Worcester daily spy., 1860-01-26
The Fire Inquest.

The fire inquest on the late fire in Stones
Block was concluded yesterday. The follow
ing is the additional testimony given in:
John II. Wood, hoseman of Yankee Engine
Co. No. 5.-Was one OF the first persons at the
fire on the night of the 18th inst. He describ-
ed tile fire materially as the Others Had
charge of one of the hose in the building l
have had considerable experience at fires of
the kind; should not have noticed that there
was fire in the building, had he been passing
at the time; found matches back of the cellar
door; found a cellar window broken could
not say whether it was broken before or after
the fire; if broken before, the amount of fire
might have been raised in fifteen or twenty
minutes, otherwise it might have been burning
an hour; saw no appearance that the fire was
set III any place except under the cellar stairs !;
| thought the door between the two stores was
| closed when he went in it could not have been
burst open by streams of water; it could not
have been opened by the heat because the vent
was the other way he was in the vicinity of
the building at 101 o'clock.
Waiter Gdtes-Passed the place of fire be.
tween 81 and 10 O'Clock; saw no light in Mr..
Knowlton's store at the time; saw light in
the second story over Mr.. KS store saw no,
thing in particular to attract attention saw
light in the front window; think there was no
curtain at the window.
FeL{r p. Mor1cay and jeremiah FoLey, passing
in sleigh at the time, testified to smelling
smoke Went to the house of DIR. Buxton,
adjacent, and informed those there. Came
back to the store and found the windows hot,
and discovered fickering light inside. In
mediately raised an alarm.
Luke hnOocton, occupant of the grocery
store, left there little before nine o'clock, the
doors all fastened; examined them himself
personally, lights all put out and stores left all
safe Heard the alarm of fire at his house,
forty rods distant.
Charles KnoCiton, brother of last witness,
helped close the store that night, near nine
o'clock, and carried home the key Left ev-
cry thing safe.
j. S. Woodworth, Insurance Director in the
old Worcester Mutual office,-Should think
the fire when put out had been burning one
and half hours.
w. w. Sprdgue.-Went to the store a little
| past 9 last night to make purchase, and saw
light presumed Mr.. Knowlton was inside
and did not want to be disturbed Tried the
door and found it locked.
The case was then submitted to the Jury,
who, after an hours deliberation, rendered the
following
| VERDICT.
First-That the said fires first originated
between the hours of 9 and 104 o'clock, in the
evening of Jan. 49, 1860, and were discovered
about haf-past ten o'clock
! Second-That these fires originated by being
kindled, the one in the cellar stairway, mum.
bered 307, and occupied by the said Luke
Knowton for the sale of his merchandise, and
the other fire originated by some combustible
material being placed and kindled nearly sim
ultaneously on the floor of said store, number.
nd 9O5, and occupied by said Timothy S.
Stone as his boot mandatory.
Third-That these fires originated and were
designedly set by some person or persons to
the jurors unknown. Signed by George
Chandler, foreman; Tilly Raymond, Stephen
Taft, Levi Barker, L. N. Childs, and Pliny
Holbrook.