The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-23
THE STINER HOLOCAUST.

Second Day OF the Inquest Into tho
Origin Of the Firc-P1cpty of Evidence.
hut No Facts or Informat iOn-Tho
Mystcry OF the Fire rs Dark as Ever.
At one O'Clock yesterday afternoon the Stiner
Inquest was resumed before Coroner Kessler. IL
was hoped by both Coroner and jury THAT the evl-
dence would be all taken yesterday but the fond
antlcipations were not realized. and 1t is probable
two days will eiapse before conaiusion is ar
rived at
THE INQUEST.
The first witness examined yesterday was Mr..
Charles Wolf, foreman OF Engine Company No. 8.
He stated that he heard the alarm at 6:l9, and
four minutes alter that :23) he and his men were
at the scene OF the fire; one and half minutes
after they arrived (6:24}al they had two streams
of water working. He then told how the ladders
were placed. against the windows and his men got
in. This and other particulars were published in
the HERALD the morning after the fire.
MEssRs JOHN s. FISHER
and Monmouth B. Wilson, OF the insurance patrol,
were next examined. but their testimony threw
no light on the subject Of the fires origin lit was
merely statement OF what they had done to save
the furniture.
The next witness called to the stand was
Thomas Higgins, the man who had put in the fur
mace and done the TIN work on the building Tor MIR.
Decker, the former owner OF the house. Very
naturally Higgins SAID the fire could not have
originated from the furnace or aues OF this he was
positive, but he could give no theory OF how or
where the ire originated. His testimony is I'M
porant Tor the reason that 1t refutes ana contra
diets that OF the putler who was examined on
Wednesday,. MIR. Higgins says thatit would be i'm
possible Tor a man to stand on TOP OF the shutters
on the back OF the house and from there reach the
gutter, and furrher that that were possible, he
could not have drawn himself up as the cornice
would not support his weight. When Mr. Higgins
had finished several OF the jurors said they had not
believed the buffers story from the start.
OFFICERS PHILLIPS AND MEIGHAN,
Of the Nineteenth precinct station were examined,
but beyond liking the time at which the fire first
tin.ony was OF no Importance. Sergeant Roberts.
of the same precinct, was also examined. He cor
roborated the testimony OF his men.
CAPTAIN GARDNER,
Of the Nineteenth precinct on peing called, retod.
| in substance, the testimony OF the three fore
going witnesses, and added that he had found the
| coat of which Miss Kahn hao spoken on the day
| previous; the, coat, he said belonged to Mr..
| Joseph Stiner, as he found bank book belonging
| to him in it. 1.-THE coat ana bank book produced.
and recognized 10y members OF the family as be-
| houses on the block, having been taken from tho
| street by some OF the servants.
MR.. DECKER,
the builder and former owner OF the house, was
called To the stand. He displayed the plans for
the building and showed how 1t was constructed.
Coroner hermann, who appears for the Stiner fam
lily, was rather severe In his examination OF thu
witness, and was very near inducing him to say
the contracts awarded, &c. Mr.. Decker, discover
Ing the drift OF the questions put TO him, became
very cautious as to what he SAID IN answer. The
witness had theory as to how the IRE occurred,
but he was almost confident 1t could not have
originated from defective hue or range.
Ex-ALDERMAN ROBERT M'GiNNisS
was next called. He testified that he had exam
ined the buildings when they were erected, beng
at that time deputy inspector IN the Department.
OF Buildings. Mr. McGlnniss detailed to the jury
his search OF the premises the day after the fire.
To sum up he said that he had not discovered the
origin OF the fire, and 1t was mystery to him; no
way could he satisfy himself as TO how 1t began or
where's when he went to examine the ruin he had
several theories, but nvestigaton dissipated them
! one by one.
| When Mr.. McGinnis, who has more experience
| about fires than any man in New York. cannot tell
OF the origin this fatal confagraton 1t Is doubt
! ful whether 1t will ever be known.
The inquest will be continued to-day, at two
| O,clock