A SHOCKING FATALITY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8502, 3 August 1907, Page 6

A SHOCKING FATALITY.

TWO MEN BURNED TO DEATH. By Telegraph—Press Association. NELSON, August 2. A shocking fatality occurred at ten o'clock last night, when a small twostorey building in Milton Street was burned down and two men —John Stewart, bootmaker, owner and occupier, and John Brown, engineer and fitter —were burned to death. The two men, it is stated, were the victims of drunkenness, and had indulged in an orgy at Stewart's fiom the afternoon. A third man was with the others in the afternoon, but left some time in the evening. When the fire was discovered an alarm was sounded promptly, and many peopb were on the scene, but were unable to gain admission. A strong southerly soon helped the flames to demolish the building, but the efforts of the brigade, with a good supply of water, saved the other places to leeward. Mr Morris, in the house next door but one, suffered damage by the hasty .removal of furniture. Efforts were directed to extricate the bodies from the gutted house. While the firemen were so engaged a brick chimney toppled on them, and James Whiting, Joseph Nesbit, and Edward Woodward suffered some injuries. Subsequently the bodies of Stewart and Brown were found, so charred as to be unrecognisable, but evidence that they were in the build- j ing at the time will be given at the inquest this afternoon. ! By Telegraph—Press Association. NELSON, August 2. At the inquest on the fatal fire the medical evidence showed that death in both cases was caused by suffocation and burning. One witness, named Ogilvie, deposed that he last saw John Stewart and John Brown alive about 4.30 o'cluck on Thursday afternoon. He had bought and taken to them two bottles of beer, which they drank at Stewart's house. The} were all sober. Another witness deposed to seeing Stewart in his house just before 7 o'clock, when he was staggering about with a candle in his hand. The occupant of the house two doors I from Stewart's discovered the fire, but was unable to enter the back portion of the house. He shouted, but received no answer. j The licensee of the Bush Tavern j Hotel deposed that Stewart visited his house just before noon on ThursI day, and had half a pint of beer, and ! took away two square bottles of beer. I Ogilvie, in the afternoon, purchased ; three bottles of beer. j The jury returned a verdict that :' both men met their deaths by suffo- : cation, and burning, adding that there ! was no evidence to show how the j fire occurred.