THIS DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 241, 13 October 1886, Page 5

THIS DAY.

Tho ovidonco of Mrs Irwin wtt. continued today His Honor mentioned that the gontlomon of tho jury had, in thoir morn ing drive, visited tlio sceno of tho firo. Mrs Irwin said she used to do tho prisoner's washing; bis nightshirts had a collar on. Up to tho timo of the fir-bolls ringing prisonor bad brought nothing into tho houso Witness put the things undor tho bod becauso they incouvenienced tho children who wero in tho bed. All tlio stock, of clocks, looking-glasses, otc, was in tho shop tho day boforo the firo ; no concertinas, or cruet stands woro brought to witness's house.

Peter Walker said that on hearing the houso in front of his was on firo he entored it, and found the firo was in tho back room. No ouo could havo passed through tho fire. Ho could Beo no stock anywhoro. Cross examined by Mr Coopor : Did not say in the Police Court that ''the tiro was all over the shop." The depositions being read over, proved that witnoes was wrong.

Mabel Annie Azo deposed that thero wore jujubes, toapots, cruets, and othor things in tho prisoner's Bhop on tho night beforo tho fire.

Henry Hayhan, deliverer of tbe Star in tho Eden Terrace district, deposed that there wero plenty of tools on the bench. John Thomas Julion affirmed that ho was a builder, and was on the site of the firo the morning after it happened. Went round with a number of others. Saw a largo number of persons, come with bags, picking up things from tho ruins. Saw some scissors, chains, clock-springs, and watch-cases.

John Crabtree, labouror, saw brooches, earrings, olocksprings, 4c, in tho ruins aftor the fire. It was a wot, windy morning. George Batter gavo evidence as to numbers of persons picking up tilings from the ruins.

Alfred Clark also gave evidence lor the prosecution. Mr Cooper then addressed tho jury on behalf of the prisoner, and said ho proposed to provo that thero was no diminution of the stock of the shop tho day beforo the firo ; that in tho ovoning, when leaving, the stock wastbere ; and tbat swarms of larrikins were on tho site of the firo the next day picking up rings,, etc (in one caso even a watch). —George Wilcox, chimney sweep, Nowton, deposed to being in the shop the day boforo the fire, when thoro wero cases four l'eot high, and numbers of violins, accordionß, watches, &c, in the shop. The chimney was a badly finished one ; not plastered on tho inside. This would constitute a dangerous chimney, as the soot lodges betweon the bricks.

Kllena Rouge, elovon yoars, also gavo evidence as to the stock in the prisoner's shop. _________