GRAND HOTEL FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 149, 5 July 1901, Page 3

GRAND HOTEL FIRE.

By Telegraph. —Press Association. Auckland, last night.

The Grand Hotel fire inquest was resumed to-day, when Jessie Minn was reexamined. It was elicited that she had been unable to sleep at nights o ■ six years, and was accustomed toj read till 2in the morning. She often fell asleep in a hot bath, as she stated she had done on the night of the fire.

SENSATIONAL STATEMENTS. JESSIE MINNS' EXTRAORDINARY STORY. AY AS IT A DREAM ? (J3y Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, last night. The inquiry into the recent lire at the Grand Hotel was continued to-day, when more evidence of an extraordinary nature was given by the pantry-maid, Jessie Minns, who was recalled. . After a long cross-examination by SunInspector Mitchell, the girl added to her former statement, giving evidence of a more sensational character still. Her story, briefly put, was to the effect that on the night immediately preceding the lire (Thursday), instead of staying in her bedroom after she went there from her bath, she remained about a quarter of an horn only, and then went upstairs. There she met the three men of her former story, who were, she said, engaged in rubbing the walls and carpets with some “ stnll from a bottle,” because of which, she was told bv one, the fire would spread rapidly. On being started with this story she went on to state that the men told her they m ere well paid by a gentleman to do Mr Johnston nr. injury, and that if she would hoip them they would divide the proceeds. She j refused to do more than keep their secret. One of the men showed her two places on the top Moor of the building where he intended to start the fire. She was sure she hud not dreamt this extraordinary story, nor read one like it, and she stated further that on Tuesday evening last she saw the throe men ami three others, and heard j them threaten to hunt her down. | Miss Minus will ho called again to- | morrow on the resumption of the inquiry.

(Special to Timkk.) Auckland, July H. The following is a portion of the extraordinary evidence given by Jessie Minns. Jessie is a simple looking girl, and whatever amount of truth there may he in her storv, there is evidently some imaginative effect. At first there was some trouble in getting her to kiss the llihle. What time did you leave the pantry on the Thursday evening—lloth ? —About half-past eight. f went to madames room. She was there, writing a letter. After talking with madaino until about half-past nine o’clock I went to the bathroom. How long do you think you were in the bath-room '.’—l went to sleep in the bath, which was a hoi one. I must have been there a long while, when some men who were making a noise awoke me. The noise canto from the passage, not far from the bath-room door. They were walking about and stamping, and laughing and swearing. Did you boar what was said '?—l knew the voices. It was the men 1 saw in the pantry the night before. One of them said, •' The in there lias the keys and won’t give them to us. ’ I understand them li) mean Camille, the Frenchman, who is second cook. T got out of the hath, put on my night-dress, and waited till they had gone round the corner of the passage. 1 then unlocked the door and rail up the passage to madamc s door. They heard me and one of them ran after me. It was the man 1 saw first in the pantry on the Wednesday. He said, Come here. I want you ; I won't hurt you." Did he say that loudly Yes, sir. J ran into nuulamc'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, T thought so.” She said, “ Wlmt are those men making such a noise for in the passage’. 1 ” T said, " They waul the keys,” ami asked madamc where the kevs were. j Continuing her evidence, witness deposed that tnadamo said she had given the keys to Camille, so that ho need not como and wake her in the morning. Witness heard the men in the passage try and open Camille's door, ft was looked, however, and they went away to the other end of the passage. They were talking and laughing there for a while, and then went awnv. Cp to this time had you heard any noses overhead '? No. How long did you remain in your room After Madamc had finished her letter she went to sleep. 1 blew the candle out at half-past eleven by the town clock, which I heard strike. 1 did not go to bed, but sat on the bed. Was everything quiet then ? Yes, sir, everything was quiet. Was your attention drawn to anything later on" I was sitting on my bed when I heard the clock strike twelve. Up to that time I had heard no noises, but about quarter past twelve a rooster How up against the window, crowing and tlappiug its wings. This woke Madame She said. " It's some warning,” and she cot up. Then tve heard contused noises above our bedroom, as if in the diningroom. What do vou mean by confused noises '. What did you actually hear'? It sounded like some one running about quietly ana i milling things along the floor. Did you hear any voices Not at that j time. It was a confused noise. What- time would this be '.’ It would j be about half-past twelve when I heard the ! noises in the dining-room. j llow long did the noises continue? Tncy ; only lasted for a little while, and then I ' heard the screaming. ; Was Madamc awake when you heard the noises? Y"cs. She said: “ What’s that noise in the dining-room.” I said, •• I don’t know.” Up to this time you hadn't been asleep in bed at allNo", sir. After these noises ceased, did tne screaming commence immediately *? - Yes. Immediately after the noises ceased. Madam remarked that it was the Masonic Hall on tire, 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. 1 would have heard if he had ans\v orod. Didn't madamc return to the bedroom -main ?—No, sir ; no: while I was there. ‘What did vou do?—I was quite frightened. I wanted to dress, but was too frightened. , , Are vou sure vou hadn't the black dress oil when you went out with Grover ? —Yes. sir. What book were you going up to the pantrv for on the Wednesday night ?—lt was the *• Family Header. Dora Y\allacc gave it to me. When were you talking with madamc about the fire '.’—Witness stated that she had spoken to madamc on the following i Saturdav night, Madamc mentioned the men they had seen, but witness was too frightened to say anything about having seen them the Wednesday night before the five. The men were watching her on the Thursday at the hotel. She saw t.iem in the billiard-room in the forenoon about ten o’clock. The billiard marker (Sage) and two other men whom she didn t know were a'so 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. You would know those men it you saw them ? Yes, sir. . Since the fire, have you seen either ot those men ? Yes. On the night of the fire. After I was put over the back fence bv the boys. I was standing on the footpath when I 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 vou are not hurt, but I 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 someone gave her an old black skirt and jacket. When did Kennedy, the policeman, see you'? That was when I was up at the Northern Club, I think, on the Wednesday the fire.

Did you say anything to him about these three men ? No, sir. Why didn’t you ? I was too frightened. What were you afraid of? On t e night of the fire they said, “ Now, mind and keep your secret, and don t tell any - body. If you do you will be sorry. Have you a distinct recollection of all you have told the jury? Y es, sir. Y'ou are sure you didn't fall asleep, and dream all this ’? —Oh, no; I could not 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'l saw them getting over the fence after the fire. The three of them wanted to shake hands with me, but I wouldn’t. Then the first one caught hold of me, and said : “ Well, we must be going, or someone will notice us speaking to you.” Then they told me they were going away, but would come back when it was ail over, aud would see me again. One said : “ We will get away in a boat,” and another added, “If we can.” Then they went away.