THE PRINCES STREET FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3246, 2 July 1872, Page 2

THE PRINCES STREET FIRE.

Aninquesfcouthe late fire s& Messrs, Jk?, Macleod and Cd.'s glass, and china warehouse,' Princes street, was hdd yesterday. The proceedings, were commenced at the .Glasgow, ArmsHoteL The following gentlemen-were sworn in bjr the 'Coroner^^ (Dr; 30[ocKeh)|as, a j ur y .;__,Mesßrß.. Jo%n ■ Macfflrlane,, 'Bobert Murray, Andrew Mercer, Bichard Hudson, John Galloway, .Heaiy North, Josepn*Keaniy r . Robert Banks, Aifreil Dunning, .Georg^ , Younfc William BiddeS, - Denis Sampsof,' Thomas-Allanj ) and^b^-Ha^ ;^«ei%f waiicliosen'l'b'rema'ii: *' \ ' t <*. •■'-*. -.'-..■ u>:.•!■ .;.- The Coroner-rraddreesmg the jury—said Ihe had deemed it advimible to hold an inquest in this case, rtpt"^h*t, .the police had: anything'of!* tn^ilpieii9as-natiKte"ttf lay-befor^i them, but becanse fires had been so frequent df laW;'*nds«%'uclrwierbtothe danger riot' only of, property,.^ of UCfJi? &&&&M. would1 Wmß * if' they would looV into the case, andgiyejt:;iMr ■*»<• jahowugh^cTO-J tiny. An important thing to findout was th« w»y.o£ rifogr****;^* vnm**.* tUhiA been suggested to kirn to sea if an^oMepuM by the back of the premise* from niar

Mrs Mull's, but be thought that tray was too precipitous. " * ■ -^ .-•'' * ■ The jury having inspected Ihc burnt promises^ "'','" ' " ' 'v- I The inquest was reattraed at tne Mayor 1* Coart,;%hcre evHicnco-Was taSbai^. '. IK ,*"/, The Commissioner of Police conducted, the proceedings on beha^ofltije'c police ; Mr Macassey app(^rcd%fcr iWr Cainpbell, of Calvert and Campbell*;""Mr GDC. .Turton for Messrs K. Macleod and Co. ; and Mr Ifodgkins for the Northern Insurance Co. At the request of the Commissioner of Police, tho witnesses retired out of hearing. Constable' Thomas . .being sworn : I was on duty inr Princes street on Friday morning last, tho 28th ult. At 3.55 a.tn., I 'heard a' noise ad of cirock'ery falling, and of crackling, in the store of Messrs ft. Macleod and Co, I was then on the opposite side of iho street, and about 40 yards distant from the store. I hastened at once to tho store,, suspecting there was something wrong. I then observed a blaze through iho fciu-lighfc above tho shop-door. The blaze w&s rapidly increasing. lat once raised the alarm by shouting out "Fire !" and hastened to tho Bell Tower," crying " Fire !'!aaTwent along. It took me about five minutes'to come and go from the 1 Bell Tower,' and 6n returning, I entered the yard at the back of the place by getting over the galvanised iron fence, and saw a large fire breaking out .through the windows, chiefly through those of the upper storey. The back door was firmly closed from the iuside, and I could not succeed in opening it. After the firemen had the water on Tor about ton minutes an entrance/could be made. The tire hail extended all over the shop,- but was chiefly located about the stairs ami fireplace, near where there W3a more wood-work than anywhere else. I naw' no suspicious inflammable lying about, i did not perceive any kerosene, but I heard people say thcro was powder in the place. I was on duty on a beat in Princes street, from 9 o'clock on the night of the 27th till a quarter to 5 o'clock next morning. That side of the street on winch the store is situate is not on uiy line of beat, but J passed and re-passed on the other side during the night, and up.to the time that I discovered thpiire nothing unusual occurred, or persons passed, that attracted my attention. An interval of about half an houi elapsed from the ttmctbatT last passed Ihespol and the time that I discovered the fire. I wai present when the shutters were knocked out. A rush of flaiao canv3 witL them, bni there was nothing like an explosion then. Constable John Criwio : I was on duty v Princes street on the night of the fire froir 9 p.m. on tho 27th till 5 o'clock n«xt morn ing. When at the back of the City Sam Mills, in Dowling atreot, below tho Firsi Chnrch, I heard the cry of " Fire !' raised, and rushed to the spot at once. 1- ran U[ Dowling street into Princes street, and ob served smoke issuing from tho front of th< store. I did not notice any signs of fin coming from the Iwick as I passed througl Dowling street. T passe 1 the store rcgu larly on my rounds that liighfc, T could no! ■kay how many times, but f'know that wht-i I passed it about twenty minutes • previous to the alarm being raised, I did not notice anything strange or smell fire. I ,did nol see anyone prqwling about the back of th< store during tho night. On hearing tin alarm I ran up through Dowling street, and being in a hurry, it is possible J might hav< passed someone without observing him. ■ did not observe anyone. Peter Hodge Kirk: I ftrn an awsiatan storeman at Messrs It. Macleod and Co.'h On the evening of the 27th ult., the daj previous to the fire, I closed up the place a about a quarter or twenty minutes past six I locked all the dowa. I locked tho bad door from the inside, leaving the key in it and went out by the front door, which J i locked, taking the key. with me. Lam-quiti sure I was the'last to leave. I left the kkj at Mr George Uindle's crockery store, nexl the Glasgow Arms Hotel. I. always leave H there while Mr Dickfeoir is away. I have been in the shop for about two years and c half. During the time Mr Macleod was clerk, to Calv*.-rt. and Oavipbel),. he' naec to take the key home with him,' bul since he has had the business1 the key .has been left at Mr Hindb'a. I am nof aware thai there is any other key tc open the shop door with. Before locking up that evening I blew out the lamps. There was a fire in the fireplace, and it, was not pot out. The fire is generally left burning,- ami when the shop was closed that evening il was very low. It was not blazing then. It was last re lenishcd at about four o'clock, when some Newcastle coal and a few piece* off a crate were put; on it. There were sever caees of kerosene in the shop on the evening previous to tho fire. Mr Mftcleod has kerosene constantly on saleJ Onie of the sever cases was opened that afternoon, at, I think, between three and four o'clock. Two oi three gallons of kerosene were also kept Jn t vessel undvr..tlio stairs, about eight feet fronr the fireplace^ and from which kerosene '« drawn. The'floor there would be saturated with oil for about; half a foot or bo. Mi Macleod left about a minute before I did, telling me to lock the shop. Mr Campbell left a little before. The lover.windows ol the front shop were fastened, down, but the upstairs ones could be raiiied. JHo grols were packed in the front shop, and, to my knowledge, there was no straw strewn about it. George Hindlo: I am in. tho china and glassware trade. My premiraee are distant a few shops from Messrs Macleod and Co.'s. The key of their premises is generally left in my place, on the window shelf. Idid not notice who left it there on :thc evening previous to the fire, bttb I know it was left there that evening, as .1 saw it in its usual place about eight o'clock. Persona could as well take it away as leave it without my knowledge up to ten or .eleven o'clock, when I close the front door. There is a possibility that it could be taken away from its place nnperceived after that, but not a probability. The key has been left there every night for, I think, the last two or three years. In the morning, when. I knew of the fire, I ran down, and said it would' be better to unlock the door, but the police said "No ,- you had better not, as it will let in tho air." The key is often called for in the eveuing after the shop is shut. There is no dnph^ate key that lam aware of. lam quite sure it waa the key of Calvert and Campbell's plaice thaf 1 had with me when! went to the fire, As one in the same trade, I hay© not the slightest; conception as to the origin of ■ the fire. I know tho arrangements of the establishment, and can come to no other conclusion than that a spark' got into Borne waste paper. I have noticed that there w generally loose paper, wrappers of lamps and newlyopened parcels, lying not"exactly in the fircr place but near it. I have seen basketiuls of waste paper close to the Hrephwe, but a iire is no'/oftcn lifted. The kerosene drum would be about four feet si* inches or five feet from the fireplace, arid kerosene:drippings spread so much that the floor would no doubt be natm-at**! to a distance of three or four feet; but Ido not, think the saturation extended as far za the fireplace. It was under the stairs and. at ,the. back o.f the,, kerosene drum that the waste paper was, kept George Hyde CampbellVl am ft china *nd glass importer. The premises occupied by Messrs Macleod and Co. are still mine, and the retail business carried on by them was mine'till about nine months ago, when Idia'posed of it to them. I still carry on a whole; ealebusiness in the sheds and yard, lam ifrequently on their prernsßc»,"and on the &fy \ before the fire was in the shop per Lap* half !a dozen times. I was in the place up to six io'clock that evening,'the laftt timet'was 'taere that day... Mr Maclaod and Peter Kirk iwen» ; there wfeeis I, left.. ,1 w« io my offie« at two or three minutes past half-put ten .o'clock that night. I'carry the kay of my oflSee front door, which opens into my office ifronv Prince* street. In my pocket."AXwfWp in 1 for the purpose of' leaving * book .there; and was in for_ only about two minute*. 1 Was not in (the roar pi,a» plaoe^fjronn; b» tweet five iu»a ■jß,.yflmk'"..<M> ov«» jng until alter the fire b*d—fteendiocoVcred next morning. Mwleod aad Co.* Mm* *o* to* U# left in the evening at Mr Hindi*'* foi :• - - '

. the last irra or six yean, and £> calletlfor ok the morning. I have no duplicate key myself for the doors of their shop, nor am T. aware of the-existence of any, such key. ! yni) examining some keroßsnb , in. Messrs Macleod and Co.'a thfii day, that had been "justgot.'in., Itwassold byjmojfcothorn, and I opened a' tin in one of the cascs'for fche purpose of ascertaining the quality of ihc oil. None of the oil was spilled about the place. The 'Kerosene tank antler the stairs liad nevermore, I think, than a tfa emptied into it at a time. I have the -stock insured ; 1 hold the policies of insurance, which, arc as follows :—" 3STow Zealand Insurance Co., a policy dated IHh February, 1870, for £1000; and one of the 6th Jur.o. 1870, for ' £1500; London and Lancashire,' June 16th> 186S; £1000, and July 3rd, 1865), £1000; , Northern, July 10th; 1869, £1500; Victoria 1 Company, Juno'Oth, 1872,' £1000. Tlio,last: policy had been with the Northern Assurance Company, and T transferred it to the Victoria Company. By Mr Macassey: Itrans- • icrred my busineits to Messrs Maulcod and Co. \ about nine monfciia age. Th.it arrangement : was effected by a deed by which Marlcod and: " Mathescn agreed to pay me for my stock ; £7029, exclusive of interest, and in t>uditicn to that to pay me £1500 for the good-will of '■ my bvmncss, and also to kosp the stock-iu- . trade insured in my name. ' The terms were, £500 cash on handing over the business, the remainder by bills of exchnnge drawn by Calvert and Campbell and accepted by the purchasers under the style of Macleod And, Co., and bearing interest at 10 per cenfc", £1500 at-three months, £750 at four months^ £750 at five months, £750 at six month?, ■ £1250 at nine months, and £lf>29 at twelve months. The instalment in cash hasbeen paid, and all: but the two bills at nine and twelve ' months ; tho others were paid as matured. ■i "it the' date of the fife they were mdeb'Fed to « me on acconnti of this security, and of new ;• purchases, to about £7700. To cover the ij £7700 I'have £6000 to recover from the ~ Insurance) companies. The book debts j amount to £1700. Mr Maolcod will not, j that I know of, have any means by which he* • will be enabled to pay me the ontetnnding ; bill for £1500 for the purchase of the goodwill. I am also a loser' by thu .factJ that under that agreement, they had ■i my premises ate£2So a-year, and had to tn.ake ;' all purchases from me, unless.l had no sutitil able atock, and, then with my consent, the [\ object being td keep them from incurring: j; liabilities to other persons. Under this clause they made purchases from mo to the i extent of about £8000 in the whole. I used i to sell them £600, £700, £800, or £1000 . worth of goods per month, and 1 have sold r them as much as £1200 a month. Tn the t premises at the rear of their shop 1 held stock j of the. value of £4000 or £5000, Which ijiras \] not inHured, and was endangered by firw. .; An iron door from my office led into theu>jj store, but when the business was transferred ,i it was closed arid looked,' and shelves antT i! fixtures, which still stand, were put up on . i each aide of it. I had no keys or any means t; by which I could secure access to Messrs !* Mucleod and Co.'s premises. I dined at home ? that evening, and had company in my house ji —the Misses Fish. We then went to St. \ Paul's Church to practise singing. 'On leav--3 ing the mr^ 1« * wf lß accompanied by Mr j Lilly; Mrs Lamach, arid MrTowsey. Towsey ; and I went into the 'Criterion, and we played > a game of billiards there. We saw Eva there. [; After I left, I stopped at my office to leave the choir book. : I am the choirmaster, and t I keep the book in my office always, J I Men went to Court's to look for my umbrella,, r which I had mislaid. I thought I had left it t at Court's, andil fouud it there. After leaving Court's I met Eva, and expressed j my surprise to him at seeing him again. On my way home I looked in at tho Club, [ and he was w.th iuo, and looked in too. > It was about a quarter to 11 when £ y got to the Club, I, met. fitavely there, &> and we walked up the Stafford street; ;•■ hill together, as we sometimes do. , After 5 'going m 'then,' I did not leave my house t again until after the fire-bell rang. .The r bell woke me, and I went down town. So I far as Macleod is concerned, he loses the ij £500 cash which he has paid into the Imwr nosß. Under the deed 1 have power to ci- ■ amine the books of the firm. During the , nine months Macleod carried on hu dreTsr r alx>ut £170 out of the business, being slightly j under £5 per week, and" hia salary, when. ;■ he was with, me, wan £5 10s. Mr Hodgkins. [ questioned the witness relative to tho traus- ;, fer of £1000 insurance from tho Northern ;. Company to the Victoria, and he replied that ho woxild rather deal with the latter \ Company. .Messrs' Macleod and Co. had por~ t cluuted from him, including the original pnr- , chase, to the amount of £14,500, and harf ! sold to the extent of £0300. By Mr Turton z i From Mt-jjsrs Ma*.lf<dand Uo.'h books, their total liabilities were not quite £50. This is, f of course, apart from the bills referred to. i I have never rt-fused to supply them with, t goods; on the contrary, they have had every- , fhing required, and nave had goods upto [ the time of tha iirc. By Mr Macaesey: . There has been no lire in tho shop fire place for about four year» past. La»t year_ thosft [ in the shop had the uso of the fire in my r office. The pigeon box in which tho letters [ were kept in the shop was standing over the I mantelpiece. They had be<n using this firef place constantly for a week or ten days, audL I had not used it for fonr years previously. Roderick Macleod : I am senior partner in. [ the firm of Macleod and Co., and Mr r MaChe~ \ son is tho other partner, Peter Kirk locked up, on the evening previous to the fire, £». ; the absence of Dickison, and I left with Kirk • at about a quarter-p<i«t six. I wns not at the '. store that night ap'a n, and did not cntasr ife ; subsequently till after the'fire. When lock- [ ing up, tliere was no light- left on' the pro— i iu!Bes, and' the fire w,is very low. There r was nothing eiso besides the contents of the t fireplace that could have possibly caused the r fire.' I have been in the house sincelß6^;*adt . during that time. ,n.Q,pno had daj^ipate Jteya^ The"purchase .vas V satiHfactory one to me! I paid the bills puuctaally «s-they l>ecame- , due. 1 required no assistance to meet them. [ I had no bank overdraft;. Outside my liabilities to; jDalVerfc arid! Campbell, the^ mainder would be covered by £50, or at the , outside By this fire I'am a'ldseir of '. £1300 or £1400, iaclnding the £500 cash I . have paid. Apart from this lam personally liable, for the :£ISOO, for the good-wi11... I an*. qaitc certain there was no tluplicato key or | keys to the door. We have purch*«ed frosa- ! -L'ampbell, including the original purchase, t* the extent of £14,500 or £14,600. The value of the stock at. the time of the fire was about £7400— Jt wes comprised in the goods opstairs and downstairs, and in the open gootut m the shed heßimL' - John Psyton and John Lenton, in the employment of tho firm, and ■ Arthur Coxhea*l, ■ m the employment of Calvert ,^<ad Campbell^ •deposed that they did not enter the premises from the time they left them on the prevkm» ■evening, till after the fire had occurred. ■ '■" Francis Le Bran deposed that about three years ago a man named Freeman,' employed at the store, used to get the key from MrCampbell every morning. He (witness) use A : tocatl upon Mr Macleod for thekey. In crossexamination the witness stated that, he -warn not employed at the same time a3 Freemas. Ulie Coroner remarked there wan a grnxt. deal of evidence, hut nothing whatever to jlead them to a conclusion, as to how, the fir*' originated. No .motives .had bom attributed, and if any had bees, facts would haveto come before motives.. One fact did cro^ up, and that wa« that'the goods wtjr© utsured for their full, value, or very nearly no. !Ifc was within their pravintio to expteM■•» 'opinion on the practice of insuring up to foU Value, or nearly «o.::'He did not say that there was any savpicinn of incendiarwm: w thia case, btit-&6'irwat&ce/oVpmvpg,:taf-About full value would to wWe be an inance- . ment to incendiaruupt, aipd would lead other* ~ to be carelean., In this case' they .found, it ; was-ttsnaltbleavdafi^ ltorniag,lwttdja»i& fcootn a fireplace in dose proxumqr to paper '.- \ "Itrwarpointed^ontrbr Mr Hodgidm flutr '. where«th*iitoek hid fc^ worth £74<», i* .- .Was uumted,fpr £6000.—*- Hriajr 2L