FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 140, 15 June 1893, Page 6

FIRES.

A five-roomed house at Wanganui, owned by Bligh and occupied by Hanlon, painter, was gutted by fire on June 3rd. Nothing was saved. The building waa insured for £400 in the Standard, and the furniture and effects for £100 in the Phoenix. The fire originated in the kitchen accidentally. A barn belonging to Mrs Murphy, a widow, ut Flat Bush, was destroyed by fire on May 24th. The building contained a buggy, mowing machine, chaffcutter and other agricultural implements, besides sixteen sacks of wheat. The building and contents were insured for £100 in the New Zealand Office. Mrs Murphy estimates her loss ab double that amount. Two outbreaks of fife occurred on May 29 at the residence of the Rev. E. W. H. Lush, incumbent of Epiphany Church. The house is a, large two-Btoriod building situated on the Great North Road, opposite St. George's Hall. It is parb of the estate of the late John Probert, and is now vested in trustees for the Wesleyan body. A careful examination was made of the house, and disclosed that the second fire had no connection with the previous, one. On the lining boards near the iloor were two charred marks as if mado by the flame of a candle, and a streak of grease was also observable on the board. Later on Detective Ghrystal made a further search, with the result that he ultimately arrested Mrs Lush's sorvant, a young girl about 19 years of age, named Mabel Helander. When she appeared before the Court, Mabel Helander was charged with having on the 29th ofi May at the Great North Road, feloniously and maliciously set tire to a certain dwell-ing-house inhabited byW. E. Lush, Blanche Lush, Martin Lush and Catherine Lush. A remand for eighb days was granted, and the accused was admitted to bail. Subsequently, she was senb to the hospital by hor friends. When the case was called on Juno 13th Sergeant Gamble asked leave to withdraw the information. He stated that news had been received from the medical officer at the Hospital that the accused had died early thab morning..