THIS DAY.

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

THIS DAY.

On the Court resuming this morning at 10 o'clock, Detective Farrell conducted the enquiry on behalf of the police. John Henry Addecoat said: s I was sitting near Mrs Percy's hotel between 12 and 1 o'clock. While I was sitting there Jimmy Adams (the deceased) came up the road. McCallum said: " This is Jimmy Adams," and he also said "Good night ' to - the deceased, who was " tight." To the Foreman—When I last saw him he was going in the direction of his own house* To Mr Dodd: Deceased seemed able to take oare of himself. John Grannity said: I saw the de>

ceased sitting on a chair close to the table '. in my own house. Deceased was not 1 drunk, but oily jolly, He talked* sensi- < bly. I was perfectly sober. I saw a ] light in Jimmy Adams' bedroom window. I was in the backyard when I saw the ] light. Afterwards I heard a shout when I was in bed. It was an unusual sound. ] I could not distinguish any words. The sound appeared to be either like a great ] fight or murder.' Presently I heard the ] windows crackling. I "an out, bat could not give any assistance, as the heat was so intense. To the Foreman: Ido not think there was more than one person in the house. I was the first person there. To a juror: I heard a dull report, and Mrs Scott shouted to me to " clear out" of the way of the powder. To Mr Dodd: He appeared to be perfectly able to take care of himself. I only observed two big explosions. The side of the house was not blown out when I got to tU§. house. lam perfectly sure there were only two explosions. Deceased never mentioned anything to me about receiving any money. Mr Greenville asked, through the Coroner, if witness heard any such expressions as Scott swore to ? Witness answered that he heard no such expressions, and had they been uttered he should have heard them. Be-examined by Detective Farrell: There was a back path from Scott's house to Adams' house. Scott could have heard' the cries from his house. To the Foreman: Scott made no effort to go near the building. I believe that Mr Greenville and the deceased were on friendly terms. ' William S. Greenville deposed: I knew the deceased well. Latterly he has been tributing in my ground. I last saw the deceased alive about 9 o'clock on the evening of the 24tb. The deceased and his party had sold 14ozs. 13dwts. gold to the Bank of New Zealand on Friday, for which £34 5s was paid. He slept in the room on the right, going into the house. I do not know now deceased was paid. There Were either three or four 251b kegs of powder in the house. Ido not know exactly the amount. I never saw the sign of drink on the deceased. To the Foreman: I never beard the, •deceased make use of a bad word in my* life. I have been threatened by a person that, if I did not do certain things, I should be " gone for." I have reason to suspect foul play. I informed the police of the person suspected by me. Deceased when Isaw him last was perfectly sober. It was about 3 o'clock when I went to the fire, and the building was then down. I remarked on the absence of certain parties from the fire. I have every faith that the police will use their efforts to find out why the parties were absent. If there had been foul play, it would have been to have a " go " at me, unless it was , for the money deceased was supposed to have had. I believe the deceased came i by bis death otherwise than accidentally. William Dick also gave evidence. This concluded the evidence of the police. The Coroner said that with regard to the persons who were said to be able to , give evidence on the matter, he would leave it to the Jury to say whether they should be called or not. The police had interviewed the persons spoken of, and had ' decided that they had little or nothing to say. They knew best, and it was for the Jury to decide. The Jury decided that there was no necessity to call them. The Jury then returned their verdict as follows :—" That the deceased, James Adams, the subject of this enquiry, came by his death by fire, which occurred in a building situated in Hape Creek, the property of Mr Greenville,' on a the morning of the 25th inst., but how or in what manner the fire aroco, there is no evidence to show." •