Grand Hotel Fire.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 153, 29 June 1901, Page 5

Grand Hotel Fire.

ASENSAi!Q.:AL STG'Y

JESSIE MINN'S REMARKABLE'EVIDENCE

HELD UP BY THREE MEN

POWDER AND FUSE

DISCOVERED

The inquest on the victims of the Grand Hotel fire was resumed at the Central Hotel this morning, before Mr Gresham, coroner.

John Mulvalnll, labourer, residing in Banks-street, near the back of the Grand Hotel, was the first witness called this morning. He deposed that on the night of the fire he was disturbed about twenty minutes lo one by the barking of a dog in the yard, and a minute or two later he heard screams. On going into the yard he Saw flames coming through the windows of the rear portion of the Grand Hotel. The flames were coming from the windows over the dining-room. He could see four windows on the top floor, and fire was coming from all but the one nearest the rear. One of the windows of the dining-room might have been on fire; he was not sure. The fire spread to the rear. Looking at the dining-room window nearest the rear corner and facing he Masonic Hall, he distinctly saw the window being lifted. Inside he saw what he believed to be a human figure. Th back portion of the din-ing-room had not caught fire, at that time. The window was lifted about 1$ inches, and the flames came through the next minute. Sub-Inspector Mitchell: Did yon hear anyone say that three men had been seen climbing over the fence?

Witness that.

No; 1 heard nothing of

JESSIE MINN'S EVIDENCE.

Jessica Minns, the pantry-maid, was the next witness. Some difficulty was experienced in getting1 the girl to kiss the book, but after taking the oath she answered, very nervously, the questions put to her by the sub-inspector. She deposed that she had gone to the Grand Hotel on St. Patrick's Day, She had previously been in Mr. Johnston's employ at the Thames three years ago. At the Grand Hotel she occupied the same bedroom as Madame (the cook), iv the basement. Her work was in the pantry. On Wednesday, the night before the' fire, she left the pantry at 7 o'clock, and went to her bedroom. She undressed, but did not go to bed, as she felt too restless. She felt restless on account of three men, who used to come to her windows at night and look in. The windows opened on the passage between the hotel and i he Masonic Hall. She saw the three men during that Wednesday. They came out of tlie billiardroom about 11.30 a.m., and one of them came into the pantry and shook his first at her, after which he said, "I beg pardon, Miss." Then he went downstairs into the kitchen, and witness saw no more of him during the day

iteverting to the Wednesday night, witness said she must have sat on her bed for about an hour. She wont upstairs to the pantry to get a book about, one o'clock in the morning, first putting on a skirt and jacket. She had seen the three men look in at her window that evening, but there was no light in the room, and they went away again. On entering the pantry she found a man there. Sub-Inspector: What was he doing. Witness: He was fixing powder to

Sub-Inspector: How did he have it fixed? Witness: He had powder and a fuse He had the fuse fixed down the wall from the gas jet. There was a Ion"- india-rubber tube attached to this let. At this time the jet was on the mantel-piece, and the gas-stove ■was close to the mantel-piece. Sub-Inspector: What else was he He was fixing the fuse in the gas-stove. ' Did he speak to you at all t Witness: Yes, sir. When I entered the room he .said, "Oh my God! I am caught!" Then he jumped up ami said: "YOU are just the very one I wan,!" He caught hold of me by Joth hands and said "Did you see what I was doing?" I said. Yes I did. What are you doing it for He said "That's my bus.ness." and added "You'll not be here another •1 + ' T tried to get away from him, S I coiildn't. He still had hold of S? wrists He said: "You dare move Sak or scream, and I will shoo vo?" I *old him to le* f e igo 'T oT}rt he said, "I'll please myself when I do "up" to that time had you seen any OtyTs this time I looked round and I saw two other men at th\W°o7 m'ThefrT low whSng -m the direction of the P^Sge "leading to the billiard.-oom. Well after that, what took place. *T, oHlii■ baSt balcony and Bhut Se door t of them said, ''Don't 23. dSU, or I,wm kill you." What happened, then i ■ Shortly after this Henry Jones, the • m nnrter came through the bili!ifS*ro P o» "to the passage and entered Who were'on the balcony with you? iwo^f the men. The third man was inside, hiding. Did you call out to Jones,No 'They would not let me. One into me in spove pantry window. pajy,and after that I beard the low

whistling again. It appeared to me to come fjoin the top flat, over the din-ing-room. Then the third man came on to the balcony and sa.d, "Everything' is right. You can go ahead." Al.bei' thai what took place?

They brought me inio tue pantry again. Two ot' the nan had hold of me and one followed behind. The light was still burning .n the pantry. L*id you notice on,) thing about tne stove or the wall?

No. The other man had taken away the fuse ami powder before Henry came along. The man whom I had iirsl seen said, ''1 want to ask you a few questions. Li you don't answer me do you know what I will do." 11.0 said to me, "Where's the bully?" I said, "What bally?" lie said, "No nonsense. You know wiuu 1 mean. I asked him if he meant Mr Johnston and lie said, "Yes." I said, "What do you want him for?" He said, "Don't nsk any questions. Toll me." Then he asked me, "What time the bully went to bed," and .1 said, "Sometimes between three o'clock or lour in the morning." Then he asked on what ilut and in which room In.1 slept. I told him it was the loom near the front staira.

\Viiuefa.s, omit inning", said that after questioning her the man exclaimed, "Right! That's enough questions," and offered her a piece ol! blue paper to read. lie said, "Will you read this?" but she refused to. lie said, "1 will read it for you." Witness said, "If you do read it 1 won't listen." He told her to please herself, and afterwards said, "Stay in the pantry." Then the other two men went upstairs and took with them the paivels containing the fuse and the powder, which they had hidden in the cupboard. The parcels were of brown paper. When did you first see these parcels? When I first went into the pantry. They were then on the floor, open. Before the two men went upstairs the first man said to me, "Bid you ever have revenge on anybody?" 1 said, "No. ] did not have any cause." Jle said, "Well, 1 have. As sure as my name's what it is 1 will have revenge on the conceited lady and bully. They will find out that they will not be able to do as they like with everybody." With that he flipped his fingers, and then the two men went upstairs together. What next took place after that? 1 was left in the pantry with one of the men. The man who had spoken went upstairs, and as he was going he said to the one who stayed in the pantry with me, "Keep your eyejs open." The man who remained with me asked me what I wanted in the pantry. I told him I wanted a book. He said, "A book? 1 will be book enough for you." I tried to get downstairs, but he stopped me and said, "I want to tell you something. What you have seen to-night and heard ,you are not to tell anyone. If you do you will be killed." After he said that the other two men came clown the stairs again and the first of them said to the man with me, "We hnve looked about all the rooms carefully. We know where the Johnstons sleep. We found their room. I think we will go now." He told me then that I could go downstairs, and that I was not to say anything to anybody or 1 would be sorry for it.

Did you go back to your room then?

One of the men went out on to the balcony with tho parcels, and tin; other two stayed in the Dan try. I wont down to my bedroom, and I don't know what became of them. As I was going downstairs 1 heard the man on the balcony say, "Things will be blown sky-high to-morrow night! We will make it warm for them!"

Did you go to your room then? Yes, sir. But I did not go to bed at all that night. 1 remained sitting on the bed.

Did madarae wake up before you went out next morning?

No, sir. I wont out about 5 o'clock and left madame asleep.

When did you have a talk with madame next day?

About half-past five in the evening We were in our bedroom together.

Did you mention to her anything of what hod occurred the previous night?

No, sir. I was too frightened

How long have you known Jones, the night porter?

Since I went there —last St. Patrick's Day.

Wns ho a teetotaller?

No. He used to take liquor. How do you know? Because he used to have whisky in the pantry.

Where would it be bought? Witness said it was bought in the public bar of the hotel.

Did you ever see Henry the worse for liquor?

I have seen him, when he had too much, get very sleepy, and try to catch hold of me.

Did you see him on Thursday?

I saw him early in the morning, again at lunch time, and again at dinner time.

Did he appear as though he had been drinking that clay?

No, sir. He seemed quite right. What time did you leave the pantry on the Thursday evening—3oth.

About half-past eight. I went to madame's room. She was there, writing a letter. After talking' with madame mntil about half-past nine I went to the bathroom.

How long- do you think you were in the bathroom?

I went to sleep in the bath, which was a hot. one. I must have been there a long while, when some men who were making- a noise awoke me; The noise came from the passage not far from the bathroom door. They were walking about and stamping and laughing and swearing.

Did you hear what was said ?

I knew the voices. It was the men I saw in the pantry the nig-ht before. One of them said, "The in there has the keys and won't give them to us." I understood them to mean Camille, the Frenchman, who ia second cook. I got out of the bath, put on my night dress and waited till they had gone round the corner of the passj age. I then unlocked the door and ran up the passage to madame's door, They heard me and one of them ran after me. It was the man I saw first in the pantry on the Wednesday. He said, "Come liet-e. I want you. I won't hurt, rou."

Did he say thnt loudly?

Yes, sir. Madame could have heard him. I ran into madame's room and slammed the door. Madame was still writing her letter. She asked what had made me so long. I told her I had gone to sleep and she replied, "I thoTTfjht so." She 'said, "What are those men making- such a noise for in the passage?" I said, "They want the keys," and asked raadame where the keys were.

Continuing- her evidence after the luncheon adjournment, witness de-

posed that Madame said she had given the keys to Camille, so that he need not come and wake her in the morning. Witfigsij heard the men in the passage try to open Camille's door. It was locked, however, and they went away to the other end of the passage. They were talking and laughing there for a vvh le and then weni awiiv.

Up to this time had you heard any noises overhead? No.

How long did you remain in your room?

Alter Madame had finished her letter she, went to bleep. I blew the candle out i\\ half past, eleven by the town cluck, which I heard strike. I did noi go lo tied, but siit on the bed. Was everything quiet then? Yes, sir, everything was quiet. Wns your attention drawn to anything' later on?

I \v;is sitting on my bed when T heard the clock strike twelve. Up to that time 1 had heard no noises, but about quarter p;>sf twelve a rooster flew up against the window, crowing and flapping- its wings. This woke Madame up. She said, "It's some Warning."' and she got up. Then we heard confused noises above our bedroom, as if in the diningroom. What do you mean by confused noises? What did yon actually hear? It sounded like some one running about quietly and pulling things along the floor. Did you hear any voices? Not at that time, it was a contused noise. What time would this be? ft would be about half past twelve when I heard the noises in the dining room. How long did the noises continue? They only lasted lor a little while, and then I heard the screaming. Was Madame awake wheu you heard the noises? Yes. She said: '"What's that noise in the dining-room." I said "1 don't know.'' Up to this time you hadn't been asleep in bed at all? No, sir. After these noises ceased (.lid the screaming commence immediately? Yes. Immediately after the noises ceased. Madam remarked that it was the Masonic Hull on lire, and then she ran out into the court-yard.

Did Camille answer the men when they knocked at his door? No. 1 didn't hear him. I v*ould have heard if he had answered. Didn't madiime return to the bedroom again? No, sir. Not while I was there.

What did you do? 1 was quite frightened. I wanted to dress was too frightened. Are you sure you hadn't the black dress on when you went out with Grover?

Yes, sir

What book were you going up to the pantry for on the Wednesday night? It was the "Family Reader." Dora (Wallace) gave it to me. When did you first see Henry Jones, the night porter, after the fire? About four o'clock on the Friday morning, at Miss Graham's boardinghouse, in Shortland-street. I was Inker] there after the fire. Jones came in alone.

Did you have any convolution with him?

No. He just nodded and went up

stairs. Did Jones and you talk about the fire at :uiv time?

Oh, we have been talking. And who spokel about the three men?

Oh, I didn't mention them, but Jones said madame hud been blaming him for being at the bottom of the stairs that night, which he denied. When were you talking with madame about the fire?

. Witness stated that she had, spoken to madarne on the following Saturday night. Madame mentioned the men they had seen, but witness was too frightened to say anything' about having seen them the Wednesday night before the tire. The men were watching her on the Thursday at the hotel. She su.w them in the billinrtl-room in the forenoon about ten o'clock. The billiard marker (Sage) and two other me,n whom .she didn't know were -also there. Two of the men were at one end of the billiard table and one was at the other end. The other two men were sitting down.

Yon would know those men if you saw them? Yes, sir.

Since the fire, have you seen either Of those men? ■

Yes. On the night of the fire. After I was put over the brick fence by the boys. T was standing on the footpath when T saw the three men, jump over the fence. One of them (the man I first saw in the pantry) came up and spoke to me. He asked if I was hurt, and i said that I wasn't hurt much. Then he said, "I am glad you are not hurt, but 1 hope the others will get a good warming up." The building was then on fire. Continuing, witness said that when she was taken to Miss Graham's some one gave her an old black skirt and jacket. When did Keniiedy, the policeman, see you? That was when I was up at the Northern Club, 1 think, on the Wednesday after the fire. Did you say anything- to him about these three men? *" No, sir. i Why didn't you? I was too frightened. What were you afraid of? On the night of the fire they said, "Now, mind and keep your secret, and don't tell anybody. If you do you will be sorry." Have you a distinct recollection, of all you have told the jury? Yes, sir. You are sure you didn't fall asleep and dream all this? Oh, no. I could not sleep. And you didn't tell Kennedy because you were afraid these) men would take your life? Yes. sir. ■ And is that the reason, you would not give evidence yesterday? Yes, sir. Have you seen any of these men since the fire? Not since 1 saw them getting over the fence after the fire. The three of them wanted to shake, bands with me, but I wouldn't. Then, the first one caught hold of mfc and said: "Well, we must be going ,or some one will notice xis speaking to you." Then they told me they were going- away, but would come back when it was all over, and would see me again. One said: "We will get away in a boat," and another added, "If we can." Then they went away. \ ' (Proceeding.) - .