New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-31
& RAvENSWOOD CATASTROPHE.
nrATH OF MR. s1EITzz.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
sxmcu HELD TO BAIL IN $4,000.
FUNERALS OF THE VICTIMS, &c.

II q IL O'Clock. when ne oieo- no ""u "'o" " "''
sb,ment Of Mr. French but two or three days Both o.
kgs and one Of his arms were broken his face was bad
kkused and bis body considerably bruised ana burned
Suffered exceedingly until his death Little know
Leaning him. He was but partially conscious and could
b, no account of himself or Of the terrible accident.
m Jury met at O'Clock yesterday morning, as pei
Isomment, at the residence of Coroner Boyd, in st
kress Row. but the verdict was not rendered until IL
ydsct AM.
Duipg the interval from until III o'clock, the Coro
rs residence visited by large number of the rela
IN and friends Of the deceased all ipatienty anxious to
ksv the result Of the inquiry
IAtIli o'clock the Jury returned the following
VERDICT.
Sat< of Nep York Queens County-An inquisition in
d and taken for the people of the State Of New York.
kAs Court roon in the village of Astoria in said county
r., the view of the bodies Of Ann Burns Mary Hague,
u Malcolm Mary Malcolm, Jno o Brien, JDO. Downey,
n Grornley, John Riley Ellen Mcdonald, Mathew Hand,
Enss Foley. Emma Ryan Mathew Ryan. and H. Bray,
~ the oaihs Of Samuel Ii Moore, VIM ii. jackson WIN.
kIpchmore Thomas Calvert f. A Crssey, Saml Morris,
Ter Qainlan. VIM williamson and Roe II. Smith, good
Ia lawful men of the said County, who, being duly
horn 10 inquire the part of the people of the State OF
York into all the circumstances attending the death
Ehe aforesaid persons and ia what manner, an when
kvhere the said deceased to their deaths do
- their oaths aforesaid that the aforesaid persons
L. to their deaths in the following manner to wit:
u We un0 tndt the bhlu uecchscu Cdule W tlelI
La between the hours of and O'Clock in the after
o Of the 2h day of January inst by the explosion of
in the building used for the manufacture gun
idres used by Erasmus French situated neAr Harris
updery in Ravenswood, Queens Co, L. l., aud that the
IRONS above named were at that time actually employed
4 The manufacture of gun-cartridges in said build
=, We further find that before and at the time
y such explosion lamp fed by alcohol was used
n beating grease necessary for making the car
Ir2ees; that there were between 400 and 500 pounds
Y guDpowder in said building, and that the
sbsion was caused BY carelessness and negligence in
Sse Of said lamp We further find that there at
n time Of said explosion fifteen to twenty persons at
III in said building most OF whom were children that
II building was only Is by 25 feet and much too small
csnying on with safety the business for which was
Ia that the arrangements for heating the building
Re very defective, there being stove used for that
pose without any fender or znc that the proprietor
SINUS French was absent from the building at the time
he explosion, and that the person in charge was fe
he Of not sufficient age experience properly to super
END the work, OF the persons employed
"A witness whereof well the said Coroner as the Ju
n Aforesaid have to this inquson set their hands and
k the day and the ate Of this inquson aforesaid
ei'''d' s SANG hoS moo SsE"1 Foreman
And the rest of the Jury.
The same jury held an inquest during yesterday forenoon
the body of Andrew Carney who died on Sunday after
kcn at CLOCK The verdict the in the
the others AT the conclusion of their abors in this case,
Jury presented their thanks to Coroner Boyd in the
Blowing paper:
We the persons mpanneed to examine into the cause of
u explosion in Erasmus Frenchs gun cartridge manu-
Ivory which resulted in the death of fifteen per
more. do hereby express it as our opinion that the
ner John L. Boyd, Esq, is not only deserving of
hanks but Of the plbc in general for his unremtng ex
ktom to obtain testimony, and his very patient and
borough investigation of the same.
skbed, sAML. ii MOORE. Foreman, and the Jury.
Mr. Boyd acknowledged this in appropriaeterms thank
b the Jury for the able in which they had dis
|Aarged their duties.
r A.. H. .-oI
Mr. hench to give bail in the of $4,000 to appear
iss tho GrsSd Jury Of Queens County sitting at the
cut House in Hampstead the first Monday in March
bsH
VISITORS AT THE RUINS THE SHOP YESTERDAY.
Dppg the whole day yesterday there was large mum
|er Of reope-men women and boys-about the scene of
explosion Many of the friends Of those who suffered
bdden and awful death in that i'll fated building still
listing the spot in search of fragments of flesh or
zone once belonging to those and dear TO them Sew
rl Of the persons killed completely blown to pieces
bat their friends were unable to find the smallest
gms nj that they could lay claim to- The anxiety of these
eople was reat indeed prompting them to search the
eds for half mile around in the vain hope OF finding
ONE small particle of nanimate humanity that they could
ienfy as portion of lost friend Their arches how
YER were fuitless-everyhing had been collected and
kee poor heart sick people debarred the privilege
of shedding the tear of grief or planting flower over
graves Of those they loved unless they would do it over
ha common one which contains the unidentified remnants
1 several bodies
Many there were who visited the hed and backened
lie Of the building from curiosity, all carrying away with
hem some Of the thousands Of bullets lying around TO be
eposted in some nook remembrancers of
the most shocking caasrophes that chroni-
kd
FUNERALS
At 81 clock in the afternoon, three collins containing
he remains of George Malcolm, Mary Malcolm and Mary
isgre were taken TO the Court House. followed by the
,ouners and large number of the citizens of the place
II Boyd had caused large coffin to be made abou'
s in length and other dimensions in proportion in which
deposited the unclaimed portions Of bodies that had
picked up in the vicinity of the explosion This coffin
'~ also brought to the Court House
The Rev Mr. STEAD pastor Of the Presbyterian Church
Astoria here delivered short but appropriate funeral
ddress lie commenced by reading portions of the a9th
alm and Goth chapter of Revelations He said that the
ccssion upon which they met of unusual solemn
VT to perform the last duty of burial to those who
ut day two since full Of life and hope as any
resent The sad and melancholy circumstances underwh,h
'es persons came their DEATH threw dark pail of
over the OCCASION they had been suddenly taken from
nong while in the full possession oheah and happiness
ven while engaged at their daily abor-without the least
aiming such occurrences were powerful lessons to the
wing. teaching them the uncertainty of life. Lord
make me to know mine end, and the measure Of my
days, what II is; that may know how frail ! am
Behold thou hast made my days an hand breadth and
nine age is as nothing before Thee verify every man at
Nm for to be prepared to meet end Hear thon
word of the Lord BE ye also ready" While we are
hus sdmo nshed how uncertain life is God is constantly
apc upon us to embrace the present perhaps the on
IN eterDify