The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-17
COrOners, Inquests.

DEHTH OF A MIsERLY BEGG ARA SCENE OF HORROR.
Coroner O'Donncn yesterday held an inquest the
body of named Mary Bogart, 80 years of age,
a native OF New Jersey, who was found dead in
basement, cellar, situated at No East Clinton place,
located in the Eleventh ward The presented
or most revolving character 1t that the deceased
and her son, alfidioc looking OF 80 years
subssting upon the proceeds of begging The Coroner
visiting the cellar, behed a most revolving scene
Of misery and degradation The old woman was
found covered up under large quantity Of old rags,
where she had been evidently concealed by her since
last Thursday that being the day is supposed she died
When the rags were removed the body presented a
ghasy appearance the rats having devoured the flesh
from one half Of the face md other parts of the body
leaving the bones completely bare The son was found
mother where it he has slept every night since
her death. Among the rags was found book on the
name Of the deceased there also found $40 o5 in
cash. quantity of carpeting some fifty shirts, and va
iious other articles Of clothing doubt procured by
begging which they doubtless intended 10 convert into
The appears to have lost his faculties almost al
together with but exception and that is his love for
boarding up money and when spoken about the
found he exhibited good deal of shrewdness lie gave
for concealng the dead body of his mother
under the rags that he fearful the who
to her might rob him of the money. The stencil
and auya arising from the cellar when the rags
turned over and the filthy condition OF the who
absolutely alive with yermin, can more readily be
imagined shan described. The wreched mser was taken
Of by Captain SInres, who scnt him TO the Aims
per of him. The jury, on the facts presented to
them rendered the following verdct:-"That deceased
came to her death by old age and restitution"
TnEFATAL BLASTING AFFAIR ON THE SECOND AVENUE.
We noticed in Sundays HERALD the melancholy death
of young named Vim. A. Pcttigrew. sixteen years
Of age, who killed by the blasting of rock from
quarry situated in Forty third street. Second
The deceased assisting his ather in front of their
wheclwrght shop, distance of seven hundred feet from
the blast Unfortunately however, piece of the rock
thrown from the blast struck the young man. and in
SANITY caused his death Coroner Hilton yesterday held
inquest on the body, and the following facts were
elicited-
John Burns, sworn says:-I have worked for McCor-
mick for the past four years. and prepared the blast in
pounds of powder in IT, used my best judgment in pre-
pairing this blast have prepared and set Oft blasts
tanning greater amount of powder than this, in the
same quarry; previous to setting off blast always send
nine or ten around, crying dre;' this done in
the above Instance never used flags to give warning,
but am aware of the law requiring the OF flags.
John G. Haviland policeman of the. Nineteenth ward,
sworn, says:-l when the blast went of; am
acquainted with blasting; there would be no use in
covering sand blast; drill blasts, when properly
covered not dangerous in their explosions the
sand blasts; sand blast is made by what is termed
drawing drill blastsn this is done by the several drill
blasts being loaded with just sufficient powder to split
the rock after this is accomplished the cracks filed
with powder, packed in with sand; such constitutes
sand blast Mccormick told that either Eve or seven
Kegs Of powder used in drawing this BLAST he like
wise said that the blast had been time prepare
ton, and that he would not let every one FIRE it OH or
| words 10 that effect SO understood him to say.
VIM. Erlid said he was foreman Of the quarry, and
touched of the blast in question: he was in the habit Of
sending ten Fifteen men in different directions before
setting off blast TO give warming but he never used
red flags, as the law required he should this large
blast but lie had set of larger ones this accident is the
only one that ever happened at this quarry.
DR. Chasenay, the Coroners stefan, examined the
body Of deceased and found the left hand nearly severed
at the wrist the bones of the left side of the face and
head extensively fractured, those the head crushed
into the brain; these injuries sufficient cause in
l slant DEATH
On the evidence in the the jury after brief de-
! liberation, rendered the following verdict
I'VE find that W. A. Pettigrew to his death from
fracture Of the skull caused by sand blast near e.
cond avenue and Forty street. which an unusti-
fable quantity of powder used without tho
ton required by the law. Further, call the attention
of the Grand Jury to the unlawful and dangerous
ner in which blasting has been conducted at this and
other places to the imminent danger of the inhabitants
\ in the vicinity
The deceased was very intelligent and promising
young man, aged sixteen years and four months and
native Of this city The proprietor OF the quarry and
others who had been held under arrest were discharged
by the Coroner.