New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-07-18
THE T,AyYYARD EXPLOSION ~ WASH
ING TON
TIE INQUEST.
Ian TA< Ya.4is g.Oa Stay, JAY ID.

Basasg'oH SSp, 10y -
W., l. community was shocked greatly by the
~. w" .fTa,y which occurred yesterday morning
., ,be Navy Yard and which resulted IN the aimYst
;s,an, sneous &c sih Of two es'inaoe men, ana 'ne
serious injury Of eight ohera TWO 81 "no orr
in bnIes lined with lead, and packed 10 ice, and pat
und.r proper guard IN the western sMp-house' near
the scene Of the accident, with the natlonai banner
thrown over them.
The scene OF the accident also possessed sad At
traction for many Others, who viewed with horror the
yide-sca'tered fragments Of the battery, and me
bloody traces upon the surrounding rams. ~nere 'ue
killed and wounded had been thrown 10y the force Oh
the explo SOD.
About twenty-five fee. from the elevated p ,,io'm
where the gnn Stood and 10 western line from u, 10Y
the largest detached portion OF the gun its pau"ay
IN the lace where /, lay easily rsceabe IL ha1
carried away in It's fight the root OF the low o.t.eiy
on its right and converting the entire structure mo
perfect wreck, had Eghted upon the TOP gun ~
tbe lower battery making indentailon IN the soii1
iron nearly lsIge enough for man inst to ne IN; IL
then took slide downward, splnteing The carnage OF
the gun in its descent and mbedded Itself 10 tue had
ground al the western end OF aud just OUTSIDE
the battery This piece Of metal cannot weigh less
than Ou0 fbs Two other peces-one weighing PROB
ably 1850 lbs, aud another still sm1lier-Here thrown
east sardy about seventyve yards, passing I'D tnen
fight Immediately the roof OF the eatern lower
battery, and tiusy resting on the wharf, within
short distance Of the water. THE right of the
battery hung the mass OF splntered um'ers ana
twsted irons Of the gug carriage The stoui OAK un
bers had been rven into fine splinsers Upon the
rlatfrom lay broken couplings, the displaced 8n1
broken carriage ways and the forward portion OF me
gun which rested in the porthole Of the battery toe
broken edges blslkened and scorched by the gun
powder The awning which had protected the gun
Iers in their practice from the rays oil the SUP was
torn toto shreds and blown 10 all directions ana 70
great distance. ..-.....
out of the yard TO their homes, where they we're
Immediately cared for by the surgeon o! the yard, and
various phyciAns who had repaired to the spot at the
fret intelligence Of the tragedy.
On the sTrival of Coroner WoodSafd, Jury was
impanpeed to investigate the circumstances OF the
death Of the two deceased. The Jurors having been
sworn in both cases ard examiner the ueel oJlies
eded 20 the center houses, the offices OF the Com
odore and other officers where they heard the tesL-
moDy of the eyewitness.
Captain John a. Dahlgreen, having been sworn,
testified that the gun which b1rs, sisyfJurPo1nd caa-
Of The regular guns Of the service which had
him by the berean, bearing all the mh. 81 INSPECTION an
the Insp cling Oce showed the 10 have been ed as
in every way reliable for the Of Government alter tue usual
proofs Of its capacity witness had whatever 10 app
bend from the firing Of t. It had been hIed on
five times before the time "hent eIr y h%a os.n
bat twice to-day was loaded WIN tn eemaI i
Of sixteen pouno Of powder ana a'xy io pound soo ms
AID on. sho, had been fred TO all right it was
loaded second with due and il Observance Of az ee pre-
wbr was S,cssrred burst, with he result ,lready
bad placed picked AID careful men, as usual In charge OF
entirely pTacticei, and the
record Of the clerk c and ,hs, t bursting may be
accident alooe which 20 one could have i9'een or
avoided: every time gun IS discharged rrcnd Is krp,
Of every particular; the charge is weighed and
eauged nd home, and :he shot is always IN
its right place before the gun is discharged this
mutt the who the charge nome has spaces
marked on rarnmer and the charge anmed house he
observes the aud calls ont 20 the clerk who
varies IL the least from what the record calls
for the instantly detected The having been fired bat
twenty times not inspected before usug IT, as the sei
BE- warranted 70 stand thousand
rounds and usual n examine I'LL l. has been
fired ffy times Mr.. Norton present ano dc
corded detail of the oaug Of the and his
the Jury for their inspection cy made
Mr. Boarmau ,he foreman Of gunneTs has been with witness
ever since firing He has been foreman ten
years of the thorough gunners the service and
perfectly Trustworthy gun Of this Kind should and at least
esh without bursting This about nine
wears in 1850 the West Point foundery Could
NOT have accepted by the Bureau paid for had not
BE- en- properly inspected and proved. . q,
Alter hearing further Testimony the Jury retired and
after few moments, returned with their verdict as
follows: -
The Jury after fun investigation, find that William NOkes
and Wilson engaged assisting at the hiring Of "a
pouder cannon Seamans Battery a. the Washington
NAVY Yard and De said burst; and that the said
William Mob James Wilson struck the former on
the left neck and the lower jaw and on The right
arm; sounded left side Of the neck and both
broken and thereby Instantly and accidentally Killed
The seriously wounded thought to be recov-
eIipg.