcllhone (foreman) W. Payne, J. Brown, W. Brown, W. McKee, H. Gedleigh, W, Davis, C. Gentry; J. Bray, T. Dare, C. McPike, G. Skipper, and C. Fagin. After \iewing tbe body, The Forercaa asked the police if the enquii y was likely to occupy a long time, as if it would it would be as well to adjourn tbe enquiry until such time as would prevent it clashing with the races.

Mr Dodd said he appeared to watch the case on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, and Mr Mcllhone had anticipated him iv asking for an. adjournment of the inquest. He would ask that the euquiry be adjourned until anothet day to enable the police to get further information, as the relatives suspected there had been foul play.

Sergeant-Major O'Grady said he did not see what right Mr Dodd had to interfere. He did not think, however, that the enquiry would last more then an hour at the most.

The Cr rover said he was entirely at the command of the Jurymen, and he would have them to say whether the enquiry should be held that day or not. Mr Dodd had a perfect right to appear to watch the case, as it was a customary thing to allow solicitors to do so.

Tbe Foreman having appealed to the Jury, the majority were in favour of the encmhy being proceeded with. {Sergeant-Major O'Grady— ■' Will Mr Dodd conduct tbe enquiry himself ?" Mr Dodd—" No ; that is your duty to perform."

The Coroner: " No, Sergeant-Major; I cannot allow you to throw over the enquiry into other hands." Sergeant Murphy deposed that he proceeded to the scene of the conflagration on Christmas morning at about three o'clock, and when lie armed he found that the house was nearly burned to the ground. There were a n imber of people about, and they brought bucket? of water which they threw on the flames. After a short time the remains of the body were found, and he conveyed them to the morgue. He believed that the deceased had met his death through his own fault, and through being drunk at the time of the f?:e. He never heard that any foul play had been even suspected unt*l Mr Dodd had mentioned it.

The Foreman — Have you heard rumours afloat as to the cause of the death of the deceased P Sergeant-Major O'Grady—■-Rumours are not admissable.

Mr Dcdd said if it was admissable for the police to put rumours ia evidence, it was quite in order to put the question. The importance of the enquiry demanded that such questions should be put. Serjeant-Major O'Grady again pro* tested against Mr Di Id interfering, cud asked the Coroner to look at the Act.

The Coroner said he should allow Mr Dodd to speak in the capacity in which he appeared. Constable John MoManus deposed that he t!so attended the fire ia the Hape Crc^k, tad assisted to recover the body,

which lay in the embers which he sapposed to be the hall leading to the bedroom. The body was in the same charred state as it is now. He also found a watch, 12s Bd, a pair of spectacles and a knife. The money was found near the body, but the other articles where his bed was supposed to have' been. He did not know the deceased. To Mr Dodd—The house was falling in just as I reached the scene of the fire. I heard that the sound of voices had been heard proceeding from the house, by v man named Scott. I do not know i. Scott is a witness. Sergeaot-Major O'Grady again entered ■ his protest against Mr Dodd being allowed to cross-examine the witnesses. The Coroner :■—" I cannot allow the proceedings to continue in this way, and I cannot prevent Mr Dodd appearing to watch the case on behalf of the relatives. Sergeant-Major O'Grady said the reason that he objected to Mr Dodd's cross-examination was that it would prolong the enquiry. The Foreman said he would suggest that each of the witnesses be heard, and that at the conclusion of the evidence, they could be examined by him if necessary. Mr Dodd: " I cannot do that, I must take them as they come." Theophilus McCallum deposed: I have known the deceased about twelve months. I remember seeing him on Christmas morning as he was returning home up the Hape Creek road, a few yards above the hotel. Did not speak to him until he asked if my father was at home, and told me to tell him he wanted to see him next day, as he was going to Auckland in the morning. I saw him go towards his own place, and I left to go into my own home. He was drunk. I have seen him often so. I had been in the habit of visiting deceased's house. It was a wooden building. I knew there was powder in the house, kept in kegs in the front room, but did not know how much. The powder was ia the room next to where deceased slept. To the Foreman: Ido not know if the kegs were full or empty. To Mr Dodd: I saw the house on fire, and heard the report caused by the powder exploding. Mr Dodd: Were you asleep P Witness: Yes. The explosion woke me up. I heard a report, and thought it was the gunpowder. By the Foreman: I last saw deceased about a quarter to one. Could not say if the powder barrels were full or empty. By Mr Dodd: I saw the bouse on fire, and heard the explosion of powder. By the Foreman: It was about a quarter to one when I last saw deceased. I saw another man about at the time. Did not know him.

Edward Scott deposed : I am a fishmonger, residing in Cook street. I knew the deceased. He lived within about ninety-five yards of my house. On Christmas eve I went to bed about 9 o'clock. It was usual for deceased to go to his house close by mine. I remember Christmas morning, about twenty minutes to 2, hearing footsteps. The dog barked, and I woke up. The footsteps were going near the big house—that is what we-called it. I heard no one speaking, and I fell asleep again, but my wife woke me up about twenty minutes to th^ee o'clock through hearing the sounds of | windows smashing. At that time I heard | loud shrieking, like in a tone of a penon who was drunk. About ten minutes later 11 got up and ran out in my shirt, thinking some one had set fire to my smoke* house at the back, but instead I saw deceased's house on fire. I ran towards the gate, and at that moment a powder keg went off, and sent the north side out. The next explosion took away the four corners, of the building, and the third i took away the skylight. There was a i fourth explosion, which apparently blew out the ceiling of the dining-room. I i was the first at the fire. Before I left " my house, I heard some one shouting, " Let me out—let me out," and " Green*' ville." If anyone had left the house I should have been certain to see him, as the flames illuminated everything all round. 1 The explosion of the powder tended to much more quickly demolish the house; I never saw the deceased the worse for liquor. He was, in my belief, a very decent man. I heard no report of I his having quarrelled with any neighbors. I 1 did not hear the word " murder " before the fire occurred. To the Foreman: I had no means of knowing the time, as I had neither clock nor watch in the house. I guessed the time. The Foreman : Do you know that you are suspected of setting the house on fire P The Coroner said witness need not answer that question without he liked. . Witness—l do not know that I am suspected. Mr Greenville, owner of the house, asked, if the witness did not ask the police to do their duty in getting water to recover the second body.—Witness replied that he did not say that, but he did make a remark to the police that they were not supposed to know whether there were one. or two persons in the ruins.—Mr Greenville : Did you not distinctly say there were two voices in the house.—Witness said he once thought the. voioes were those of two neighbours—man and wife quarrelling. The Foreman asked the police ,if they intended to continue the enquiry. So far the evidence was most unsatisfactory and contradictory. Sergeant-Major O'Grady said there were three or four more witnesses to examine, and it would take until three o'clock. He was of a very different opinion as the nature of the' evidenco given. The Coroner remarked that the evidence appeared to him to be thoroughly satisfactory and straightforward. He would hold himself entirely at the disposal of the Jury.. In accordance with the general wish, tho enquiry was then adjourned rntil this morning.