INQUEST ON TOE VICTIMS.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 12019, 21 August 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

INQUEST ON TOE VICTIMS.

EVIDENCE OF DRUNKENNESS

An inquest on the victims of the Milton street fire took place at the Court House yesterday afternoon before Mr Ernest Trask, J. P., Acting Coronor.and tho-following jury: — B. 11. Mnller, E. T. Savage, Jas. Grail nm, W. A. Dee, F. O. Bianchi, and F. Healy. Mr B. IJ. Moller was cho3en as foreman. The jury having viewed the bodies, the following evidence was called by the Police : —

Dr. Andrew stated that he had examined the two bodies lying in the morgue. One was that of an elderly man charred beyond recognition, and the lower extremities gone. The c'otbing was also destroyed. Death waa cauaed by suffocation arid burning. This body resembled that of John Stewart as he had known him when, alive. The second body was that of a younger man, also charred beyond recognition. There was r a portion of clothing on the left breast. His height and build was consistent with that of John Brown. Death in this casa was due to the same cause.

by Mr Graham: He did not notice whether any toes were missing on the foot of Brown's body.

Archibald Ogilvie, coach trimmer, residing in Hardy street, stated that he knew John Stewart and John Brown. He last saw tbe;n alive on Thursday afternoon about half-past four.. He went to Stewart's place about two o'clock. Stewart told bin: he (witness) had better go and get him a tasse. He bought two bottles of beer at the Bush Tavern, and took them back to Stewart's, where they were drunk by them. The two dec9ased were perfectly sober when he left, lie was quita sober. He had a small glass of beer at the Bush Tavern.

By the foreman : He was not a prohibited person. By the Coroner : He only procured one lot of beer from the Bush Tavern. He knew the bodies were those of Stewart and Brown.

By the foreman : lie did not know why he went to Stewart's on Thursday, he was only taking a "revolution."

After witness had given his evidence, the foreman asked the Coroner to ask witness if he was snbar at that moment. The question, however, wa3 not put.

Edward George Wood, grocer residing in Grove street stated at 10 minutes to ten on Thursday evening ho noticed smoke in Miiton street coming from Bridgo street, when he got aa far as Livi^k's place he saw that it was Stewart's house that was on fire^ and he gave the alarm. George Conrad McDonald, a storeman and member of the Fire Brigade, deposed that when he got to Stewart's the house wbs on fire all over. When the Brigado got the fire under, he went inside (the top storey was then down, and saw a body lying close to tie fireplace. The chimney then came down, burying the body, and after some delay the debris wa> removed, and the body taken out He surmised that it was Stewart'e body. Subsequently a second body was found in the back part of the huilding, within a few feet of tbf back door. In bis opinion, the lattor had been trying to get out of t!i house.

By the foreman : The bodies wer not in tbo same room.

Edward Albert Dee, a member oi the Fire Brigade, stated that wher ho reached Stewart'3 the fire barcomplete hold t of the building. Uf saw the first body removed from under the bricks, and gome time aftei he found a second body. It was lyinf. on its side under a piece of iron.

Thero was no bed there. He could not say how f ir the back door would be away from the body, which he believed was Urown's.

I Charles Rol>ert Cotton, laborer, residing in Halifax street, said tbatj 'jhe saw Brown i» Milton street foe*we~n tive and si;x o'clock on the evening of the tiite. He was then prow oouding in the direction of Wakapuaka, and was carrying a basket* 'jjhe last timo ho paw Stewart was afoout a quarter to sovan on the samo fc\*minf,'. Stewart Vfaa in his home, and was ovidenfcly under the influence oE drink, as ie was staggering .ibont. Jle was coming up the passage to shut the front door with a dan tile in his band when he saw | him. Stewart slept in a room down- 3 staits, and he thought Brown sleptjJ in the same room as the upstairs war j not safe. Stewart was a man give- a to liq&uor. |He had known him *fc >r yearsJohn Norris, a factory hand, livi' jg in MiSton street, said that he liv ed in the* second house but one to Stewart's, and knew the latter very w« ill. He retired to bed about 9.80 on fche evening' of the fire, and his attention wan drawn to the smell of 'are. He niado search, and satisfied barnself thaft it was not on his prem'jses, baft fount I out afterwards that it, was iStewart'a- He went to the back of Stewart'si premises, but could, not see for smoke. He then went to the front cJoox. shook it and calle/6 out to Stewart, but received no answer. Th© shop was not on fire, but the back patt of the premises, was in flames. He then devoted his attention to his own family. By the foreman. He did not kcow whether there was anyone in Stewards house.

Sergeant Dougan said he could not swear to the identity of t&e larger body, but; he was certain that the remains of the other man wore those of John Brown- from pieces of a shirt found on the body, and from a deformity of the left foot, the result of aa accident. By Mr Graham : : A strong was blowing at the time, and: the building was an old wooden one. Witness stated that he did tihink the fact of the Noraianby being down delayed the Brigade more than a minute.

Edward Albert Dee, recalled!, said that even if the Nonmanby Bridge had been intact the reel he was in charge of would not have reached the fire before the Wood rnel. He stated, however, that he -went to the fire from the Central Station by way of Collingwond and Grove streets.

Wilfred Ernest Thomais, licensee of the Bush Tavern, said] that he knew Stewart very|well. Deceased visited his bouse between eleven and twelve in the forenoon' a-ndi had half a pint of beer, and took away with him two square bottles of beer. Ogilvie alsj called at his house between three and four in: the afternoon, and purchased threa bottles of beer. Ogilvie also had oiqo glass of beer, btit he did not know where he took the bottles. Brown was also at his house about eight o'clock in the morning, but was nxtt served with any liquor. After a short retirement, the Jury returned a verdict ia accordance with the medical evidence, viz., ' 'That John Stewart and John Brown met their deaths by suffocation and burning in a bouse in Milton street, occupied by John Stewart, and added that there was no evidence to show how the fire occurred."