A Suspicious Affair.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 244, 8 January 1889, Page 2

A Suspicious Affair.

THE RESULT OF A WOMAN’S TEMPER. An inquest was held at Wellington on Saturday into the circumstances of an outbreak of fire on Christmas morning on the premises of Alfred Riggs.—lnspector Thomson explained that the enquiry bademanatsdfrom the police in consequence of several strong statements which had been made in a letter by Mrs M'Kechnie, tbe next door neighbor, reflecting upon her own husband.—Ellen M'Keobnie deposed that she had no knowledge who set fire to Riggs's premises. She admitted she wrote the letter produced by Inspector Thomson, in which she accused her husband ot firing ths house. She was in a temper when she wrote it, and there was no truth in the statement* it contained.—Tbe Coroner then read tbe letter, whioh was as follows Thursday. “ Aiick—This is nice work you are going on with. You come up on Tuesday morning, and Mt fire to Riggs’ house. Again you are the

very man leaped over the' fence, and I see you and I'll take my oath it is it as you dun it, and what thrsats you give mo. All the detectives were up with me about the fire. Yea also wrote to ms and you said you would give me a surprise. I will tall everything yoq said tome. You are just as good as a murder to do such a thing, to set firs to that house to burn me and my child. I will go as tar as I can on you. I see you stand in my vard that morning, and more than me too. The insurance men are coming up hers to day about itI could not call you anything but a murder to do such a thing.” Th* letter was nut signed. —lnspector Thomson said the detectives had cleared up the matter, and could prove what M’Kechnie was doing, and where he was all night. Aa Mrs M’Kechnie had withdrawn her statement it waa no use taking up time in proving an alibi. — The Coroner (to Mrs M’Kechnie): Whatever possessed you to writs euoh a letter as this?—The witness passionately replied that she was in a temper because her husband had not slept one night in his own houro for eleven weeks. She also said he had repeatedly threatened to shoot her.—Annie Riggs deposed that she, and not

her husband, was ths owner of the premises. The houM was locked at the time of the fire, and the key was in her posMssion. Six months ago M’Kechnie was beating his wife, and witness remonstrated. He then said he would burn the places down, but did riot specify whioh house or honses he meant — M’Kechnie denied on oath that he had ever threatened to butn dewn the house. After reading hie wife’s letter be handed it over t > - Detective Ohrystal, whom h* had tol*pk*Mf.l (Or,—Th* jury ntutMd m eptb v*rti«t.