THE FIRE AT EPSOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11057, 8 May 1899, Page 6

THE FIRE AT EPSOM.

THE inquiry into tho origin of the recent ffi at Epsom was resumed on Saturday bcS Mr. J. Bollard, M.H.R. K H. Browne, clerk in the Puhlic Trust office., said that on the night of March r5 about half-past ten o'clock, ho passed Mini' Quong's store, on his way homo to Onehung-' He saw a glow of fire through tho window in tho nortli ond, about five minutes bef6r4 coming to it. When he got close to tho te„ be saw that there was a fire, and on getting nosito the house he saw a horseman, «],„ railed out " Fire.". Witness saw no Chiname tt about tho store. He went auout 100 yds toward tho Royal Oak, and then returned to tho fi£?: Witness called out " Fire!" left his bicycle at' : the galo, went to the back of tho house, aid ', called out "Fire" again. ;g Witness saw no boys on the road, either on ; tho Auckland side or tho Royal Oak side, After tho alarm the Chinamen came out fro a tho men's quarters, about Ihreo or f o „' minutes afterwards, lno whole interior waj then in a blaze, and the fire and smoke conj, ing out of the window in the north end. \vliS: ho came up to the store first he heard no di turbanco or stone-throwing. Europeans then commenced arriving one by one. Except'witness and perhaps the horseman, no one was present when witness first got to the" store. . . ■<;>: To Mr. Parr: The first view witness got 0 : tho fire was through the window, at tho notUi end of the store. When begot there none of tho Chinamen in the men's quarters «&% up. Witness thought ho was the first perton on tho scene of the fire. There were no boy, about tho shed then, and it was fully tares or four minutes after he arrived before th ß first Chinaman came out of the men's qua,. tors. Tho building collapsed about 20 or 30 minutes after witness first saw it. He did not* sen tho Chinamen chase any boys or larrikinj

away. :.jjjf To Mr. Whitaker: Witness was very ej. citod. Ho had no difficulty in seeing his a $ Witness could not say what he was knocking against to rouse the Chinamen, but was doing! his best to kick up a row. About three or four Chinamen came out of the house fat Witness threw no stones on the roof. He left the fire about ten or fifteen minutes after it collapsed, and the debris was still burning.'S John Hicks, labourer, living at Onehunga ■' said that on the night of March 1 he Wa , outside tho Royal Oak Hotel for about half-an. hour with two young men. Someone gave the'' alarm of fire, and witness found that it itaj at Ming Quong's store. The .store was about 200 yds from the corner of the road, near the hotel. From the time witness was standing' at tho hotel until the alarm of fire was given,' ho heard no row at all. Witness saw no boys' at all. After the alarm was given they all went to the store. The fire was just cominj through the sides then. It had a fair hold, Thero was a European there on horseback, and tho man on the bicycle came up after, wards. The man on horseback rode down to the hotel and gave tho alarm. Witness did.' not know from what direction the man on the; bicycle came. The first he saw of tho man'' on the bicyclo was up at the fire. ::: To tho Foreman Witness was there tea r minutes before the bicyclo man came and: spoko to him. Witness did not hoar the horse-' man givo the alarm. <<£ Chco Poy, the next witness, said that ho slept in the men's quarters on the night of the : fire, Ho went to lied a little after eight o'clock. Ho wad awakened by a noise, and all tho Chinese got up together, and they want outside. Witness did not know whether any noiso was made by Europeans or not,:! 1 ' To Mr. Parr: There were Europeans in tho yard at the lime witness came out. Tie noise was from the men inside. Some were outside making a row, and singing out. A' Foo Wing said ho rememlierod the night Ming Quong's store was burned, and was sleep, ing at the time in the men's quarters. While he was in bed somo larrikins started throwing stones on the roof. Witness did not take an; - notice of tho first volley of stones, but a second round came on the roof, and he heard some of the men get up and say, " Chase the larrikins." They got up to cliaso them, Lee Tat going first, followed by Sleng and the other*, Witness followed immediately afterward"; and saw nothing wrong with the house. Is saw a few boys right across the paddock When they came back they saw fire in the store. There were no Europeans about tti they chased the boys, and when they rase back some of the men started to try ami break into the store. While they were engaged in geting tilings out of tho store,-Eprp>." peans came up. • :->!.£• To Mr. Parr: Witness was still in Mm? Quong's employ. Ho was Ming Qucig'j. cousin. If other Chinamen and European said that when they came out there were a boys at all, they were telling lies. . *§$■ Mr. Whitaker said that ho had proposal, calling several Chinese witnesses, but tmlJi not do so, as their evidence would onlyti; roborato that of the two previous witness Henry Patrick Kennedy, constable, racV tectivc duty, said that on March 2, abod a-quartor to one, ho went to Mr. Pickems'i office. Ming Quong, Ah Yen, and ofe Chinamen were there. Lee Yen told wirra that he was awakened by stones thrown the roof, and told witness that he (tad the larrikins about 100 yds past the end of store. Two of them ran towards the rod, and two of them went into the paddock.it three o'clock that afternoon witness visited the scene of the fire with Detective BlOti. Ming Quong, the interpreter (Ah Tong), aa Mr. Pickering were there. Witness aid Ming Quong what was the total amountti his goods previous to the fire. Ho said till there was £2400 worth, but he had sold fill or £400 just previous to the fire, - whia brought it down to £1900 worth of good) j destroyed by the fire. Witness spoke toil | Yen to get a description of tho boys, bit Is i said that he could not give a description d > them, as they were too far away. Witaa i had good reason for not believing it, ash I did not think the boys would wait for tts E firo to break out before running away, to : f. the 21st witness again visited Ming Quotjl k place with Detectives Maddern and&C-; Mahon. Witness bad a copy of Ming Quorj'l s sworn proof of bis loss, which he got ha | Mr. Jacka. Witness questioned Ming (M j as to the first item on the list, 204 hurt! | of dry ginger, each 481b weight, worth | Bs. Ho said that it was a mistake, as beta a put clown too much. Witness then q«*'. | tioned him as to all the items on theH,| and put a lead pencil cross against etaj Horn which he said was incorrect. The its, I 501b of Chinese seaweed, £8 15s. he said?* 5; a mistake altogether, and should not to 1 been put in. After going through all Iff; items, he said that ho was going to pui'W | new claim, reducing tho formov one by £» !; or £600. Witness read a search warrant g had obtained, which was interpreted, & | then searched tho premises. They took. &| stock and put down the items at Ml own quotations. The list was read over* 5 him, and he signed it, and it was mines* 1 by Ah Tong (interpreter). They checked 3 g over, and found that tho cigars were Wi £7 10s. in bis own price: the 20 bags ofn*K were there: the 5£ boxes of ginger w»| there; tho 1J boxes of candles wereitfef! as well as the £12 10s worth of wine. || could givo no explanation of the 130 paWp of Chinese tobacco, valued at £16 ss. .T»i total value of tho goods he estimated hanflfc in his house, at his own figures, came to **1 Ms lOd, deducting that from tho total"! tho goods, £54 7s Bd. On April 10 *?! went to Carr, Johnston, and Co.'s store;»| Fort-street. Witness saw there sixbeMJj ginger, which Ming Quong never montiotfj; during witness' inquiries. Carv-Jobn»t«it£ people said that it was put thero in Deceffl»J, to sell. Witness again visited the sccnß?J the fire on March 23, 1899. :','? | The inquiry will be resumed this moron*tj when Detective Kennedy's evidence wM J continued. Tho evidnce will probably M concluded to-day. M IS