THE RECENT FIRE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8306, 8 December 1906, Page 5

THE RECENT FIRE.

4. INQUEST ON JOHN CUFF. An inquest was held, yesterday,, before Mr W. P. James, Coroner, in*o the jiroamstanoed relating to the death of Jobn Cuff, who was found dead in Mrs Watson's board-ing-hoase during the lire on Tbursday morning The following comprised the jury:-- J. Palamontain (fororaaa), U. C. Aitk'an, H. Sitnmoncls, R. Pook, D. MoPliatlane, and F. Haviland. Constable 11. S. Kyle deponed to seeing the fire coming from a corner room upstairs in Carlton Houae about 12.15 a.m. on Thursday. Witness roußed the inmates and rang the bell. About la.m. Fireman Gardner reported having found the deceased'* body lying on tbe lioor of an upstairs room. Witness went upstairs and assisted in bringing the body down. Tbe deceased appeared fully dressed with the exception of one boot. Tbe body was taken to the morgue. AnDie Watson, [proprietress of Carlton Boarding-house, staced that tbe bouse contained 23 room?, and on the night of tbe fire there were about 28 boarders In tbe house. On tbe night preceding tbe lite witness came home from tbe 'lheatre abuut 10.45 o'clock. She looked around tbe bouse downstairs and then retired to rest. As was usual, she left tbe tide door of the bouse open for late-corners. After she had been in bed about a quarter of an hour she heard three boarders oome in by tbe side door at different times. The next thing she heard was a groat noise at the dnor and witness thought that somebody had fallen downstairs. Witnes went out of ber roo erf, and seeing nobody in tbe passage, she ODened the door atido ould see the reflection of a fire in tbe windows of the building on the opposite side of tbe road. Tbe first person to leave the building was James Saunders,- who slept in No. 10 room—the room where the Are broke out. Witness then went upstairs, and oould see the fire under the door in No. 10 100 m, She opened tbe door of the room, but the flames rushed out aud drove her back. Witness was then under the impression- that all tbe inmates WBre out, although she was afraid that there was some person in No." 10 room. It would have been impossible for anybody to have gone into the room. Deceased svbs a casual boarder, and the last time witness saw him was at dinner on the Wednesday preceding tbe fire. By the Jury: Tbe boarders in the house did hot use caudles wben going to bed. Continuing witness said that fire escapes were not nooessary iu rooms Nos. 1 and 10, as both these rooms led on to the balcony.

James Saunders, who occupied a bed in No. 10 room on the night: of the fire, said there were three beds in the room, and witness oooupiud a bed behind the door. Witness retired about 10 o'clock on the night of the lire, and did not use a light, aa the .light from the street lamp was sufficient. He did not bear auybody Joining into the room after him. Witness was ; awakened by the fire in the room. 1 The fames were running along the I ceiling from the top of the window. Witness shouted "Fire!" and >effc the room, and dressed downstairs; Witness did not see anybody else in the room, and did not h-Te any idea as to the origin of the fiee. Ethel Fisher, housemaid at the >' Carlton Boarding House, said that the deceased occupied a bed in room No. 10. She saw the deceased last at 6.45 o'olook oh Wednesday evening, and he appeared to be sober. Witness retired to bed about 9.30 o'olook, and heard nothing until the fir? alarm was given. She went out and saw that rooms Nos. 1 and 10 were bolh on Are. The only person .• she saw about was Saunders. ' Herbert Petlitt said he saw the deceased about 8.30 o'olook on Wednesday evening, and had .three drinks with him at tbe Central Hotel. Witness left him about lOo'cloct at Carlton House, and the deceased was then perfectly sober. Witness did not sea him alive again. Alice Manning, barmaid at the Occidental Hotel, stated that witness oame to the hotel about three minutes before 11 o'clock on the evening of the fire. He had one drink with a man nam6d Traoy. The deceased did not seem the worse of drikk at the -"lime ho came into the bar. Thomas Traoy said that he \va9 walking about the town Kith the deoeased from 9.30 o'olook until they went intc the Occidental Hotel shortly before 11 o'clock." They only had one drink each. Witness went to the side door of the boarding bouse with the deceased, who did not appear to be intoxicated. . Frederick Ernest Janes deposed that be came in to tbe hoarding house at tue same time as the d«oeased on tbe nightTof tbe fire. The deceased waq anything but drunk.. Witness went up the stair with the deoeased and saw him into bis room. The candle was lighted in the room. Witness then left the room, and was subsequently awakened by the fire. Herbert Gardner, fireman, gave evidence as to discovering the deceased's body after the fire had been burning for about three-quar-ters of an hour. Witness reported the matter to the police, and fcho body was removed. Constable Townsend gave evidence as to knowing the deceased; and removing his nody to the morgue. There were twenty one pound notes and 17s in silver in one of the deceased's trousers pockets, The Jury, after a few minute's de* liberation, returned a verdict that the deoeased met his death by being burnt in Carlton House, and there was no evidence t,o sdow how the fire wbb caused.