THE FIRE AT MR F. HAASE'S STABLES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 29 June 1911, Page 6

THE FIRE AT MR F. HAASE'S STABLES.

INQUIRY RESUMED. FURTHER EVIDENCE TAKEN. The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire which destroyed Mr F. W. Haase's stables on June sth was •resumed by the, Coroner (Mr J. S. Evans. S.M.) this morning. Mr Richmond Feil appeared for Mr F. W r . • Haase, Mr. P. B. Atkinson watched the proceedings on behalf of an undisclosed client, and Sergeant Mullany conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police. . The witness Percy Collier, further examined by Sergeant. Mullairy. stated that being friendk- with Mr Haase, he would be only too willing to" clear up the matter of the fire. When he made his statement to the police that he was not in Nelson "on the night of the fire he •had not remembered' that, he was. It was a. day or two afterwards! that he remembered that he was in Nelson. He did not then inform the police, because he did not think there was any occasion for it. Nor when he was served ■with.- the summons to attend the inquiry did he think it necessary to explain that he had made a mistake. He was upset when, the constable first spoke to him. Any man would be upset when first spoken to by the police. AVhile cycling to Nelson from Motueka on the Sunday he got off his bicycle at Appleby crossing, and spoke to a man named Cecil Dixon. Near the Rising Sun he spoke to alman mamed Roy Bray. He could not remember seeing a man .named Smith and speakin ; cr to him on the Sunday. Bray on Sundav afternoon asked him what he was doing in Nelson- On June Isth,'the dav after making the statement to the police, he saw Mr Haase: but he did hot say to him that he knew who burned the sta.bles down.' He did not tell Haase that a certain resident (named) and no one else burned down the stables. . At'this stage the witness asked the Magistrate if any charge was .maue against him. He objected to being questioned as he was, and "pur.ed to pieces." The Magistrate said that there was no charo-e- but witness had made a statement to the police which was now shown ±o be incorrect. Continuing his evidence, the witness said-that he remembered Haase stopping the carpenters from hammering whale lie (witness) was being Questioned. Haase asked him when he was in Nelson, and he replied about five weeks (before the 15th June). It was no business.of Mr Haase's where he was and it was no advantage to him to tell an untruth. He -promised Haase any assistance towards discovering the-cause of the fare He mav have told Haase that be (Haase) had manv enemies in Nelson—it was a wen-known, fact, . On arriving m. Nelson on the sth June he posted two otters—one to Wellington undone to Nelson the latter to a Mrs. Atkinson. I he letter (produced) was the letter he wrote to Mrs. Atkinson. It was written the day before he left' Motueka, and in it he said that he would be in Nelson in three -weeks. He could net explain vrhv he posted the letter when be was -in Nelson and could have called on Mrs. Atkinson, He had the letter stamped in his pocket, and he thought that he nwrht as well uosfc.it-. He had said tha„ a certain man had said that Haase would wake up one morning and nncl his stables burnt down. He had never sa-d to Mrs. James Haase that no | would' be even with the old man yet and that he would like to see him roasted out " When he was working for Haase he and Charlie Haase occupied the same room. He never said to Charlie Haase that "he would like to see the wholeplace burnt down." -He was staying at the Panama Hotel on June 14th and at the present time. He. had not been to his father's place during his present.] visit to Nelson. On the evening .betor e the inquirv orjened he as-ked to see tne statement "he" had given to the police on the 14th June. He wanted to see what he had said.To Mr F^M : Ete could not say < whether anyone from his father's house went to the fire. Had he been awake he would have .heard the firebed Pike returned to camp on a Sunday, and that was the'first he heard of the fire He did sav to Haase that the stables had been set alight. He did this on account of what Haase told him and wha he Had seen in the papers. He went on to tell Haase what a certain man had said j Haase remembered what the man liad said. He mav have told Haase .that he could prove that he was not in J*e.son on the night of the fire. He could not ■ remember telling Haase that he could bring Pike, Veysey and Teece.tc .prove-that'he-was not m Nelson on the night of the fire. Further questioned, witness said that he believed he did tell Haase this. Haase" said he would be eUvd for witness' sake that witness could prove where he was on the night of the fire ' In answer to that- witness said God ! You surely' don't think J 'was in it V So- far as he knew he and Haase were on Rood terms. Haase hao once given him a thrashing. ln e last time he worked for Haase the latter often complained that witness was not dointr his work satisfactorily. When he left Haase called him a waster —or some thing to- that effect; and said that hr wotdd not re-employ him on any account, Haase had more than once warned him to be careful about fire, and that he would not take an accident as an exThe Magistrate, said that in view of the turn the examination had taken thr witness wa s entitled to call evidence. At this stage Mr. Atkinson applieo for permission .to appear on behalf of the witness Collier, the application be in? granted. . ■■ The witness, rc-examineo by Mr. Atkinson, said that on the night • of the fire he resided with his own people in Kelson, and slept in their he-use, leaving for Motueka on the Monday morning He did not hear the firebell and die 1 not go to the fire. Up to the time of thefite he always stayed at his father* place. On account of a letter be had received' from home, he would not staythere since the fire. To the Magistrate : The letter referrec to had reference to a little business be tween his father and himself. He had the letter with him and could produce it The letter was net r asked for. . Oil the" evidence being read over '.the witness made a correction to the effect that' what be told Haase on June 15th was-that he could bring Pike, Veysey! and.'Teece to prove where he was on the •night of the fire. : • Frederick W T il'iam Haase, cab pro prietor, said that his stables were burned <*cwn. on June sth: He saw the stables at a-or 8.15 p.m. on June 4th. A strong. south-east wind Vas blowing up to about 10 p.m.. His loss he placed at £ll CO, les? £SOO insurance. Up to the Friday -be fors the fire his insurance was only j£loo, and he was then persuaded to in; crease the amount to £SOO. when Ik went out to the nre - the flames- wen eoming from the back part of /Ahc stables. He would say from what hesaw that .the-fire started in two loosr boxes at the western end of *-h-e stable, close to the school. He always forbade the use of the track through the school "round. He was positive the fire was not an accident. The loose boxes were clean burnt <up before the roof fell an. There was no fire near the gas jet when

lie first went outsid.- H!e was n-ot surprised at the fire, and he shouted -out

"The deed's •done!" Ho was nut a bit surprised—after what lie hart been told. He would not continue to play in the cribbage tournament because of his fear of fire and lie also expressed his fear to Mr. Rout. He had never heard ■ (named) say anything about witness' stables being burnt down. To his light he and Collier were good friends. lie had called Collier a waster and had given him a good lecture. He had never heard Collier make any threats in regard to witness or his property. On the morning of June 15th Collier called to see witness. He said to Collier : "Do vou think it was an accident?" Collier said: "No!" Witness then said that he had expected a little sympathy from Collier sooner than 10days after the tire. Collier said: "Good God, boss! 1 have •never been out o-f the camp for five weeks from 14th May ! Tire first I heard of it Pike told me. I would not believe it till I saw it in the paper." Witness asked Collier if he did not pass the time of night with Mrs. Cox on the Waimearoad on Sunday. Collier said that he had not—Mrs. *Cox was mistaken ; and that he could bring Pike. Veysey, Teece and another to prove that he had not been awa.v from" the camp. In the hearing o"f the three carpenters Collier repeated that he was. in Motueka at the am]) on the Sunday night and that he had not been in Nefson. -since-May 14th. Witness said to Collier: "I am glad for your sake.'' The fire was then discussed, and Collier named a certain man. Collier said that the ..man had said that the stables would be burnt down but witness never .heard the -man say that, nor was the matter discussed at" the tea table. as Collier had stated. Collier said that his work would finish in a fortnight, and that then he would do all he could to help witness to find out who had burnt down the stabes. Collier also said that he would not put it past old . To. Mr Fell: He asked for the inquiry to take place. To Mr Atkinson: On 2nd June he inceased the insurance from £IOO to £SOO. He had had £IOO on for a good many years. He had two practically new vehicles —the dearest one' was burnt. He 'had five landaus. One he had had for 20 years he valued at £SO. It cost 'him £6O, and he immediately spent another £GO on it. H> would not have sold it for £IOO. A second landau he had for eight yeary he valued at £S0 —this was saved. Another landau he gave £l3o,for on May 4lh.' Two others he gave £l5O for each. It not a fact that he had greatly over-valued his plant—he had undervalued it. He told both Mr Eout and Mr Cox that he was afraid .of fire. There was no wind at the time of the fire. It was not a fact that he 'had many enemies in Nelson. ■He may have had a business difference with Mr , but no serious quarrel. He had not had constant quarlels with the cabmen ever since he had been on the stand. There was not a cabman in Nelson -who had not offered him assistance. He was not a. particularly violent man. He had no particular feeling against Collier. He obtained the letter from. Mrs Atkinson, who was his dauguter. She showed, bin. the letter immediately it was opened at his house. He would not swear that while Collier wag in hi* employ he did not saj r to witncs s that 1 had said that the stables would be burnt down one day. To the Magistrate: He offered the insurance agent to accept four horse* itwo landaus, and harness, in settlement of his .claim; but the -conr-pany would not agree to tiiis, but paid him his full insurance.

Charles Otto. Haase, son of 'the previous witness, deposed that he and Collier had occupied the same room at hi s father's. In bed one night Collier said that '' he would not care a if the stables- were burnt down in front of his eyes." Collier said the same thing on different nights. One night in the stable Collier said "he wauld not care a —— if the whole show was burnt before his eyes!" To Mr Atkinson: It was not very long- before Collier left his father's that he made the statements in bed. It may have been two or three months. The night in the stable was only a fortnight or so before the fire. He told' his father what Collier had said i n the stable. He did not tell his father what Collier said in bed. He did not take Collier's -remarks serious] y. Henrietta Haas?, wife of James Haase, stated that about three week-3 before Collier left Haase's hs said, 'II wish the blooming show was burnt down—that is all the harm I wish him." Mr Haase was at Wangamoa. Collier was thinking about leaving at tha i time_ as he thought he had another job.

To Mr Fell: She was keeping the house while Mr Haase was away. To Mr Atkinson: She told Mr Haase what Collier had said. Collier remained with Mr Haase three weeks aft r that. Mr Haase did not know Collier was thinking of leaving. Charles Bebarfeld. engine-driver, living near Mr Haase's, went to the lire. From what he saw he considered that the lire started at the western end Edith Reay, wife of Richaid K-aay, of Waunoa-street, and. daughter- of F W. rlaase, said, she knew Percy Collier. vV'hen Collier came, back to work for aer father she expressed surprise, and Coiiier sa:d that he had come for purposes cf his own. Collier said lie exi>Eetcd to be gone in a month, and' that -hey would wake up one morning and rinct hini missing. To Mr Fell : At that time she' was not friendly with hor ix.-ople. , Goi'lior knew this.

This closed the evidence for the police Mr Atkinson, called evidence as fol lows : *♦

Jan.es Collier, cutter, father of Percy Collier, deposed that his son- came home on Sunday, 4th June, and stayed with witness. His- son made every preparation to go to bed—.got a candle, etc. He preaun.od his son went to bed about 11 o'clock. His wife heard the firebell. To Sergeant Mullany-: He did not see his son go to bed. He was the last up. His son was going back the same night ; but as he could not get his. lamp' in .working order, and it was 60 late, witness asked' his son to stay all night. Laura Beatrice Coilier, stepmother to Percy Collier, deposed that the latter was ta'lking at home up to 10 or 10-30 p.m. Her husband' told her that Percy would stay all' night. Percy's bed was slept in. She heard Percy coughing during- the night— two or three times. She also heard him moving. but not coughing, about the time the bells rang. and she wondered why hs did not <-.;-.'] out to her ; 'but he told hor that he did not hear the bell. She heard Percy rise about 5.30 a.m

To Sergeant Mullany : The dcors were locked, and she did not think that Percy was walking about during the night, and that they did not hoar him-. She heard Percy coughing some little time after 12 o'clock.

-E-i'/daJin McArtney, daughter of the previous witness, hea.rd Percy Collier moving in 'his bed and coughing several times during the night. She beard 'him get up in the morning between 5.30 and 6 o'clock.

To Sergeant Mullany: It was not before 4 o 'clock 'in the niorning that she w r ent to sleep, as she was suffering from neuralgia in her head. She heard Percy in bis rpom just before

12 o'clock —she beam Mm tossing on his bed and coughing.

To Mr .Fell: Bel ween the lime she heard Percy in the passage (at 11 or a little after) till 12 o'clock she did not hear him. Percy told her that he had come over unexpectedly, as he had got the loan of a bicycle. F. W. Haase, re-ca!led. stated that the fircbells did not Ting for from 20 to ,25 minutes after he got up. ll© tried and tried to rino- up the Police Station, but could not do so. TTe would say that it was about. 1.40 when the first bell rang. People round about heard th° horse., kicking between 12 and 1 o'clock, but did not bother to gef un. This concluded the evidence THE VERDICT. TNCKNDIARIS.M THE CAUSE RESIDENTS NAMED EXONERATED.' Mr Evans found that, on the evidence, he must come to tb? conclusion that the sta.bles were intentionally set on tire. There was no evidence to show bv whom. There was no suspicion of any of the Haase family, nor of Mr Hailing, whose nam c had been .mentioned. Mr Atkinson: applied for witiyvse-' •expenses for Percy Collier. These were refused bv tluv Connie:-. who said that Collier's own wiate.mt-iiU were.' 1 ' ".' ' ;nary came of the inquiry. The refusal to -grant costs was not throwin.ir susnicioif on- Collier. Mr Ec-U. on behalf of Mr- Haase. said that the latter had never entertaiiv.d til.' slightest suspicion of Mr Hailing.