Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-23
SECRET or MRS. STANDS CELLAR.

out-of-the-way spot on everybody's tongue
In their early days the Stands had had a
considerable establishment, but of late
years their circumstances had been greatly
reduced. Mr.. Shand had failed in bust
ness, and had descended in the commercial
scale to the nondescript vocation of a
commission agent" His horses first
went; most of the land formerly held with
the Grange followed; and then the serv-
ants had been dismissed one by one until
the staff of the domestics was reduced to
a maid-of-all-work and a man who came in
occasionally to keep the garden in order
and do odd work by the job
An out-of-the-way spot it was, truly
Though within three miles of Croydon
Wickstead itself is the merest rural ham
let, consisting of church, parsonage, beer
shop, and few cottages. The Grange
stood quarter of mile from the village
AN old farmhouse, only partially mod
ernized, and far more picturesque than
cheerful; in every way as bad place as
could be found for a serious fire.
Probably even those who remember the
tragic events which grew out of it will
have forgotten the circumstances of the
fire itself. 1t is necessary, then, to recur
TO them in some detail.
The first alarm was given at ) A. M
just before daybreak one morning in
March-by William Hewitt, the odd-iob
man above referred to. Hewitt lived in a
cottage about 800 yards distant from the
Grange. He was out of bed, attending to
a sick child, and was attracted by glare
in the windows By the time he reached
the house the back of the premises was
well alight. There was no help immedi-
ately available. To dispatch mounted
messenger to Croydon and call the fire
brigade was long business, and by the
time the tiremen and engines arrived the
part of the house where the fire had broken
out was completely Quilted. As it hap
peued, that portion was a small wing
which had been built on recently, having
billiard-room (now tableless) and some
smaller apartments on the ground floor.
and two or three rooms above. 1t was I'M
der separate roof, was detached by the
original outer wall of the house, and con-
tanned a separate staircase. Probably owing
TO these facts, the exertions of the neigh
bors and the iremen suficed to prevent
the fire gaining any hold on the main
building. Unfortunately, however, Mr..
Shand was on this particular night Sleep
ing by himself in this wing. The fact was
not discovered until all possibility even of
attempting his rescue was past. A few
scarcely recognizable remains found on the
following day, placed the fate of the un-
happy man beyond all doubt.
The inquest which followed threw little
light on the origin of the calamity.
Hewitts evidence pointed to the fire hav-
ing originated in little room opening
out of the billiard-room, used as a store
room, and situated Immediately under the
room where Mr.. Shand slept. He per-
sisted that he first saw the glare in one or
two of the ground floor windows, though
in that case the fire must have spread
with extraordinary rapidity. Hewitt was
the only witness of any Importance The
maid-seryant, Jane Gosling by name, had
had fit Immediately after her escape
from the house, and was still unfit to at
tend the inquest; and Mrs. Shand, though
the inquiry was adjourned for her attend
ance, vas not able to give the Court much
assistance. The following passages in her
evidence, however, acquired some i'm
portance from the subsequent development
of events.
By the Coroner-Did Mr.. Shand usually
sleep in this room Not usually. but he
had done so for two or three nights before
the fire.
Besides this bedroom, we have been told
that there was another room, which served
as a sort of study and smoking-room? Yes.
and as workshop. Mr. Shand was fond
of carpentering, and had lathe there. He
frequently worked there late. | think
the fire must have originated there.
Why? Because there was a great deal
of varnish, turpentine. shavings, and other
inflammable material about, and there was
small stove which had often told him
was dangerous.
You do not think, then that the fire
originated on the ground floor? No. The
storeroom, where Hewitt says that he first
saw the fire, was kept locked. / had the
key. The room had not been opened since
the morning of the previous day, and there
was nothing infammable there to nv
knowledge.
4 Juryman--Was there any special rea-
son for Mr.. Shand sleeping by himself
He had been troubled with neuralgia and
sleeplessness for some weeks past, and pre-.
ierred to sleep alone for that reason. He
was very fond of this particular room.
The Coroner-Did he ever take narcotics
or any remedy for sleeplessness He has
done so occasionally-very much against
my advice.
What have you known him take Some.
times choral, sometimes morphia-iniected
hypodermically.
Do you think he might have taken any
on this particular night? | only know
that he had bottle containing morphis
in his bedroom. At this point the witnes:
almost tainted.
Mrs. Shand, though 40 years of age, was
still an attractive woman, and one of those
women who look doubly attractive in their
grief. The Coroner was tender-hearted
man, and he asked her no more questions.
And that, therefore, was all the informa-
ton ELECTED at the inquest, width ended
in verdict of " Accidental death"
As not unfrequently happens, however
there was other evidence not far off which
gave much more serious complexion tc
the occurrence. And there was anothe,
body in the background far less easy tc
satisfy than Coroner's jury. That body
was the Monument Insurance Company
The deceased man, Isaac Shand, had beer
an agent of this company, and had effected
in his own behalf considerable insurance
in the Office. His life had been insured
only three months before his death for ar
additional 81 900, making his policy in all
one of e5,00o, and he had policy on his
furniture and household effects of the sum
of g, 800.
A week had elapsed since the close Of
the inquest when Mr.. Capper, the Manag
ing Director of the insurance company
entered the Office of Mr.. George, the com.
pany's solicitor, in response to an urgent
summons.
We have got some further evidence in
the Wickstead case said Mr.. George
(which / felt it necessary to communicate
to you at once, for it has very ugly look
about it."
"Arson?" queried Mr.. Capper.
If it's that, it's worse, as you know,
replied the lawyer. " Just listen, and draw
your own conclusions. We have inter.
viewed Jane Gosling, the servant girl
who, as You remember, was too ill to ap
pear at the inquest. Here is her state.
ment, as our man took it down from hel
own lips:
uso, tba n;obf ~ the fro wont f,, ba1