The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-09
THE EXPLOSION ON THE ST. JOHN.

perts-Death OF Mr.. john II. Cunning.
ham-Precarious Condition OF Several
Other Victims OF the Disaster.
The coroners investigation In the OF the recent
explosion on board tho steamboat st. John Was com
menced yesterday morning in the hall Of the Court Of
Special Sessions Spite Of the numerous interesting de-
tails connected with the sad casualty there but
few spectators presen, when the jury assembled under
tho supervision of Coroner John Widely The gentle
men forming this body wero:-watson A. Fox Stevens
House, foreman; G. W. Lttel, l2l Charles street; J.
Kenworthy lGl Charles street; f. Workman, 6A3 Green
witch street; f. B. Spading, pa West Fifteenth street;
John Henry "a North Moore street. James Caulleld,
279 West street; Timothy MAXWELL No. Centre Market
place H D. Goodwin, 496 Greenwich street, George H.
hackay, 400 West Twenty-th third street
The witnesses being present. the Coroner delivered his
charge to the jurymen. He said
GEsrrxxnN OF THE JURy-You already familiar
with the main of the assembled
70 investigate and shall not consume your time with
consideration Of its details sIiiics y 70 gay that inc
tween New York and Albany on the morning OF Octo-
Der % when about opposite Hobeken exploded one OF
her boilers from the effects Of which fourteen persons
lost their lives Several OF that number were instana
neously killed. and the remainder were so severely In
ured that death ensucd in short time afterwards You
have presume all read the various accounts OF the dsas
the newspapers and noticed avarety OF comments
ASCENSION OF the case with your friends and others;
various reports surnises and opinions In relation 70 its
that may In degree have led you TO PREJUDICE
the case ! earnestly hope that you will dismiss from
your minds any influence acquired in this any other
way and enter the discharge of your duty with per
fectly free and unbiased Judgment and form your
dict from the evidence alone that viii be presented 10
you The eyes of the ctzons not only OF this great
c,ty but the whole country are upon YOU and expect
thorough investigation al your hands aud If any person
persons guilty OF any neglect or caressncss by
which the lives OF tho parties were lost It is your duty
no matter who they may no. to bring verdict against
them, that they may be dealt with az the law may
direct
Wooster Beach, Jr, NJ. d., being duly sworn deposcs
and says:--I made external examination OF the
Sunday, Oct 20 there were marks OF severe scaids
nearly its entire surface Death, in my opinion was
the result of the scads and must have been almost III.
Simultaneous; at the same place and time examines sew
ea other bodies they all bore marks similar TO those OF
the deceased, and died from the same cause,
William II. Colegrove being duly sworn, dcposes and
rays II reside In Albany and clerk on board the
steamer st. John; was on board on the morning OF the
plosion; Mrs Wallaber and her two children in
No. l2l which was beside the boiler, Mrs. Arch
ambanlt and Child we're killed ontrgbt they occupied
room No. 1875; Mr. Archambaut was in the same room;
he has since died, Mr. Brooks was in room No II, on
the upper ticr directly Nos 12 and l23 Mrs Rey
nolds occupied No a. of the upper tier all these
rooms were near the boiler, and their inmates we're
killed instantly Mr. and Mrs Lyons were in room No.
S d. nPP9o from III boiler MIR Nobrop oceuped
No. 81, about fifteen feet distant from the boiler;
Mr.. Searles was going through the statcroom han
when the explosion took place. John Anderson
was on tho main deck at the same time; gene
rally tho passengers select their own rooms have my
own choice and usually take fore or aft Of the
boat; my family and self had room directly beside the
boiler, To profit by the warmth the officers Of the boat
were Captain Peck and Messrs Ensign and Hayford
when the explosion occurred ] was in stateroom
No 138 with my family the register showed that there
some seventy five eighty men formed the crew.
Captain William H. Peck being duly sworn, deposcs and
says:-I live in Flushing, and am captain on board the
steamboat ST. john have been captain some thirty
years and pilot some two or three years. to the be OF
my recollection understand nothing OF engineer NJ,
never having been in charge OF an engine; was on
board the Isaac Newton when an explosion occurred,
aboi two years snce the engineer board OF the st.
John subject 10 my commands; James Hook
was my engineer and joel Wright my assistant;
have eight ramen as captain had 10 supervise the
affairs board the whole boat; went to bed about
o'clock the night " the explosion, and think came
deck before retiring; was In thecnginc room, and
there saw Mr. Hook the engineers and assistants are
appointed by the company ami the engineer selects his
own bremen; Mr. Hook receives one hundred dollars
month his general business is tn supernend the engine
aS POI II ey a qrke o. The ere res s
calcula hat there is steam enough remaining IA tho
boiler e set 70 the wharf got out Of PED a. about na
near Fort Washington; was In my room when the ex-
posion occurred heard of leak in the boiler;
the boiler usually cleaned and examined once every
week. under the supervision Of the engineer examined
the boiler after the explosion and noticed email crease
line following the trace Of the chise used in oaalEing IT,
do not think that the chseng OF that sheet added TO
the soundncss Of the bocr think the boiler first gave
way where the chise cut in.
Joel Wright being duly sworn, deposes and says:-I
reside in jersey City, and am an assistant engineer on
board the st. John have been engineer for ten
eleven years; at the time OF the explosion was on
watch and entered the engine room in company with
MI Canacld the oiler, the boilers we're carrying twen
ty.cgbt pounds Of at the time Of the explosion;
the highest pressure carried that night was twenty
nine pounds; went on watch at about one O'Clock, re-
llcying Mr.. Hook never discovered any weakness in
the boilers previous 10 tho explosion; on coming ON
watch examined the boilers 10 see the quantity Of
water In each the glass gauge two-thirds fun;
eram he IN
the quantity OF water IN the boilers; tho boilers wero
put IN last winter; do not think that they foamcd on
the night OF the explosion allowed by law 10
carry thiriynve pounds OF ateam and have the SAFETY
valve weighted 10 ascertain The exact pressure; OK
anned the register on tho port boiler two minutes pre-
10 tire explosion, and noted the pressurc
cold water the boilers about two hours after letting
ec,cd into the boiler when the boiler Is too hot II Injuries
the receptacle the boiler parted just IN the track OF the
chsel which had cut into the IRON we usually haal
OUT one Of The fires when between Hoboken and Fort
Lee when the explosion took place were preparing
10 "haul ont OF the boilers have served
gneer board the Bnckerbockcr and Hendrix Hudson
previous 10 acting such the St John think the
chsel cut alluded 10 might have weakened tho boiler,
but cannot express any definite opinion as 10 tho true
cause of The accident
Isaac W. Garfield, being duly sworn, deposcs and
says.1 live in Nyack, NJ ", and am an ocr on board
the 81 John have been oiler for the past two years.
have worked the engine under the directions Of the
second engineer and IN his presence he was trying TO
teach to engnc at the time OF the explosion
was sitting in tho engine ROOM and the second en-
gnecr was lust coming in
Joseph Jackman, bong duly sworn, deposes and
says:I live In Buffalo, ~ y and am an oer ON board
the ST. John; attended TO the starboard boiler; the
connects with all the boilers and the pressure is
shown alike in all the gauges sometimes we pour In
cold water Immediately after having run OIL tho boiling
water sometimes fifteen minutes thereafter generally,
as soon as the hot water out we pour IN the cold water
when tho boilers vet heated BY the steam when the
cold water poured IL did not strike the place that
was fractured
Hugh Palmer, being duly sworn, deposes and saysl-
live nj No 200 East Thirty 9th street and have been
fireman for The past three years. was In the nrcroom
on the starboard side when the explosion took place;
always allowed some time 70 eapsc before we filled
up the boilers with cold water In all other points con-
with the statements made by my predecessor; can
add, however that ll the boilers with cold water In
New York and hot water In Albany.
James NJ. Hook, being duly sworn deposcs and says
live Mt No ~ Downing street In this city, and am chief
engineer board tho steamboat St john have been
an engineer thirty years. my duty is TO get steam up
kept in perfect order; believe my assistant engineer,