THE FATAL FIRE AT CHEVIOT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 7932, 14 December 1909, Page 1

THE FATAL FIRE AT CHEVIOT.

CHRISTCHUROH, December 13. An inquest was held at Cheviot on Saturday before Mr S. Haughey, J.P., Acting-Coroner, and a jury, touching the. death of Arthur May, who was burned to death in the fire at Horneman's livery stables, Cheviot, early on Friday morning. Sergeant McKay represented the police. A. Welch stated that May was in the stable on Thursday night with a number of other men. A five-gallon keg of beer had been brought from Bonn's brewery, Cheviot, by several men, and put in a loose-box in the back part of the stable. About ten men, including May, were in and out of the loose-box up till about midnight. With the help of a man named Tweedie, witness put May to bed. May was fully clothed, and they left George Burton lying on the bod with him. Burton was asleep,, but witness did not think him drunk. The light was a kerosene lamp, arid smoking was going on in the' stall during the evening. Tweedie and witness were the last to leave the stables. The front door was padlocked from the outside, and they left by the back way. Witness was awakened about daybreak by Fraser. Witness had about four glasses of beer and had had drink in the stables previously • in fact, it had been, .a common thing to have casks of beer in the stables by night. Wit?, ness could form no opinion as to the cause of the fire.

Evidence as to.being aroused by an alarm of fire was given by J. Rentoul, who lived close at hand. *He described the rescue of Burton.

George Burton, Bryden Twcedio, W; Spcnce, and Constable Holland also gave evidence.

The jury retun- -1 a verdict that Arthur May met hi& '7-itn through a fire at Horneman's stuil .■■-.. but there was no evidence to show J ..■-,■,• the fire originated.