The Late Incendiary Fires.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 31, 8 February 1888, Page 3

The Late Incendiary Fires.

_? In order that Messrs. Beck and Lepper and Mrs. Vennell might be enabled to proceed with the re-building of the premises which were destroyed and damaged by fire last week, if they so desire, the Coroner's inquest was formally opened atthe Royal Oak Hotel this morning, and atter the Bcene of eaoli outbreak had been viewed, was adjourned until Wednesday next at 10 a.m. A jury of nix was empannelled, consisting of Messrs. T. Whitehouse (foreman), Jas. Hutchen, W. C. Gasqnoine, D. A. Auld. J. Graves, and A. J. Bennett. Mr. Gully, who appeared on behalf of the police authorities, said it was thought to be just as well that the cane should be complete when it was presented to the jury. The Coroner (Dr. Johnston) in granting tho adjournment, took each jnryman's recognizance of JB2O as snrots for his reappearance. Addressing the jury, he ob«crved that he was suro that each member of it waf as much impressed as ho was with the gravity of the question which was to be investigated. Ho thought that it was their bounden duty, as well as his own, to bring their very best abilities to bear upon such . an important and grave enquiry. On farther examination of his premises, Mr. Beck has abandoned the theory that his property must have been fired by moans of a lighted match thrown through the broken window into the barrowful of Bhavingg It will be remembered that the shavings were scraped together by his son on thp night before the fire, and were left oloso to the window, but it seems that the wheelbarrow was overturned on top of them, and they havebecn found underneath it since the occurrence. Mr. Beck now believes that the fire must have been started in a small stack of light and dry iin boards which lay against a partition not far from tho engine. This, indeed, he considers the only spot about the building where a fire could well have been lighted. Directly above it there was a quantity of highly inflammablo American baas-wood, through which the flames would ascend to the point whore they wore observed to first penetrate the roof. With commendable energy, Mr. Beck has already made a start with tho re-construc-tion of his mill. _________¦_______