The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1867. INQUEST.
' An. inquest into the cause of the late fire -was held on Tuesdiy afternoon, at the Courthouse, before the coroner, DrSqujres, and a jury composed of the following geuiSemen:—Messrs N. Edwards (foreman), Sinn ton, Wilson, Elliott, Sclanders, H. Drew, Baly, Hornby, -Rout, Lightbaud, Luckie, Lowe, and Lockhart. Stephen Taylor, barman, lately in charge of the Masonic Hotel,, being sworn, said: On Thursday •evening lasi I went into the bar after tea, about 7 o'clock. I lighted my lamps, and told the cook I was yoing to have a wash. I then went to my bedroom, which is on the ground-floor. About 7.30 I went back to the bar, and then with the . cook, Hardi, entered a small room on the lower floor to get a lamp for the billiardroom. The lamp was ready lighted, and I to!d the cook to put a candle in its -place This room was a small parlor fronting H a rdv r-street, above which is tlie mom in which rhe fire is supposed to have broken out. The oandle was. I believe, placed on the table in rhe centre of rhe room. If there had been any prior light in this room it must have been seen from the street. 1 went back to the bar, and remained there until the time when I heard the alarm of 'fire.' I had not been upstairs for the last four or five days previous. The room above the one in which the lamp was had been unoecuj icd for a fortnight or three weeks. It was used as a bedroom, and had no window in it opening on the street, but a skylight which faced from Hardy-street to the north. A man named. ArcHe Simpson rushed in at the front dnnr in Trafalgar— treet and said the place was on fire. I ran oat to see wl ar part of it was on Sre. and saw it coming froir^ the roof over the room that had no -indow. Iran in, and thought I would git upstairs, but found the landing was in a blaze, so I went into the bar. and cot tlie Veys of tlie store-room and then went to try and •;ive tlie spirits, having first secured the cash7fx In the store-room there were quarter-casks ••t' brandy, slicrr*. aud port, each of which had '■ »-en broached. They had been got in before Trimble went away. Besides these there were mmr'er-rasks of old torn and whisky, which were about half full. I-got them all out. During this lime the cook was clearing thi bar, and we managed to nearly clear the lower fioor. I was only in charge of ihe bar, Mrs Wilson having charge of the house I have saved the books. I bought and sold, and have to answer to Mr Trimble for what f have done. I only had to look after the drinks. I know of no one having been j->. No. 6 (the room without a window; during the day. '• About a fortnight ago. between 8 and y p.m., a. policeman came in, and told .ni. he thought the place was on fire. I went i.'irn Trafal jar-street, and saw some steam rising. iris was right over the bar. There were two r-'.oms over the bar, occupied by the housemaid ar: j -he cock. I went into these rooms, an-l there wns nothing wrong in them. I then got a ladder f-.-.d got on the roof, and saw the steam rising. T'-fre was no chimney near this spot. It had ken raining during the day. I saw no signs of fire whatever The co;-k ran up into No. 6. He saw *>ne "f l^e tn '° martresses in the room in a blaze, and got. the other and put it over it, but the flames burst out. .He then ran down stairs again, and tried to save the things in the bar. There were five h-'gsheads of beer in tbe cellar; one ol them on 'draught. A but :hcr named Ward slept in No. 6, and a man named M'Guire in No. 2. The servants went up a different staircase to their rooms Ward and M'Guire were the only . people sleeping in that part of the house at the time of-tlie fire. These two lodgers, the house-n'-'iid. Mrs Wilson, and myself were the only persons who at the time had a right to go up to the ".or of the hou-e where No. 6 was situated. We - vere late at rea that night, not getting it till 20 sri'iciu'es past 6 o'clock. There was no fire-place iv ;'iw room below No. 6, and there were no fires do v.-a si airs but the one in the kitchen, .which was rt fO.Tie distance from the room in question. Ward and M'Guire both smoked. They had no bu-ihess to go into No. 6. M'Guire has been a r.dk-enian. lie came down from the Buller, twion* I took charge. I understand that a brother of his. who is Gaoler at the Buller, pays Mr Trimble ior his board'and lodging. I have never ppen him' with money, except a few shilling?. M'Ouive siiid. after the fire,' that he had Jost • things that he valued at £10. Though I have bet-n in his mom, I did not see things there which I supposed were worth so much. • I told him I thought, he had a pair of boots. He got no credit at the bar, and I never gave him any. I understood he wanted to get into the Police Force here. The billiard table was sent to the Duller, before I joined as barman. I have not noticed a striking change in tlie furniture since •the" place was in the occupation of my uncle, - --William Tavlor, who" sold , the furniture to .-Trimble. The bedrooms were .simply furnished, "ihe-.rftat'trass which was on .fire in No. 6 being 7 -ciade'^f flax. Any one could have gone up from the. street, without my knowledge. I was in the . .bar at-'the time. Mrs Wilson complained;that 7jjeople'made-use of the-rooms upstairs.' When' J
went into the kitchen and told Mrs Wilson of the alarm of fire, a fortnight previously, she seemed surprised, and afterwards told, me that anyone could have knocked, her down with a feather. The mattrass that was on fire was without bed clothes, the other had the bedclothes on it. I received instructions from Joseph Trimble to let M'Guire stay as long as he liked, as his brother would pay for him. I have no idea in my own mind as to the origin of tho fire. I banked what money I got in the Bank of New Zealand. Auguste Hardi, the cook, was then examined, and after stating that he had been cook there for the last five weeks, having come from the Wakamarina diggings, repeated the statement of the previous witness as to his going up to No. 6 and finding the mattress on fire, He added that the bed was just under the roof, which was burnt through for a space of about three feet square. No* great body of flame arose from the bed. There was no water in the room, which was so full of smoke that he could not stand it. He had no idea as to the cause of the fire. Richard Hooper, a ship's steward, who was staying at the Masonic, deposed to having been in the billiardroom 'for a song,' at 7.40 on the. evening in question, and they could not have, been there more than ten minutes before the alarm of fire was given. He then ran into Hardy-street and saw the fire coming through the roof, and then tried to save his property, which was in a room which he occupied with the barman, StephenTaylor, and which adjoined the staircase, looking up which he saw flames. Ward and M'Guire, the two other lodgers, were at tea that night, and the witness did not know what they did afterwards. James Armstrong, carter, of Bridge-street, deposed to being at the corner of Hardy and Tra-f-ilffar-streets, and discovering smoke rising from the Hardy-street side of. the ridgeboard. Mary Wilson, beinsr sworn, said: T am the wife of James TV il son, gardener, living in Brook-street-valley, and on the evening of the fire tho teathings having been cleared away, about half-past 7, 1 went into the bar, and saw Tavlor and Hardy there. I then went into mr bedroom, which was on the groundfloor. and folded up some clothes that had been washed on the previous day. About S o'clock someone call-*d me out. and said the place was on fire. I ran out into Hardy-street, and did not go back into the bouse again, but went away up to my house in Brook-street-valley.. I was last upstairs about midday, as usual, to see if the house was straight. I lost everything I had in the house, but had some other things at my own hou^e. lam the mother of Mrs Trimble, and was looking after the place while she was at the Buller. I cannot say who was upstairs last. There were only five or six men who had a right to r go unstairs, and I saw no one go up or downstairs after noon. The girl Elizabeth Fox was not in Ihe house at a quarter of an hour before the fire broke out. She went home after washing up the teathings. I don't know whether she was in the house at the time of the fire or not. Her mother lives in Toi-toi V-il'ey. The fire broke out in room No. 6, at tbe head of the stairs. By a juror: If you lost your shawl and bonnet in the fire, how was it Is*iw you wearing them 6ut«ide the house during the fire? Witness: You did not see me there. I had no bonnet or shawl on, only a black cap. There was no one sleeping in the room (No. 6) with a skyliph 1 - in it. I expect Mr Trimble up here by the first first vessel from the West Coast. I have no idea as to the cause of the fire. Rv a juror: What made you run away immediately to Brook-street Valley? Witness: It was quite a notion of my own. The witness gave her evidence with much ppfulance, resolutely refusing to reply to questions put by the jurors, except through the Civon^r. Elizabeth Fox, aged 14, being sworn, said: I was a servant at the Masonic Hotel. I was out at the time of the fire, having finished washinglm, about 7 o'clock, with my younger sister. Wlipu I had got some, little way towards Toitoivalley I heard the firebejl ring, and came back pgain. Mrs Wilson told me to go home with my sister. I did not ask her to let me go home. She was in the bar-parlor, and all the clothes in Mrs Wilson's room were folded up', and I don't think there were any left to be folded up. All my clothes were burnt in the fire. I saw nobody go up thf* big stairs. I had been three months in the house, and never knew anybody to be smoking upstairs. Tbe room in which the fire took nlace was unoccupied. When I last saw Mrs Wilson she had on a plaid jacket and black cap, and I did not see her after the fire broke out. Mrs Wilson had never told me to go home before, but had refused me once before because I had to clean the windows. The barman has told me to tell the truth before the inquest. The inquest was then adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning, the jurors having severally 'entered into their recognisances to appear at that time. The jury having assembled this morning at 10 o'clock, and answered respectively to their names, Mr Pitt stated that he had been' instructed to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Agents of the various Insurance Companies. Stephen Taylor, having been recalled, said: — I produce letters received by me from Mr Trimble authorising me to let M'Guire remain in the house and saying that his brother would pay for his board &c. An altercation had taken place between M'Guire and Florence Josephs about 3 weeks since, about drawing water from the well. MrsWilson M'Guire, and myself had a conversation about this matter, and I said it was a fine thing that neighbors should be troubled by boarders at an hotel, and then I saw Josephs about it. M'Gnire's room was No. 2 on the opposite side to No. 6. I told the girl Fox to speak the truth. - 1 left the kerosine in the bar. I have had an. alter- * cation with M'Guire yesterday. He came to vie in Mr. Stanton's yard about 5 o'clock, and asked me what cause I had to speak about him behind, his back,' and used threatening and insulting language towards me. It appeared to me that he alluded to my evidence at the inquest. I have lately purchased dark brandy for Mr Trimble from Messrs Morrison and Sclanders, and from Mr Bentley. M'Guire had been in the house for a month before I went there. I know no' reason why M'Guire should have, remained in the house long without paying for his board, when by Mr Trimble' directions I was to be paid in advance or immediately by other lodgers;
Mary Wilson recalled, being examined by Mr Pitt, said": The upstairs rocms.' were cleaned daily. I inspected the house about* the middle of every day, dud was in No. 6 before dinner the day of the fire. It might have been a week since it was cleaned out, being unoccupied. I said to Elizabeth. Fox that she was to say anything but - the truth. I knew she was to be called as a witness. I was in my bedroom, with a sittingroom adjoining, when the cry of fire was given. I was at home all that day. I stayed a short time in the bar about half-past 7. Elizabeth Fox asked me to let her go a little bit of the way with her sister. I think M'Guire had been there about two months. I was upstairs-once that day, and the girl was there too, iti No. 7, making the beds, it was the next room to No. 6, and Ward had slept there the previous night. I have been there three months, and the last man who slept in No. 6 was, I think, the sL'k man who went to the hospital. There were no blankets or sheets on j either of the beds in No 6. There were some j diggers' blankets in the room rolled up,' left there j when the man went to the hospital. The girl Fox asked leave to go out that night, for she had gone out often without leave, and I told if she ' went out again without leave she would catch it. I cannot tell who slept in the room No. 2. 1 remember having a dispute with four men about some cheese some weeks asro, and I told them if they were not sati-fied they might leave, which they did. I was not out in the yard about ten minutes before the fire broke out. When Iran out of the house I staid for a quarter of an hour, and then went home to Brook-street-valley, au-i never came down again. I had on a striped red frock and check jacket with black cap, with the same Paisley shawl I have on now. This was hanging on the peg behind the door. I always cleaned out my room myself. I can only recollect a woman telling me I ought to go home. I did not speak to anyone near the fire, and did not sse the girl Fox again that night. I spoke to several people on my way home, who asked how the fire broke out. I might have been half an hour getting home. I never stood near Jervis's on the night of the fire, nor in the middle of Trafalgar-street; I am positive of tms. Elizabeth Fox, recalled, said: After I had finished washing up on the evening of the fire I went and sat in the bar-parlor a little while, and then went out, my sister having come in. After she had been there a few minutes Mrs Wilson then came in and told me to go home a little way with my sister. I am quite sure I did not ask leave to. go out with my sister, and my sister never spoke to Mrs Wilson, but Mrs Wilson asked her if I should go with her. I went upstairs and put on my things, and set out immediately. It was about a quarter of an hour before I heard the fire-bell and I then came back. I made three beds that day upstairs and two downstairs. I made none in No. 6, and one in No. 7, and also in No. 4 and No. 3. I told Mrs -Wilson which room M'Guire slept in. I was in the dark room (No. 6) for the last time on the Sunday previous. There were no bedclothes there, only mattresses. When waiting before the inquest on Tuesday, Mrs Wilson told me to speak the truth. I saw her for the first time after the fire on Tuesday, near the Courthouse, she was talking to two men and not to me. I did not see anyone go upstairs after tea Mrs Wilson was the last person I saw go upstairs that day. She did not go upstairs every day. Stephen Taylor recalled : The kerosine was left in the bar, and anyone could get at it. I have heard that they had been cleaning the bedsteads some days previous with kerosine. I don't know who the man could be mentioned by the last witness, as occupying the third bed upstairs. Henry William M'Guire: I was a miner previous to coming to Nelson I was at the Masonic Hotel a.bout half an hour before the fire, but not at the precise time it brok e out. I was at the Wakatu Hotel playing billiards, and on going out heard the alarm, and finding the fire was at the Masonic Hotel, ran down there to s <ye the apparel I had there. I got to the head of the stairs and could get no further, for the flames were coming out of a room at the head of the stairs. I lost some wearing apparel and blankets and other things, which I value at about £10. By Mr Pitt : I was last in the Masonic about a quarter-past 7 or thereabouts, before the alarm was given. I was alone when I left the liouse. I remember going into the bar before I went out to find some acquaintance there whom I expected. The cook and Mrs Wilson were there. I did not see her leave the bar. I had been there perhaps more, perhaps less than two months.- I received a letter from my brother at the. Buller, saying that any debt I incurred at the Masonic Hotel lie would he answerable for. [The witness, after reading some letters, was unable to produce the letter in question.] I told Mr Sheridan, the former manager at the Masonic, of this arrangement, but never mentioned it to Mrs Wilson or to Taylor. When 1 found I could not get my swag I assisted in saving as much property as possible, and then went out and watched the fire from the corner. I spoke to all the inmates of the house, outside Jervis's. I said to Mrs Wilson, 'My God, oid woman, this is a strange , arrangement.' She replied - ' I did not know any thing about it, till I saw the fire. ' I asked her if there was any attempt to put out the fire, and she said, she did not know, that as soon as she saw it, she went up s r airs. and then she ranjdowa stairs or something of that kind. She had ho bonnet or shawl on, I am sure of that. I saw her several times afterwards, standing between Stanton's and Jervis's, in company, I believe, with Mrs Fox and her daughter. I did not help Taylor to get out the stock. I saw Mrs Wilson twenty times during the night, an hour or an hour and a half afterwards. She had a bonnet and shawl on. The bonnet was dark, I think of velvet, the shawl was a plaid one, I believe. I should know it if I saw it.. Both - she and her husband were both there until the fire was nearly over. If the fire had been burning at tea, the smell must have been perceived downstairs. I never smelt any kerosine in the house. I have been drinking at M'Gee's since the fire, but I never said there that I could criminate some one with regard to the origin. of the fire. I have always been sober at M'Gee's. . I understood that Taylor had stated at the inquest that I had no money or means of paying my board. I.never made any other remarks but that it was strange
the fire should arise in an unoccupied room, and could hot imagine what could bring anyone into it, .From what Mrs: Wilson' said, I should imagine that she had gone up stairs after discovering the fire, and then being alarmed came down again. The cook said to me that he suspected the house had been set on fire wilfully, with which I agreed. lam not aware of any cause for this. I knew Trimble when I was in the police force at Dunedin, but never received any letters from Mm. I was in the police force on the West Coast. The proceedings were then adjourned at 10 minutes past 2 until 4 o'clock this evening.
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 270, 14 November 1867, Page 2
Word Count
3,679The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1867. INQUEST. Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 270, 14 November 1867, Page 2
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