THE GRAND HOTEL FIRE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1533, 18 July 1901, Page 49

THE GRAND HOTEL FIRE

EVIDENCE OF JESSIE MINNS. SCRAPS FROM A PENNY DREADFUL. AUCKLAND, July 12. It now transpires that Jessie Minns, whose sensational evidence at the Grand Hotel fire inquest has lieen the talk of the town, sought inspiration in a novelette. The story about three men with powder and fuse who threatened to kill her if she “ breathed a word,” which provided the newspapers Avith such sensational “ copy ” AA T as the creation of some imaginative pennv-a liner, Avhose story so iniorinted itself upon the memory of th e impressionable Jessie that she was able to reproduce it with convincing detail before the Coroner’s jury. This is on the authority of Jessie’s mother, Avho gave the whole story to a reporter this morning. Mrs Minns stated that Jessie had already admitted to the police that her story was a fabrication.

“ In Avhat book did she get it out of ?” asked the reporter. Mrs Minns: “It was a book called ‘Fred, the Miner.’ One of those paper co\ 7 er books, I think. Henry Jones, the night porter, brought a lot of them from Sydney, and boarders used t c , leave books about. I think she found it in a drawer in the pantry.” “ Then that yarn about men laying fuse and rubbing stuff on the Avails — Avas all that out of ‘Fred, the Miner?’” —-“Yes, it was part of the story, I believe.” “ Where did she get the description of the three men that she gave to the polios?”—Mrs Minns: “Oh, they Avere in th« book, too.” “And the nicknames?”—“She got them out of ‘ Fred, the Miner.’ ” “ But Avhy should she tell such a story to mislead the police and the jury? W’hat motive had she?” —“Well, she was frightened of (mentioning the name of a former employee at the Grand Hotel). She saAV him and three others on the pantry stairs, and I think she wanted to shield them. She says she heard them go up the stairs and start pulling things about in the dining room. Madame (the cook) saAV them on the pantry stairs.” “ Did she know the men ?”—“ Yes.” “ But has the girl no idea of the responsibility she is under in making such statements on oath ?”—“ No ; she doesn’t seem to realise it at all.” Mrs Minns Avent on to explain that Jessie had felt hurt at some questions the police had asked her. Jessie complained that the police had tried to put words into her mouth, and sh e decided, in consequence, to “ stuff ” the sub-in-spector. She gave him a statement that covered two pages of foolscap. About being mesmerised by these men, she told her (Mrs. Minns) afterwards that there was nothing in it at all. She got the idea of mesmerism from some phrenologist years ago doAvn at the Thames. She was only about fifteen at the time. The other night Inspector Cullen had her up before him, and he told her to stand up and look him straight in the eyes. Sh e stood up, and then turned and ran out of the room and into the street. She "was afraid he Avould “ x'ead her like the phrenologist did.”