Inquest.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 895, 6 April 1877, Page 5

Inquest.

. 4-» An inquest waa held the Coroner, Dr J. 6. Smith, and a Jury of 12) at the Crown Hotel, Balclutha, on Wednesday afternoon, concerning the destruction by fire 1 of Mr James Spence's house ou that morning. Mr Robert Hogg being chosen as foreman. James Spance deponed that on the 3d inso. he was in his house at about 10 p.m. for the purpose of obtaining a pair of trousers from one of his boxes ; he was only some 3 minutes in the house. There had been no fire in the house for Borne ten days before it was burnt, i The whole of his effects, clothes, &c, were within the house at the time of the fire aud J were consumed. He was apprised of the tire by Harry Chapman ; he was not sleeping in the house, but it was furnished ready to go into ; he had bought a quantity of new furniture from Mr A. Bain, and had just put it into the house. He waß not sure whether he was smoking or not when he was in the house on the previous evening. To the Foreman — He lighted a candle that night, but was sure he had put it out before he left the house. To a Juror — The box he went to was in the kitchen, at the back ; that was the only room he was. in. To the Comer — The property was insured to the extent of £300— £250 on the house, and £50 on the furniture. It had been insured for over 12 months. He did "not know that morning, until after the fire, that the furniture was insured, when the local agent informed him that it was. To Sergeant Daly — The amount of the insurance money would not anything like cover his loss by £200. The loss he estimated at £550 less the insurance of £300. Beaton Marr deposed as to having seen the light within the house a few minutes after five a.m. He thought tbat it was in Mr G. Bain's house at first, and observing the light rather strong he at once repaired to the spot, and found that it was at Spence's. He then gave the alarm. The fire, he was of opinion, originated in the front room with the bay window. He could not have saved anything at the time when he arrived, as the fire had got too strong a hold. To Sergeant Daly— He did not observe any signs of fire outsid« the building when he first came upon the scene, nor did he see anything to cause him to suspect that it had been Bet on fire. He believed the fire originated in- the front room with the bay window. Mr D. C. Wilson gave similar evidence. Pergeant Daly replied to the Coroner that that was all the evidence he should call, as it waa simply a recapitulation, and the most of the jurors had been upon the scene oi the fire at the time ; they were therefore in a position of knowing all about it. The jury at once gave an open verdict.