Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-12-19
LOCAL NEWS,
The Arsenal Disaster.

L
This morning, Coroner Woodward sum
moned a jury on the bodies OF the victims of
the explosion at the Arsenal yesterday. The
remains of jeremiah Mahoney, John Meehan.
| and John Moran, which were each identified,
| and of Martin Kyle, Michael McDermott, and
| Mars HAND Whitley, the remains of the three
| last not being distinguishable one from another.
| Charles Linn, the driver Of the powder cart,
| died yesterday afternoon from injuries re-
| ceived, and his body laid in the hospital
| Thomas Feely was instantly killed, both legs
| being blown off, His remains were removed
last evening to his late residence, at the juno
| ton of p street and Rhode Island avenue. near
| 18th street. He leaves a family of small
| children, among them his son Tommy
| who has been acting as Messenger to the
| Readon and Peter McGariebey were also
| instantly killed. Readon's body was taken to
his residence in jackson Hall alley last even
ing.
John Crane was badly burned abont the face
hands. and hip, and his foot was injured by
splinter. He is doing well. under the care of
DIR. Porter, IN the hospital James Lawlor was
cut about the face with glass from the window.
A leg was thrown on top of the magazine
about a hundred yards distant, and the scalp
OF one of the parties was picked up near the
gate to-day.
Linn's body Will be buried by his brother In
law, and those who are not claimed by their
relatives, or which canno: be identified, will
be placed in handsome collins and buried from
the Arsenal.
THE INQUEST.
About o'clock this morning, Coroner w ood-
ward summoned the following jury of in
quest Frederick Whyte, Geo. Wright, Thos
Taylor, John II. Debilie, Luther Martin N g
Elliot Geo. w. Lunt George A. Cook Hum
phrey H Lemon Andrew Cox, Mark L. King,
Hiram Bauer.
Six of the bodies were wrapped in canvass
(that Is, what fragments remained OF them) and
placed in large boxes, the bodies being in such
condition that II was impossible TO place them
in collins, and were taken TO one of the frame
hrtl rfrary= nf Oh
ing. AT the doors OF this building, before the
jury were sworn, a number Of the relatives of
the deceased gathered.
On the doors being opened for the jury the
crowd mostly females, rushed in, and frantic
were the cries Of my poor brother" father -
&c The bodies were limbless, every one had
limbs of or broken, and in one case not half
the body remained. In some cases the legs
and arms Were burned off TO the socket In
this building the bodies were uncovered, and
the jury sworn over each body.
Mr.. John Sullivan identified the body of
jeremiah Mahoney. The body OF John Nee
han was identified by Mrs. Catherine Meehan,
Of John Moran, who resided on Union street,
near the 9th street wharf. was identified by
Patrick Shaloo and the wife of deceased, who
is left with two small children.
The jury, after viewing these bodies, pro-
ceeded TO the hospital, where the body of
Charles Linn. who died yesterday afternoon,
where Mr. George II. Gates, his brother in
law, and testified that he was from Phiadel-
phia.
John Crane (who was badly burned about
the face, hands, and hip, and injured in the
foot gave his evidence to the jury. He did
not know what caused the explosion. The
men all wore moccaSsins; never saw any
smoking, and witness believes that it was ac-
cidental.
The jury, with the witnesses, proceeded from
the hospital to the clerks Office, where the
following evidence was taken:
Sergeant Vim. r. Flint lin charge Of the build
ing exploded) sworn-About two minutes be-
fore the explosion there were two boxes of K
shot and is or "a rounds in the building. There
was cart near by, and witness thinks that a
box was let fall in unloading, causing the ex-
plosion. Every precaution was taken against
accident when taking cartridges from fixed
supply TO break up. 1t comes from the forts in
all sizes; old ammunition. Witness had fire.
quenily opened the boxes and found the fric.
tion primers loose. Witness never heard that
the Tire fuses were ordered be thrown into
the canal. The explosion was at the cart first;
there We're two explosions. There Were ten
men in the shed at the time. There was about
a barrel of powder inside the building. Linn,
the teamster, was sober man about 26, Ma
honey about 30, Meehau about %. John Mo.
ran was about 20, with wife and two chill
drn.
NJ. Frederick Whyte testified he knew Linn.
and regarded him as a steady, sober, trust
worthy man.
Capt. Curtis S. Barrett testified to the same
effect. Witness thinks he smoked, but did not
know thai he carried pipe.
John Daily sworn.-Witness was about fifty
yards away at the time, and fell on his face
and when he got up heard Linn moaning, and
helped TO get him away. Witness heard two
explosions, the last one the loudest. The cart
was being unloaded al the time. Witness had
frequently seen friction primers loose in the
boxes. Witness had seen barrels rolled con-
trary 10 regulations. Had seen loose caps
among ammunition turned in from the FORKS
Had never seen any Of the men intoxicated.
VIM. summers sworn.-Witness was about 10
yards off at the time and heard two explosions,
the first from the cart or the door Of the shed.
the cart being backed up at the time. Witness
w no frnv, art ln
sion knocked him down.
Several other witnesses testified to the same
effect.
Col James G.. Benton sworn-Witness was In
his Office at the time, and was soon on the spot,
ordering the hose up. The building had been
erected only about month. 1t was made
be the least amount Of resistance. There are
between one and two thousand barrels of pow
der In the magazine. There are twelve build
1ness oeno,ea 70 'ne LABORATORY purpose four
store houses. He had distributed the buildings
in the best manner he could devise, placing the
buildings east OF the street that the sparks from
steamers might not reach there. He had rep
resented to the chief Of ordnanc e that there was
danger in such quantities, and he had ordered
much Of 1t away, but il had accumulated very
fast. There is no loose powder in the Peni-
Tertiary building. Last year the chef Of ord
nance recommended to Congress the necessity
of an appropriation for a magazine in the IN
terror, and had repeated it this year. Had II
not been for the marshy condition Of the grouu nd
he could have distributed the buildings to
better advantage. Witness visited the build.
ings every day, and was careful to see that the
floor was carpeted and the men had their moe
casins on.
The evidence being in, the Jury proceeded to
md a verdict in each OF the seven cases -
That the said deceased, (naming him IL one of
the Identified, or name unknown il other wise)
while At work at the Arsenal, unloading fixed
ammunition, except in the case Of Linn, the
teamster,) was accidentally killed by the ex
piosion of the same at about Is minutes to 2
O'Clock p. m. on the 18th instant, and that the
jury are OF the opinion that this accident was
caused by the bad packing Of the ammuuition.
IL having been shown by the evidences that
friction fuses have frequently been found loose
in the boxes. 1t further appears that this am