A MYSTERIOUS FIRE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1169, 27 July 1894, Page 36

A MYSTERIOUS FIRE.

An enquiry into the causes of the outbreaks of fire at the Temperance Hotel on July 15 was held in the jury room at the Supreme Court on Thursday (July 19) before Mr J. Ashcroft, Coroner, and a jury <f six, of whom Mr W. G. O. Johnson was foreman. Mr Gully appeared on behalf of the police.

After the jury had visited the premises, Chas. W. Benbow, local manager of the South British Insurance Company, was failed, and he produced a proposal from Mr D. A. Itoss, in the name of Hy. Fielder, for a policy of <£soo on the furniture and effects in the Temperance Hotel. Mr Boss •was then tenant, and Mr Fielder was the person who supplied the furniture to Boss. On this proposal a policy was issued. Since the fire he had casually gone through the building, and he should say that the property was fully insured. Part of the premiums was paid by Mr Boss shortly after the proposal was taken out, and Mr Brown, the present tenant, had paid the premiums in respect of the time he had Leen in possession.

Andrew Campbell, manager of the National Insurance Company, stated that the premises were insured by the freeholder, Mrs Love, of Petone, in the name of the mortgagees, Messrs E. Pearce and H. D. Bell, for the sum of <£7so. Arthur Eichmond Atkinson, solicitor, •whose firm acts as agent for Mrs Love, stated that at the time of the fire the tenant (Mr A. P. Brown) was three weeks in arrears with the rent, which amounted to «£5 per week. There was an additional £1 owing, making £l6 altogether. Mr Brown had frequently been applied to for the rent, and on the Thursday before the fire he paid £4 on account. Brown complained, as an excuse for not paying the rent punctually, that business was bad.

Henry Fielder, furniture dealer and manufacturer, deposed that he had supplied the furniture for the Temperance Hotel in October last, the tenant then being Donald A. Boss. The furniture was supplied on credit, a bailment and bill of sale being given to secure payment. The purchase money was £514 6s 6d, and it was made payable by Boss on promissory notes failing due each month. Mr Brown took over the premises on the 18th January, and he became liable to pay the amount of £514 6s #sd in weekly instalments of £5 each, and a deposit of £6O cash which he paid. The ■whole of the furniture was secured by a Bill of sale and bailment. The furniture •was insured in witness’ name. At the time of the fire Mr Brown was in arrear to the extent of £75 in respect of the weekly instalments. About two months _ ago Brown complained to witness that business ■was very bad, but when the summer came he hoped to pull up. Witness at this interview, he believed, told Brown that he was'not the man to make the business pay. Witness said he could get another man to buy Brown out. About a fortnight before the fire Brown paid a sum of £5. Had the insurance money been paid in full Mr Brown would have received £lls, which was the amount paid by him to witness. This was exclusive of Mr Brown’s personal effects.

Margaret Millihan, who was employed as housemaid at the hotel, stated that she went downstairs by the back steps from her own room (No. 4) about 5.20 p.m. Did not see Mr Brown before she went down, or anyone else. There was no light in room No. 6, which was unoccupied, or any of the other rooms. Boom No. 2 had been occupied for two nights previous by the cook and her husband. When she got downstairs the family and the boarders, so far as she was aware, were in the diningroom. Mr Brown was not there. She did not see Mr Brown in the sittingroom as she went down. Mrs Brown told her that Mr Brown was in the sittingroom, but she did not see him. She did not remember what she told the police. The room was dark, and she probably would not have seen anyone there. Whatever she said to the police and the captain of the Fire Brigade was what Mrs Brown had told her. She had been upstairs about five or ten minutes when she heard the alarm of fire. She went up the backway, but did not notice whether there was anyone in the sitting-room. A quantity of smoke was coming out of room No. 6, but she did not go into the room. She had not been in the room since 8 a.m. on Sunday. She went into room No. 2 about 1 p.m., but did not see anything of candle or matches about. She knew nothing of how the fire originated. Mr Brown: Did you not see me lying on the sofa when you went through ? No. Mr Brown : I was lying there when you went through on both occasions. James Charles stated that he occupied room No. 2at the hotel with his wife. He got up on Sunday about 12.30 p.m. When he left the room he did not see any candles or matches. Did not return to the room until 7.30 p.m., when his wife told him about the fire. When his wife got up at 6.30 a.m., he believed she took the candle with her.

Ellen Charles, wife of the last witness, stated that when she got up in the morning she took the candle and matches with her. She was in the kitchen when the alarm was given. She went upstairs after the fire had been put out, and she believed she saw Mrs Brown in the passage. There were four or five boarders. She saw Mr Brown downstairs some time during the afternoon.

Thomas Johnston, labourer, stated that he went to the Temperance Hotel on Friday, 13th, and slept in room No. 6. When he came home on Saturday night the place was closed, and he could not gain admission. He slept out that night on “ a bed of gorse.” Did not return to the hotel on the Sunday. The last time he was in room No. 6 was on Saturday morning, and the box of matches was then secure in the candlestick. Went for his swag on Monday. Albert Pearson Brown stated that he took over the Temperance Hotel from Mr

Boss in January last. He had no separate policy over his own effects. The times were hard, he had been getting back with his rent, and had told Mr Fielder of his position. The statement made by Mr Fielder with regard to the arrears on the furniture was correct. He was also in arrear with his rent. Ho did not owe any wages. Besides Johnston there were four or five boarders in the house at the time of the fire. Was in the house all Sunday afternoon, and he was resting on the sofa in the hack sitting-room from about 4.30. Witness did not feel well, and he was going to bed again. He did not hear anything until Mrs Brown told him that the house was on fire. He got up, put on his boots, and went to room No. 2, where there were signs of fire. Did not go into the room after this. Someone, his son, he believed, opened the door of room No. 6, which was found to be on fire. The housemaid passed through the sit-ting-room twice while witness was lying there. Witness heard footsteps in the passage a few minutes before the alarm was given. Until then he was not aware of anyone being upstairs. There was no light in the sittingroom while witness was there. The electric light was not turned on, because it affected his eyes. He could not account for the two outbreaks of fire. To the Coroner : It was his opinion that the fire was wilfully caused. Continuing his evidence, the witness said, he could not suggest any person who was likely to set the place on fire. To the jury: The footsteps he heard were more like a man’s than a woman s.

The inquest was then adjourned until 3 p.m. next day. The enquiry Avas resumed on July 20. Mary Dorothy Brown, wife of A. P. BroAvn, proprietor of the hotel, stated that there were seven hoarders sleeping on the premises on the night before the fire. Witness was in the dining-room Avhen the alarm of fire was given. She went,,upstairs at once, meeting a stranger on the landing. The stranger told her that room No. 2 Avas on fire. She did not know then that room No. 6 was on fire. Subsequently heard that No. 6 was on fire. Her husband

was lying on the sofa in the sitting-room upstairs in the afternoon, and she saw him there about 10 or 20 minutes past 5. He was still there when she went upstairs after the alarm had been given. There was no light in the sitting-room. She told him that the place was on fire. He then got up and put on his boots, and went down the passage toward the fire. She had not been in either rooms No. 2 or No. 6 since the fire. Witness visited room No. 6 on Sunday morning, but she did not knoAv whether the bed had been slept in. As far as she knew all the boarders except Mr Pearson, a working jeAveller, were at tea Avhen the alarm Avas given. She did not know Avhere he Avas. She had not seen him during the afternoon. Had not seen any stranger about the place in the afternoon. The business was not paying. She knew that the payments to Mr Fielder for the furniture, and also the rent were in arrears. Knew nothing of the position of the insurance. She had not heard of any quarrel, or threats being made, and could not in any way account for the ft<•.,:. She saw no matches in an unusual couch lion in room No. 6 Avhen she visited it in the morning. Charles Archer, clerk, said that he was in company Avith Mr Keon at Lindsay’s corner about 5.30 p.m. on Sunday last, Avhen he noticed the curtains at one of the upstair AvindoAvs of the Temperance Hotel blazing. He went into the place, gave the alarm, and afterwards went over to the Fire Brigade Station in Brandon street and informed Foreman Woolcott of the fire. William Keon, engineer, corroborated the last witness as to the discovery of the fire. When Mr Archer went over to the Fire Brigade Station, witness went upstairs. He was the first to go up. The curtains, corner of the dressing-table and end of the bed in the room No. 2 Avere alight. Did not notice any candle there. He believed that the fire had begun at the curtains or the cloth on the table. Put the fire out. Did not meet anybody as he went upstairs. To the jury: When he told Mrs BroAvn that the place was on fire, she was very much alarmed, and ran upstairs im- ' mediately. The bedroom door (No. 2) was 1 shut.

To Mr Gully : Did not think the fire had started on the bed. Did not see No. 6 room.

Henry S. Wooleott, in charge of the Brandon street Fire Station, deposed that Avhen he went upstairs the bedding, etc., in room No. 2 Avas smouldering. Keon and one or two others Avere there throAving Avater on the fire. Suav a piece of sperm candle about an inch long standing on the table. There Avas no candlestick. The candle was partially melted, and surrounded hy embers of the burnt curtain. The curtain might have been bloAvn into the flame of the candle if the window had been open. The window, hoAvever, was not open. Someone said another room Avas on fire, and witness Avent to room No. 6, and found that the Avail Avas hot and charred. When he struck a match, he found that the Avail paper and the table had been burned. There <vas a tin box, half full of Avax matches, some of the matches Avere sprinkled over the table. There Avas a candlestick, but no candle. The Coroner (to Avitness): Did it look like an accidental fire ? Witness: No. The Coroner : What about No. 2 ? Witness: As the Avindow Avas shut in that room, aud a hare candle on the table, I do not see lioav the fire could have been accidental in that room.

To a juryman: Mr BroAvn was in the passage when witness arrived. Mr BroAvn was not excited in the least.

Captain Kemsley corroborated the last witness’ evidence as to the condition of room No. 2. There Avas a great deal of smoke in No. 6. He decided to leave everything undisturbed and send for the police. The candle in room No. 2 was in such a position that it could have set fire to some antimacassars and green-blind holland just before it. The matches in room No. 6 had evidently been scattered over the table, aud it appeared to him that the fire had started on the end of the table nearest the door.

The Coroner: Can you give us your theory as to the origin of the fires. Witness : I think the fire began in room

1 No. 6, and the candle was taken from that room to room No. 2. There is a possibility of the fire in room No. 2 having been accidental, but I don’t think that in No. 6 could have been accidental. % ' AndreAv Pearson, jeweller, stated "that he Avas in his room, No. 7 (opposite No. 6), during the whole of Sunday afternoon. He was there when the alarm was given. Someone rushed upstairs and he was told that the place Avas on fire. Witness went downstairs and procured a bucket of (vater. About a quarter of an hour before the alarm Avas given he heard footsteps in the passage, which he supposed to be those of the housemaid, as it Avas about the time she Avent through the rooms. Thinking over it it appeai’ed to him that the footsteps Avere rather light, and not like those of a person walking in the usual way. It was like someone with light shoes on. The footsteps sounded as if they had come from the front of the building and stopped opposite his door. Witness’ bedroom door was shut. The door of room No. 6 was generally closed. Mr Gully pointed out that the housemaid (Miss Millihan) had stated that she had gone along the passage about a quarter of an hour before the alarm. Witness, continuing, said the sittingroom was in the back of the building, and the footsteps came from the opposite direction.

This closed the evidence. The Coroner, in summing up, said that anyone Avith common sense could see that the fire was not an accidental one. The jury, after about ten minutes’ retirement, brought in a verdict of wilful incendiarism against some person or persons unknown.