ENQUIRY AT CARTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2243, 13 March 1886, Page 2

ENQUIRY AT CARTERTON.

As enquiry was held yesterday at the Court House, Carterton, in respect to the late fire at Mr P. S, Macdonald's store, before Dr Spratt, District Coroner, and a jury of six, namoly, Messrs A, Campbell, G. \V. Deller, W. Moriarty, A. Booth, T. Barnard, and H. S. Horn, Mr Campboll was chosen foreman. Tlio jury having been duly sworn, the coroner and the jury proceeded to viovr the premises where the tire had occurred. Mr Beard watched the case on bohalf of Mr Macdonald, and Detective Chrystal on behalf of the Crown,

W. Cadwallader, on being sworn, deposed that on Saturday night, the 27th February, or the morning of the 28th February, the witness nut being certain whether it was midnight or not, lie was coming up Belvedere Road, when he saw a fire by the side of Mac Donald's store. He was on horseback near the Observer Office, when he first saw the fire, and it seemed to be about 1| chains distant. He was riding towards the town from the White Hart Hotel, and turned round to Macdonald's gateway, leading from Main Street. Mr R. Hannah was with hiin at the timo. He looked over the fence and saw the fire, and he then saw a kerosene tin with tar or some such stuff, burning which had boiled over and set fire to some straw or shavings, which was under the building. Mr It. Hannah got on to witness' horse and jumped ovor the door. In answer to the jury, witne : s said he Iried to open tlio door but could not, lie then busrt the d'wv opan. Ha went to Mi' Lindop'a and tied his horse to the post, and called out to him, and then went baok to the fire and commenced with Messrs Hannah and Becket to throw water on, The Firo Brigade was on the spot.

To the detective: The tar tin was burning when Ije got back. To the Ooronnr: He thought it might ho from 15 to 20 minutes when the Firo Brigade arrived, the fire was nearly out. If it had not been for tho three of them lie did not think the fire would have been put out. The Brkado worked about 20 minutes.

To tho detective: The tar tin was about 10 inches or a foot under the building, the fire was chiefly among the straw and shaving, there was no doubt that if they had not arrived on the spot when they did tho building would have been burnt, Witness saw Mr McDonald just as tho Fire Brigade arrived ; he had bis trousers and vest on, but witness could not say whether he had his boots on. Witness did not soo anyone aboyt previous to tho fire.

To the jury: He did not meet with any obstacles in forcing the door, there wero some cases packed pretty closo to the building. He saw no lights in Mr Mcdonald's, but, there was a light in Mr Lindop's. He did not rouse Mr Mcdonald but thought Mr Hannah did. He did not think the cases looked as if they were placed for the purpose of catching fire. To Mr Beard: He had to burst the door open ; he couldnot open it without. The first thing he did was to extinguish tho fire,. As far a? he could see it was tar and greaso in tho tin which was burning, When Mr McDonald came ho assisted to put the fire out. To the detective The tin must have been placed where it was by some one. To tho Coroner; He did not know how full the tin was, but it was alight and runnirigover.

Robert Hannah, being sworn, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. The tin was produced, and the witness indentified it as being the same, W. J. Lindop deposed that about 10 o'clock on the night of the fire Mr Macdonald came to hiß shop (he had never done this before), they went to the Marquis to have drinks at Mr Macdonald's expense; a thing they had never dono previously, Mr Beard objected to this evidence, but the Coroner over-rilled the objection. Witness continued: Macdonald paid for the drinks, Witness came from the hotel to close his shop at about 10.45. His shop is from 40 to 50 yards from Macdonald's shop. Just as he was'putting up the shutters, Mr Taftcred .came for something, with which lie euppied him, and then they went again to the hotel and stayed till about 11.30; they had drinks, for. which Mr Tancred paid. Jeard again objected, / but the .Coroner, the phjeptjn)), The dective repudiated tjie idea r>f trying to get up a ease'agaitisf tlie piibjjcan for soiling liquor after hours, Witness oontlnued i Mr McDonald also called for drinks, and paid for them ; It mighthave been about 11.45 when they left the hotel. They went across to Mr Allen's with Mr Tancred to get His horse, ap<J Mr, Macdonald and witness went across to his (witness') place where they parted and he went in. Witness and his i)ife sat talking fot a few minutes, when Mrs Lindopi went out to the back to see that all was'right, , and 'he : went Into the shop'for his bebks &c. He hiid just got into the shop whert'ft knock came' fin the afeuttwt »sd »fhpuft tit UfiwViw

nor. He immediately gave the alarm, and when he got to the engine shed he could not find the boll rope; it had been shifted from ita usual place and not seeing anyone about he thought someone was plavins; a game on him and then ho went to Macdonald's and saw the fire. Ho immediately ran back to ring the bell and Mr Catt and witness went into the engine shed together to strike a light and found the bell rope tied to the shaft of the engine, which was not the place for it. He thought it was so placed by an oversight bjr some one who used it last, Mr McDonald'also asked him to go with him to the White Hart, but he declined. From the time Mr Macdonald left him to the time the alarm of fire was given, could not have been more than ten minutes. He should think that from examination the fire could not have been playing on the building more than four or five minutes, A person might have time to reach his house and light the inflamable material in the time. The fire no doubt occurred after Macdonald left him.

To Mr Board, there was no smell of tar inside the building. To Detective Chrystnl: There were somo persons in the hotel when we left who would have to pass Mr Macdonald's on their way home. The only one whom he saw was Mr A, McKcnzio. He did net believe there was anyone of a suspicious character. To tho Insurance agent There was no doubt but that the materials were placed inavervgood place if they wished to burn the buijding down. Mr Lindop, recalled, said, in answer to Mr Beard, lie did not see Mr Macdonald till tho day after the fire, as far an he recollected. He did not remember saying anything to him about the Hand Gicnades. Ho saw three men tinder the house, but he could not see what they were doing, He did not say that they were throwing shavings on the fire. Mr Lindop, wife of tho last witness, deposed she stood at her door at about 12 o'clock, when her husband and Mr Macdonald came across the road, and they stood talking fur a few minutes. They then wished Mr Macdonald good night, and went inside and locked the door. After sitting down a few minutes sho took, a candle ajid went into the 'back kitchen to see that all was liuht,' and also wont to see that the garden gate was safely closed. On coming back to the house sho saw the reflection of fire at Mr Macdonald's, She called out, but got no answer from any one. She saw Mr Macdonald about fivo minutes afterwards, only partially dressed. It would not bo more than a quarter of an hour after Macdonald left till she saw tho fire. There waß a door leading from Macdonald's into the ground adjoining, but she believed it was closed, that night. To Mr Beard: Sho, did not hear any closing of doors, before she saw the reflection of fire. ' C. (r, Beckett corroborated tho evidence of W. Cadwallader and R. Hannah.

P. S. Macdonald being sworn, deposed, I closed the store at 10 p.m. lam pro prietor of the stock bat only jessee of the building. The lease has another year to run with right of renewal for 5 years. After locking up the store I went into the kitchen, and told my wite that 1 was goingout for a bit, and'went out into Mr Lindop's shop, and We talked for a few minutes when I asked him to come and have a drink, .which we did at tho Marquis, but as Constable Darby was watching the hotel, 1 suggosted to Mr Lindop tii go to the-White Hart Hotel. We did not go but went again to the Marquis and had a drink with Mr Tancred, after which we went with him to Mr Allen's to get his horse. Wo bid him good night, and after leaving Mr Lindop's 1 went home and examined the door of the store and found that all right. I then saw that the other doors all safe, and then went upstairs to bed. I had boen reading about a couple of minutes when 1 was in bed, when I heard a knocking at my front door. I immediately came down and opened It, but seeing nobody, went round to the main-street, where I saw the reflection of fire between the store and Mr Wood's auction room. I saw sumo ptoplo there and I asked them why they had not rung the tire-bell, but got no answer. I went to the and as 1 got there someone rang the bell. I came hack aqd got some buckets from the shop, after which I assisted tho Fire Brigade. After the lira was out, 1 went into tho store, and moved some sugar and soda, but I refused to let the Fire Brigade throw any water inside, as the fire was out, and it would only destroy tho goods, Mr Lindop asked me who was to pay for the Hind Grenades. I then went over to Mr Seed's residence, as my family had been removed over there.

To the Detective: I was in Hastings in 1884, and had a hole accidentally burnt in the flour of the wor«hop where tho tailors worked. 1 pay £l5O a year for rent, and I gave Mr (xallie £750 for the goods, 1 have purchased from £I4OO tp £ISOO worth of goods since, I cannot say exactly how much I ljayo paid on the on the goods, hut I l>ellove is iB about £SOO. • I should say that my present indebtedness is from £I4OO, to £ISOO, I had employed two shopmen up to the time of the (ire, at tho rate of £3OO » year, one of whom 1 have now discharged. Tho business has not been paying well enough to keep three employees. The Insurances on the goods and household furniture is £IBOO, and on the building £7OO, all in the Colonial Insufancp Oompariy. When I caip fa Carterton I had about £IQ(H), and hays purchased about £I4OQ worth of goods sinco, I am now indebted about £I3OO, and I have 14 months to pay it in. I made the request on the Monday after the fire to have an enquiry nude. I will not admit thai I have lost anything Binca I hwboen here, and as soon as I found that the business would not pay with three hands, I gave one notice to leave. To the Coroner: 1 have never made an enemy in the place at far as lam aware. Arthur Morcer deposed that there was a tin of tar like the one produced ftf tho time of Mr Gallie's leaving tho place, but 1 have not seen it since till now, Constable Darby dopoaed that in tab ing Mr Mcdonald's evidence on the morning after the fire, on being asked if he had had a fire where he previously came from,' his answer was, " No." Alfred Armstrong deposed that Mr Lindop said he saw some men under tho building, throwing shavings on the fire. Mr Lindop was very much excited at tho time, and might have made a mistake. This closed the evidence. Tho jury, after ten minutes' absence came to the conclusion that there was nothing In tho evidence to show by whom the fire originated,