The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-27
WHERE Is THAT SILVER?
The All important Question In Gro
toms Fire Inquest.
NOT FOUND IN THE RUINS.
Charged ON the Schedule ~ Lost-Ths
Hurds Claim IL Was Left In
CIoset--Insursncs People Deny II and
VIII Not Pay.

, AVER, Mass, July N.--The Groton hre
inquest was resumed yesterday. DR..
Hurd was called. He proved q very neg
ativs and forgetful witness, much of his
testimony consisting of denisis of knowl-
edge OF his own goods and their value ct
the time OF tho hres. Ex- District Attor-
nsy Stevens frequently interrupted At
torney Burns In the examination.
Attorney Burns called about q dozen
Hoar, proprietor OF the Central House,
where the Hurds boarded after the fret
dre. She testified Mrs. Hurd told her
that she visited the house on the night
before the second fire, that she filed
lantern to be hung on the door bell and
This was the point that Mrs. Hurd en-
phatically denied yesterday. Mrs. Hurd,
told her, she continued, that some col
ored psor.s might have fired the house.
II. A. Johnson, Groton's chief of police,
who directed the search OF the ruins,
said that he made thorough search and
in 1.-THE southwest corner OF the cellar
found knives, forks, spoons, crockery,
etc. There were several baskets of mol
ten metal and debris which were carried
to the Justices Office by Officer Johnson's
assistants.
DIR. Clark, adjuster for the Imperial In
surance Company, testified: Saw DR..
Hurd the day after the first fire and told
him to make q schedule of the loss; he
said 10 would take several days; told him
j would come to Groton again Friday
and he promised TO have tho schedule
then; came Friday and learned that the
house bad been totally destroyed the
night before; saw DIR. Hurd and asked
him about the fret schedule; he said he
had paPtlv camnlatad nua buf IN had
been destroyed the night before with the
house; asked him to make second
schedule and he'said he could do so In a
few hours; he went to the hotel and con-
suited his wife.
He came back in about two hours and
had the schedule; told mo IL was made
hurriedly and probably insccuratelyj
went to the hotel, met Mrs. Hurd, and
had dinner; talked the schedule over
with DR.. Hurd after dinner; said IL was
customary in cases Of hurried scheduling
TO deduct 30 per cent from the ow ner's
estimate; did 20 and offered him t15O1
In payment; he consulted his wife, re-
turned in q short time and accepted my
offer; told him he could have the money
In 90 days, or II he wanted 10 at once
would deduct one per cent; said he would
wait 60 days. eliminated from the
schedule all Of DR.. Hurd's professional
books and implements as not covered by
the policy on household effects, made
other minor changes, but left the sched-
ule practically as made out by DIR. Hurd.
Theodore &. Hurd. clerk Of courts, and
father OF DIR. Hurd, was the last witness.
He had heard of the goods being shipped
TO Cambridge from his sons wife; she
also told about buying the trunks, TAX
ing part OF the goods from the chest and
taking two trunks to Boston; told him
OF her great fears lest any articles
charged had by mistake been previous
ly sent to mbridge; she seemed much
frightened; he told her she had been
very foolish and sent her right home; he
took the checks from her, gave them to
Dillingham;, and told him to go to Wor-
cester and get them, bring them to his
home in Maiden, to allow no one to see
them till he heard from him; Dillingham;
knew nothing OF the Significance or con-
tents of the trunks.
He saw his son and told him to tell his
wife to make full explanation to the I'm
eurance company; saw Mr.. Choate and
told him about the trunks he replied:
1--WE have them already" Witness told
him he wanted the trunks examined full
ly by both parties, and went with his son
to Maiden.
He examined the schedule of goods
shipped in the chest to Cambridge; IL
contains SO items; of these only three are
charged In the fire schedule as lost. OF
the goods in the trunks sent TO Dilling-
hams house, only four articles are
charged In the fire schedule.
Judge Atwood rested the case until the
stenographic report OF the evidence has
been written up, when he will give his
finding.
The point OF contention has been az to
the solid silver ware. The Hurds claim
II was in a closet up stairs, and lost in
the second fire. The insurance people
claim IL was not In the closet, but had
been taken away. 1t was charged on the
schedule as lost.
They introduced evidence tending to
show that no silver ware was seen In the
closet by parties having access to 1t.
They also had the ruins raked over, but
no silver ware was discovered. The
Hurds say that the silver was In the
house, that since the fire anybody could
20 there and take what they wanted.
The insurance company claims that It
has evidence enough to refuse payment Of
a a