SAD FATALITY AT TAMAHERE. CAMP'S HOTEL DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1980, 17 March 1885, Page 2

SAD FATALITY AT TAMAHERE. CAMP'S HOTEL DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Two Children Burned to ©lath/ As occurrence,or the tfjflst painful oliaractur ti>ok place nt Timiahrf^ rthwtly tfftar m'id/night on Saturday morning. Tho building known as the Tamahere Hotel, with the whole of its contents, the outbuildings stablui, and tailor* shop, detached, was destroyed by tire, the origin of which is unknown, aud can hardly be surmised. The saddest feature in the case was the death by suffocation or burning of two of Mr Camp s children, one a piomisiug lad of 10 or 11 years of ago. Tho circumstances connected with the >ad affair will be found detailed in the evidence taken at the inquest, which is ftilly reported below, and need not be re capitulated in this place. The two bo} ■*, Harry and Willie Camp, sustained severe injuries in escaping. The former, after getting Willie out, returned to assist the others, but the firo had by that time gained such a hold on the building that he had to letreat, and in order to save himself it is supposed that lie dropped from the parapet, thereby breaking his arm. Both boys aie badly burnt, and for some time it was thought tho injuries they had sustained would prove fat.ri, but they are now, we are pleased to state, under the skilful caie of Dr. Oushny, doing well. General sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Ciiup in their sad bereaverr.ent, and this sympathy has already taken practical shape. The hotel, which was a comparatively new building, was insured in the Colonial Office for £1600, and the stock and furnituie for £500. Nothing whatever was saved from the hotel, but some books, &c. (which Mr Camp has been selling on commission), were rescued from a room in the tailor's shop. Mr Thompson's store, which is situated about 20 yards from the hotel, had a narrow escape, the weather - boarding being scorched. Fortunately the wind was lmt blowing in that direction. Mr Thomp-»on'-buggy-shed, which stood a little neater to the hotel, w.is however destroyed, though the buggy was saved.

The Inquest. The enquiry into the circumstances connected with the death »i Albert Montagu Camp, aged ten, and Edwaid Hewitt Camp, aged three, was held in the building formerly u->ed as a blacksmith's, who)), and situated at the roir of the hot"! premises, before Mr W. N. Searancko, coi oner, and the following jury : — Messi s A. T. F. Wheeler (foreman), K. Cow lev, Walter Cowley, William Cow ley, A. B. Wheeler, John Martvn, jun, L. B. Ewen, F, C. Ewen, S. S. Graham, .1. W. Smith, A. Batch, and T. Ponnell. The jiuy having been swoin, proceeded to mow the remains of the children, which consisted of home few pieces of charred fle^h and bones, and were contained in a small box. Sergeant-Major Mcfiovern conducted the enquiry, and adduced the following evidence : — James Thomas Camp, being swoin, deposed : I was the proprietor and occupier of the Tamahere Hotel, deotroyed by fire on Saturday mornine. On the previous night there were sleeping in the house— myself, my wife, nine children, a Mis Bai tlett, and a boarder. Befoi c going to bed, at 10.10 on Friday night, I locked up the bar. There was a lamp in the bar, one in the bur parlour, and one in the diningroom. The two former I extinguished, and then locked the front door. I then took the lamp from the dining-room up to my bedroom. I got into bed and lay reading until 20 minutes to 11, when I turned the lamp down low and went to sleep. I ha\ c always kept a light burning in the room since ,the date of my wife s confinement, almut a month ago. My wife had gone to bed about !> o'clock, and w.is asleep when I went upstairs. The children and Mis Bartlett also went to bed b»<tw een 8 and !) o'clock, and the lodger (Beruaid Waul) letiredto rest at about ten minutes pu.st !). He <lept in a back room on the ground floor, behind the bar pailour. The gioom, George Howe, slept in a room adjoining the kitchen, a detached building in the rear of the hotel. When I went to bed he went out of tho back door on his way to his room. I cannot say whether he went to bed then. The cook usually slept in the back room, but he did not occupy it that night. I understand since that ho slept in the stable. 1 was awoke by hearing someone calling out "File !" The time would be about a quarter past 12. I jumped out of bed and went into the passage, with the intention of going down below, but when 1 had gone tw> or three steps down the stairs 1 was stop] md by the volumes of smoke coining up, and T turned back and went into the children's bedioom, No. 7, opened the window and got them (four) out of bed. Their names are — Lydia, Emma, Ch.ules and Kate. I told Lydia to step out on the parapet and get the others out, and go towards the lamp. I then lushed to where the boys were sleeping, No. 8, near the back htairca&e. I called to my oldent boy, Harry, who is fifteen years of age. He answered and called out " tire." 1 told him to come quickly towards me. At this time my wife was calling out, "Look sharp, James, or we'll be all suffocated. 1 ' I rushed into No. 7 and saw that they were all gone, went back to my bed room and trot out on to thepaiapet. I got my wife out and told the i s->t to come. I did not know how many were in the room. I wont towards the lamp at the corner of the building, over the bar, and swung down by the ironwork, put up the ladder and had got one or two of tho children Jowu before Messrs G. Runcimun and Y. Rhodes c une up. When wo had cot them all down I was told that there were two missing. I went to the stdo'if the house with the ladder and put it within a few paces of the bedroom window, I got up and broke the glass in the window of the p.s. age which lay between me and the ehildieu'o room, but the flames and muoke uishing out prevented my going further and 1 was pulled b.ick by, I behove, Mr rlunciman. I must have grown confused at tho time, but I ran to my tailor's .shop, adjoining the hotel, to get sonio tweed to cover my wife and childien, who weio all in their nightclothes. Some one broke open the door for me and I got a few pieces of cloth out and put them down near my wife and children and then went back to the shop. Broke open the door of the inner room and took out the stock, books pictures &c fortbesaio of which I am agent. | 1 then gave assistance in doing vhivt wsvb , necessary about the place. By Kergfc. McGovorn : Four childien slept in No 8. Their names were : James ! Thomas Henry, William, Albert Montagu, and Edwaid Hewitt. Did not see Hairy from the time I called out to him until he was lying on tho sid» of tho road, baying that ho was binned. I was present when Constable Mm i ay ai rived, and I saw him pick up the luinaiiiti. The largest portion of theso remains was on an iron bedstead. When I Hibt went into the childien's bedioom, No. 7, 1 saw the boarder, Bernard Waid, jump thioiigh the window into the room he had occupied, and when I was swinging from the lamp 1 saw him jump out again. To all appearances ho was drossed. At any rate he had his coat on. He stayed at the hotel the night before. I had no previous kuowledgo of the man, but my wife said ho had lodgod with us before. When Ward went to bed on Friday night ho was sober and quiet. All the drink he had after tea consisted of two pints of beer. He was very quiet. T believed him to bo a smoker, but Mn Camp tells me she did not see him with a pipe all day. When I saw him to bed I gave him a light, placing it on tho wash hand stand. Tt was a candle, about an inch long, and was in a tin candlestick. There was no light in Waid's room when Twenttobed. Asamatteroffactl went into tho room and saw that the cook was not there. I therefore left tho back door open. There was no light in the house when I went to bed, save that which I cariied in my b-md. I did not see the cook, but expected ho would come in and lock the door hiinsut. In my opinion the firo had its origin in the bnck loom, or near theie. I judge this to bo the case fioiu the fact that tho volumes of smoke coming up tho staircase. There was a tiro escape btaiica^e outside the building over this place, and but for this 1 do not think any lives would have been lost, as Harry mado for this instead of following me, and so lost time. Tho cook was in tho habit of putting the ashes hi a hole near the fence on the Narrows road side of the hotel. The hole was about fifteen or twenty yuids fiom tho hoube. It was. a very windy night, I only saw o))0 man between (I o'olock and bed time, esoept those in the house.. Tho person loferred to called in about 8 o'clook, had a drink, and went on. T ennnot hay whether the kitchen, which was detached, was on fire when I got up. Mr George ltuuciman deposed that on Friday night he was riding home fiom Hamilton m company with lit* cousin, Mr F. Khodes. They passed Camp's Hotel about 12 o'clock. They noticed a light apparently in tho cellar, and witnosn reumrkod that Mr Cnmp was up late. Wuiit

on f,t a biisk cantor until they reached the top of Crawfords (Jullv, .ind'w lion ciossmg -'the culvert^they noticed the reflection of a fire on the opposite hill. On turning 1 round they saw that the hotel was in flames, and onto galloped l>.ic!c. Witness g.we the'rjfims ofchjs h^rse t» Mi Rhode?, and at oncpyrocejjped to assist in getting the children off the! parapet. At this time the whole building wan on tire, and the flames were coming out of the top windows. It was a very windy night; the wind was easterly, blowing acioss the road towards the hotel. Witness had no idea whete the fire originated. - The light in tlio collar appeared to be a candle. There was also a light in the passage when ,witue*s passed the hotel. Neither s.iw nor hea'id anybody about. Did not meet anyone on the read. By the Foreman : The light in the cellar Mione through the crevice between the house and the ground. Never noticud a light there on any pre\ iou& occasion. Only about tlnee or four minute elapsed between the time they parsed and when they returned. Saw the man Waid " mooning" about outside the hotel, who did. not offer to give any assistance. It was impossible to .save the two children left in the house. Mr Frank Rhodes gave coiioboiathe evidence,. , - - Jv . George Peet, sworn, deposed : 1 was cook at Mr Camp's. On Fiidaynightl was in the hotel until 10 o'clock. I then went to my bed hi the btablc lott. I slept theie when my room was taken up by Btranger*. The previous night I slept in the kitchen. The man Ward was in my room, and on Thursday night he was tipsy and very noisy. I did not .see him on Friday night, but hearing that he waH in my room, I told the ostler I would take my rug and go to the loft. The ostler roused me about midnight, and said the hotel was on fire, and when I went over I saw Mrs Camp, and, as I thought, all the family out on the road, and just at that moment someone enquired where Albert was. I then assisted Mr Camp to put the ladder up to the window, and went up half way, but the flames bursting out, ho had to return. After this I assisted to sate the things from the tailor's shop. Haw Ward walking about. He had all his clothes on, but was barefooted. He did nothing to assist. I ha\ c not spoken to the man at any tune. I was not in the kitchen after about a, quarter past eight. 1 believe I locked up the kitchen, but will not sweai to it. I had the key in my pocket when I went to bed. There was no hsjht in the kitchen, und the (ire, if any, was in a close stove. With the gale that was blowing, the kitchen, had the tire originated theie, would have been in ashes before the house could have caught. It was not possible that the tire could hn^e •sprung from the ashes which weie thrown out. By the jury : I saw Mr Runciman when I reached the hotel. He wa* assisting Mr Camp. (i oorge Rowe, sworn, said: I am a groom in the employment of Mr Camp. I went to bed in the harness room, next the kitchen, at about 10 o'clock on Friday night. At this time Mr Camp and the cook and I were the only people up. The cook went to the stable loft. About midnight I was aroused by the barking of a dog, and on looking out saw a gleam of light on the hedge. On going out I saw a fire through the back window of the hotel on the staircase. I fir.st saw the fire in the window of the back room. I called out " Fire," and the first person I saw was the man Waid jumping out his window. He had a coat and waistcoat, but no tiouser-jon. He came ivit a few seconds after I called out. At the time Ward's room was on fire. I then icturned for my clothes-, and when I came out T saw Ward going back into his room. T did not speak to him or he to me. Saw Ward aiterwaads with his trowsers on. He w.us walking about with his hands in his pockets. On questioning Ward, he told me he went back to his room because he had left £T> in his trowscrs pockets. Soon after tins I saw the little boy Willie lying on the ground, and I picked him up and took him to Thompson's. ] afterwards saw Mrs Camp and the other children on the road. The rest of the witnesses' evidence was merely corroborative. By the jury. The fire appeared to have originated in the room occupied by Ward. I cannot say whether Waid smoked, but 1 know he can ied matches, Bernard Ward, sworn, deposed : T am a labourer, and have been working for Bernard Murray. I came to Camp's on Thuisdny, and liad a few pints of beer. I stopped there on Friday, and had a few beers, but not a great deal. On Thursday night, a little after nine, I remaiked to the landlord that it was very dull, and th.it I would go to bed. He camo to the bed loom with me, and gave mo a candle, and cautioned me to put the light out. I took my pants and put them under my pillow, and having taken off the rest of my clothes and got into bed, put out the light, and went to sleep. When T woke the room was full of smoke, and I jumped up and opened the door to get out, but the door leading out to the yard w;is on fire and I could not get out. The passage was full of smoke. T then run back, put my coat on, and got through the window, f saw' the last witness outside, calling out " fire." The house was on fire at the top. I ■uw a chance of getting my pants, so 1 went back through the w mdow into my room, and succeeded. There was no fire in my mom, but the door was in flames, and snme of the. paper on tho Avail had caught. I left my boots behind me. There were two or three pounds in the pocket of my pants. When I came out Mr Camp was there. I went down the road to put on my clothes, and when I icturned tho house was in flames and could not bo approached. I afterwards assihted to remove goods from Thompson's store. I had a box of matches, but I na\o not smoked for twenty years. Cons-table Murray deposed, that, owing to information he icceived, lie was at the scene of the hce about half-past three on Hatiuday morning. Ho at once took steps to secuie the remains of the children who weie burned in the (ire. Mi Camp pointed out the position of the loom occupied by I the uhildien, and then the remains (which tho jiny had viewed) were found. They were lying on the ironwoikof a bedstead. ] The const vblc also denosed that his arrested I the last witness at Hamilton on Saturday night, on a charge of drunkenness-. He said he did not smoke, and had no pipe or tobacco about him. Mr Camp, le-called, said his mm Hairy went down the cellar on the morning of Friday, to put on a barrel of beer, and to the best of his knowledge no one went down that day df fcenvardc It was possible that tiio light seen by Messrs Rnnciman and Rhodes, was caused by the live at the back. This was all the evidence, and the coroner having summed up the jury, without letiring returned a verdict to tho effect that the two children were accidentally burned to death. The remains of the unfortunate children will bo intcued in the Cambridge cemetery to-inoirow. Thefuner.il will beat tho junction of No 1 station road at 3.30 p.m., and friends from Cambridge are invited to meet it there.