THE LATE FIRE IN GEORGE STREET. THE INQUEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 559, 16 August 1862, Page 6

THE LATE FIRE IN GEORGE STREET. THE INQUEST.

An imiiic-t v,,is hell Oil 'Tues lay, at iheTlo; nl (Tcovge Hot^l, b.'fire Tlniry Ho^ovth, IW[., Coroner, iirto ibo ci ! l j^ ot" the Fi.e, whu-U ot:u:ic«l oh TliUf-ildj uW.tlivt, at the premise of Lr'nrw Aiv^u tvs FKuhti". Erne I" i»i'!jniß'jh,aiar[juncei rjbidinirbdiii.il Fischer's \Kcniis' *„ cUmio. o I t!\at ou tUo night iv queotion, lie iv '':cl, iviitl v.i? awaUcm.il li\ tke lia,hf of th<- Rio. The fla ics «eie t'iea only co'iiin^ norn tin? root of the ii.v !; of the buiMinq. j)elie\e 1 tli.'.t, Lho i\ro ori.'iiufi 1 1. iic.li' t > st'i'-'e in I c voikshon. li.id hvl a iiiC in tii it '•tove until i o k cloc!\ t'idu ntV i iio jii ; li,', I bu^n „t \.oi 0 : until h.ilt'-pi-.f 7. Mi. Fjichoi ma.mi'aclurod \n tlias-t.^ on V.v ])ivnii ps. Tbna is d co:i-/kliiulilo iliuintitv vi' s-triw uu'loi tl.c ft > v ot I've Cmiit i,ho)». 'jL'lioli: \i".i-i uu f-trav. ii jar l! .<> k, .'hit tllUi'O «<lL'.uv, tiojit, ntul In r in uln 1 •„ ■: U-liop when wiinc-5 1 it the ii.cnii'js. Mi: Fii Jn r(i i ( tod in wo ua!>voi' iio 1: .uto i!ie v.oiLshoi', in I i'ltiv «,i> i lit'h'stiMW .iiid It. 1 If b.'si.lo . iJu u-iir'c -'i'i;> vt. «•>.» t '!'( J' jt lo>l_', illnl i? 1' 'l> •' i ii 'Ml t- v ,1, ; i b'ld o!;i,ii- , p;p • ;i f > c'io >t) i h ,r .■ ' " i ,- 1 I i-o'i . i _,i '!' .i I ...

1001. . ..i ■ i' 1- il ' ii o • , i o I- Oi. dill tlu stov ■[ io ioni-ic lhi ■• i ' i ,i.. v f>, ;>') j i -,\ i~

il'OMc I- ot i_ i L '.'v.t ii n i^iit Wl.fii \.itiit;--. ii n, 111 1 » »_ iiiciii tlic-'ui.c „i ijuiro i) it, an 1 all mj 1 mod v.ifo l^neu t!i.if-.\lr. Fi-en 'i 1 \\.i> :ii. uoilv up till H o'e'oek kaii'i^ ilo^k. Did not know want muouiit or propmty was (in the pronii.-co jit, the time of the fi' p e. Kueu ihcio was a ;\Ue o\ Auction some tune sine 0 , and the ■-tock ii vl aiiuo been lrnlun hod. The roof was oi shin ,'e-. I.i i oply to questions by the jury, llu uitne^s sai ! that Jio h il n'lj'io.l Jntii.i^ru c.uiri^uhli tic fuc. Did not see Mr. Fisjha' .■■ i.lj thelums-o v, .;-, burui \;i Fi=cher lin.il lo'cl him th it lie jumpc I out ot window with )u< v, ife. an 1 knew t iat a load ut'sLr.iw liail licon luil i |% « th..t afici'ii'iun. a. I -towul uv, jy lio;i';aUi the floor. '!ho floor buauh "f Iho front &hop were not clo^o to,; tlier, they li-ci suriiuk. Jdlui (Jiato, uu 'tit neer, dep >yd. that ha held a sale .-„£ Mr. Fi-:!:c:\ !il>c>ir v tiu lll'l ,ful> . f-'o[fi ill nil betue^n L(j() ami 1.70 ».orLh of furniture j cou^Mcivd there w, ic ; then left fully L2'JO worth. I'i'itx Sobliiter, j iiDlictn, <it piesc.'it ;i vsailcv ot tinCsifiii'i Hotel, w.'nl '<li>ifc on tha 7Ji A'i^u-t he -.vent i<) buy I'lmrh \t F.-^'hci's, and Jilva. l''i-ch"r showei] him so ne v/i.ii'h di I not *~«i ifc, t>he sl.c }>;i I jio another t ; :u\* o;iU '3 or 4 clnirs iii t\. fio'it sh'jj) lor -ample 1 . Co iM not mv wiiat &!oc\ twits \\ .-. itai'Viiibsrcil lulling SsiytM.ir i'.i'c'h".! that ho c mid not ', -o vu;j,>l c lut I'i^olic r's, on a^i juiu oftne iiial'n:'^ oi the - Mk. Wia All\ sndoi, a n i;!ilinir. d_,>o3ed to lnviu^ l.ii.- • L rh'; c .iiiiiicy .t- Is iiu d.in. ci.m,. MonK anotiitr n i,hboi'r, ))■•».! on t,!'e ni h' r .hi.ii, • i.ii, -tvM 1 Mr. Fi em r ,it in ■ Jio • ili'Oi" o. !• lio :-e in hi 1 . ni- r !it dr«^ ; \.u->o^s jm-.!) ;'! hi-n ;\ ! "'■'. .nil v.-i'h riie li'lpol c'liotlioi- m;.:i, biokeop>-i th i'l.int v In lo v. .md irot i^it 1- or 5 '„; 1., „n'i -2 jiil'o > , Saw Mi- lu-.elii.r iuieiv.u.is -il Uruaei I -:, :i id two uoiren a!-o in fail iii^iiL dies^e^ ; they all appd.ire'l mu^li < j xcit d. A'"^>i-t t-, l'iscliev, u])Iio!-teror, on who'o premise-, Uio the coiurcd, alter beini; canlioriol, ..tal.« 1 t .it lit-, In us) was, oi' vvoo,!, and \,,is raiM-.! on pi!c X . Th • wliule ot the iDidor purfio.i win bo.irded round, uin' v..i>uscl a; a'fli.u' f< :• sio^isisi .-tiaw. A lo.d of •-ti'AW v:h jili<.jl there m the .ifteiM'iMii, pnd tliei'i' weie tor ~> c\>t. theie liifon 1 ; theie %s>.ro al-o rl'uu! 10 or 1- bundL's ot sli.iw in the \, ork --hop. Thoie \v-;ip a<i!nntit"y of edar over the i afters in the vorksliop. There v.ore tv.-o work banchc-', and the was st.uniiiu; listwyju the two. Tlie^tOMj \v\h .v'.MUt 0 iuclif's in (.luuueU'f. and \va, u-e I fov iuj'tiiiy, mue. 'L lie file u'.is<mniin-.' ;dlcr dark. Vritiv>s w.i,it will!; iato tli.it iii 'lit, liavin:* "-oiii^ fiiniitiue to iinl-h for a ctnni ycu it-r. He wont to ho I about 11 o'e! i'c, and b' f < i j d"iii,'.«) f i^teno 1 all tiie do.irs. .'Jt " Ik 1 na 1 !ve v • time a>lrei\ he w,i^ :nvp].:eneJ b^ r. no'-j, aid I i ird 3 Miivthluij li!>e hail f.dlina on th ' "k)F. On loo.", nut ot' "Siiiu'ln,! he p.uv sparks, i..d hi- th 'i jtii.ipi 1 ! out of be i and opened the \-iii'')>\. 'iii'l l!i'' -I'uu-- a-il Muoke oa'ne into the ronui. Lie i lien <■ i imi •• i.- LL ' ' fia> ' 'to Mr.-,. Fischer <»-i>l iMUilit her by Utv »ii_hii .i.' l^, an 1 Ki'Ji jumped out oi' '.lie wind" 1 tk 1 1 .or. andaimo^t at the i.iou out two „1' Jiu'Uii (."ime o\er t) th(> house i". a-iK- •,' one of diem tj mvo Ih\ cisli i>'v.. Tlu piv:u---- uerj i.otu-ed in the liiiporiil In^i'MH-o 'tlh'jo tlie ln>-i f, L-.no : sto.-k, 1.5U0 ; aid lion -J toll ctV ets, L.jO ;in all LSOO. Neva- had t'io policy ot' lu.--ut.inPL ; th > rec i. t ior thf pi'e•niuiii i.i th i\i-h ho 1 : waifh w it> !o^t. Xcver tjl 1 any o.ie t . Ihe lnd su ed the ret 1 'ipt. jßemembCi'el ?.Tr. Oiriu" akin,' him in the pre-ence oi 1)( tfetive Tuckv.e'l, wii.-re the leiviptw.o, and h > replied "Am [ bouml to tel you v. iieiv the receipt i« '"' c- he fe i'\ ' if he -.id it v.m=. ln.t tli.it, he niiAt not b. al'le toieeovei tho i.ia'ira.i'V. The bo iris of 'he siUiiictroo.il il>or \.cro bhruiik, biU thecl'i's I u'CiV i it m A'a than .iv ei-jbthof an inch aptifc. Thire l"i 1 hi ju i ii^e bumincj in the sitting ro^ru that day. 'L'liero wa? a piioe of zinc bj'bre the fi'ephev, eoiitd not in any u.>\- aecoanb lor fr- the fire. T)U not eonsilir the -to\e d nine' ous. lKdtie.'ii t'i]il l)j "Mr. Ih'aiuHh ot the sparks from it, and h., 1 orleivd the men not, to u-.o it aftur dark. XV is sure the tire in the ktoi j «.i, put out, bm was not I'OMtlvi- about that Hi tlie oittini; rojin, os Ji2 Id' tli.'.t li Mrs,. Fwel't-r. Ttn re v.a-sno one in the ho'i-e attli--' tii.iu of the fire but hi^ wife and iiim^ if. Was ijoj .iw.ue \. ht're t *n * fiio Ihvt bro'.e out. Hal a vile Mime ,seek^ aj;o, a:i(Ksj! 1 about I. H worth. Ooiim vlcied llie sio 'c .iMh'j i,'iii" i"oluli n? "•af»ri,J . ti bo wo-.l'i L',<l' i,i f.7' l ' M' ' t hi\e !i. ■ in a' out Ll'> oth ,i k i'iniluv .a,: i mafLiid t iii( > t l i- >'„ :u< > 'i i . I i!n> Vo k in h;\' d si the uiu- uf tv ft,, v.ovji £v),">o. Uc li.iiiULd in v exhuifins an Ostim ite of£j,J4

Chirloftf Fis'brr tV,-o^.l t'lat slic was the v ife of Vugiistu? Vl^U t JiOlo c <„(;;■ a; io ijed that nl^liL pui some wet woo.l i.cro-s tiiu hon bus oi'tlic ihrjil.ue. Th ie were th'jn only a fey spaiks burn'im. Did ii»t Io i!c about the hou--" Iv'bru to bwl To -,"(' tint all was -ate. Tihv • -,\ us a pL-rc' of oil cloth iinilcl o\i-r thi- /in« in fro if of the fi e place. Tlvre Wfi'i* cvac'n.s in thj iloov, V,\\\ -,\\e \\\\\ not think spirk--. coidd fall thmnrli. Afl< > Vio had been asleep soiua time *-he was ;.w.d.tn.j(l '•, 'tU: Fischur, v.'ho ojwncd tbc window, and they jruii»jl out t "ether. Ileuiy lleamUhdepo. • 1 that, buiiift- awakened by one of his lo'l^lT j, ise I iij'fed out and saw l'l.imca coiaiin; through the ioef nf Fisuhoi's woikshop, about ay.uiiili tnnl from t!i- > Lovo-pipe. Gave tiie nlann to his Io 1 tiers, and told them to haM 1 jircsanca c>f niiiul, and to uxeit tlv u.-tlvu-; to s.iveail the pioperty they could. His bo ,-v ■> as, burnt down. Kememlicro 1 tellii!" I'i^ehov of the s>tove-pipe three weeks :i"o Vi>cber t'u-n icpHc 1. tl> it it w.is perfectly vinL t ; that ih»n: was no dau'^jr, as <hey weio o.ily'burninir sliavin^s. Hal not, noticed any sparks mucj. Wa« nut himself insiu'C'l. L. Y\. Carter, insurance clerk to t^e Imperial Insurance Company, «a; i.fc the scene of t!n> iire in iji'iir^e-btryet, a'to'io a cj" ( i:'t n r pa>»t 12 o'clock <m tW rftli instant. San- ifr. Fi'st'lici-tliiiin^ the iuoitu',, • and ;rl:ed him ii lie could toil in wji.it part of Hit '>uililii', r tlio tire brnLo our, and if he saved anitJii'y lie rep ie I, notliln^. \Vh"ii ." *\&] if lie !, • I n.i t ! \ • c.isli iii)\, he rep'i'vl, nn ; v.ii wh^n wew >c - - I•■ " [ •■upiio < -c y<iu luwe lost th." lecupt, ' licai-l. "Nn ' Vritne s then asked vl.eiv it u%n, ami he .Mid "'T.ii'jV my bus n 's-s.' 1 He con! i ;,'ivo no iufonnatiiii as to how the lii'o ori-;inati\l, and when asl.cl if he ban hive/1 liii books, lie j,aid no, in the presence of Detective Tnckwoll. The jury fuund tlio following verdict :—: — Tiie Jury are of opinion tint the' lire originated in Ihe premises of Augustus Fischer, of (teoi-je-strcet, Dii'ielin, but ho« or l>y what nioaub tlu tire <iri^in.:tcd, there ii vot'iinc; in. the oviiknoo t > .-.how, and they fmther wish to a>Kl as a rider the annexed.

JIIDEIt, TJie foreiinn and jury unanimously cili the bciious attesiUon of the Town Bo;ud and hwnrancc t/onipnnics of Dmiclin, to tiie necessity of iinmcrliatelv promuitisj large and seiviceable tiie engines, and oi [> mixing a coin;vt_'iic firo biityaile. und would fur thei direct the iiUeinion of the Tuwu Board to tlio necevnty ofesUvbiulnn^ tv.ilvs ov rcseivoiva in suitable p.uts of the Town, to furni»li a supply of water for .-,uc!i euaines.

TaAivu Ti.mk uv Tiir, l^mKi.ocK. — According tv a'vii'cs looeivetl i : rini Dutcli (iovernmenfc, the Tempo ml Emperor of J ip.m wns nuueied on the 10th of January last, bid " a o and that of hia wife amounting to only thirty-two Mm>. " Ii will be rciiiirked," say 3 Uie Indepemlance YMf/c,iefeiTiugto liie verdict of arquittal on Al.MirtM, " that the jiuli,ui.\it ovJcr.s that all the docunuuts s-iz^d sb-ill hu i .turned, wlohcut expanse. Tliiu-licj! v li'ii'ii contains them is (>f colo^.il '7.0,, ami ■\vii;U < N more Uian OOvJli/s. What is aUo co!o ial in the sili'div is the expenses of the trial ; the verification alone has eo?t 2"2,000f., and the more copying of the documents, which Muds required for lih defence, 70u0f. Although the judicial expense* ai c borne by the Stito, the trial has cost the accused more tbun '200,0001. And yet the Constitution fays that justice is gratuitous. What would it be if it was not V