The Fire at Searl's Hotel.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4750, 18 June 1894, Page 2

The Fire at Searl's Hotel.

Jin Open Verdict, • (Prom Our Own Correspondent.) , The adjourned enquiry into the oircumstancca attending the five at the above hotel, was hold on- Friday last. •

W.Woolcott, F.RGood, and J. Mcintosh gave similar evidence to that taken at the first enquiry, Annie Dunn, barmaid in thY em*' ployofMr Searl, deposed that she was awakened by hearing a man call out forMr Searl. Her window was in the front of the cottage. .-. .When she looked out, the fire seemedl to be underneath the hotel, and the commeroial room was quite dark.'. She got over to the fire Mr Viles or his son.

William Cundy, blacksmith; said he lived opposite to the site of the Club Hotel. He went to bed about 11.45, the night preceding tho fire. He went homo at about twenty min- ! utes to twelve. Everything appeared to at the Club Hotel, and the license lamp was burning. When he looked out of his bedroom window, he'could see right into the Commercial room, where the fire was,; There were only thna Or four persons about when he got out. • He admitted that he had not spoken to Searl for over throe months, except at the Town Board meetings; Ho nover told anyone that he knew when the fire was coming off. Did not say that he saw John Hall gallop away from the hotel after 12 o'olook, The reason why ho spoke to some person about the bucket, was that he wanted it to protect his own premises, which was smoking lat the time. Had no idea how'the fire started. Did not notice any. window open, '' " ; William. Buoksridgo, licensee of the Boyal Hotel, he wenttobqdßhortlyafter.il o'clock on the night of May 31st, He was aroused at about a quarter to four by an alarm of fire, amhawa flare in the Commercial room of the Club Hotel, He helped to get out some, of the furniture. Itwas ground in Wakefleld-Btree.t ( and he did not notice fim gp payings there, Mr Seari did at one time ask hini to lot him have %, Koyal Hotel, This was in January, Thomas West gave evidence as to sleeping in room 9 on the night of I the fire, Ho was almost the last to 1 got out of the building, There was 1 no light in the Commercial room and the blinds were down. The fire WW outside.

L. Collinson, fyvwn.a.n, in the employ gf Mv Searl, w d that he went to, w Aftqr- ten on the night of the fire, He turned out the lamp nearest the door in the Commercial room. The fire was outside,

G. H. Harbroe, manager of the Commercial Union Assuvanco Company, Wellington branch, gave evidence as to the coiTqßßp J n - den i oe. between Mr S,'oar} qn,d, hrpeJ building,"" ■ E. J,'Searl, recalled, stated that he was not in financial difficulties, though pressed a little at the time of the fire. Did not go to Mr Viles or anyone else and ask them tobaok a promissary note for him. Did not offer to mortgage his vehicles to Mr Viles. Did not pay for witness Hunter's board in Masterton, the Coroner here to, difwoditali of Hunter's gyidenoe, Joslah Viles being recalled and sworn, said he had had no money transactions with Mr. Searl. On day previous to. the fire Mr. Searl sent Meredith for him aijd h,e went down to, thah,o|tol, Soavl'asked him tq lend him Mb to pull him over a month. He replied that he could not do so. Searl informed him ho need not bo afraid, as he could give him ample security. He offered

as .security a double buggy, a singlo buggy, and a gig. Once before Searl bad asked bin} to, back a bill of £SO. Olara liyan ( ,ho,i)se-maid in Mr Searl's employ, deposed that tho fire was right down near the flopr on the outside, sho was over at the ijre before My Yi|eß or hiR son (same. Sjw Mi> Searl bring qyer a bundle of papers and give them to. We Met. The firo was underneath foe floor neither in nprqut, Jujia/ltyau, nurse in the employ of Mr S.earl, gave evidence to the effect that Mr Searl brought over a bundle of papcys, a revqlvev, and; ft small tin box of change, andtoldhertqnut then} in his bed room, Sho did not go away from the cottage, George fieynolde, settler, gave testimony as to remembering Mr Searl coming to him some Bix weeks or two months previous to tho fho and asking him if he had any money to lend, The amount he wanted was £SO.

Tho Police here] informed the Court that on the morning of the fire Mr Searl had irformedthom and several wjtrebses that he hid no instance on fop fuv.nJt>TO , This closed' the "endeiice, and the I Coroner euihmiirj lip, addressed tho JB'.y'atlength, He pointed out tho conflicting evidence in' regard'fo where the fire started, After some thq jijvy i)pe.d upon foeir ycrdiqt, wh'iqh originated inpide the Cpmmercial Room, at fop spufo western end of the bnildjng, but from what cause there is no whtoe to prove,". The jury added the followirw ridor:—" The jury think tho police should' endeavorr to discover tho whereabouts of tho witness Hunter, and ascertain why he was, not present at the adjourned enquiry."