The New York herald., 1868-06-25
THE FIREWORKS EXPLOSION IN BROADWAY.

Iuauisiiiou Before Coroner Keenan and YER
dict or the Jury.
Coroner Keenan, held an inquest at the sixth pre-
cInct police station over the remains OF Lawrence l..
Lyon, the young man who was burned to death BY
the explosion In the fireworks establishment No. 2e4
Broadway on Tuesday afternoon. Several witnesses
were examined, but the evidence chcited failed to
show In what manner the explosion occurred.
subjoined will be found the most important por-
tons OF the testimony and the verdict Of the jury:
TESTIMONY or THOMAS @. LYON.
Thomas c. Lyon, residing ut 232 East Forty ninth
street, being sworn. deposes and says:-Deceased
was nv son: about quarter before four O'Clock on
Tuesday afternoon I was getting my dinner ct 2o2
Broadway; had previously been In the store 2o<
BROADWAY, where am salesman; II Ii Q fireworks
establishment, william J. Lyon d Co.; after had
been in the restaurant about i've minutes heard an
explosion; ran out and found It had occurred in
my place; had len deceased, another young son,
place was soon all on Gre, which was extlnguished
In about ten minutes; did not 90 to the building;
the building and brought to this station; have no
idea from what the explosion occurred; the rst moor
only contained drew nreworx; ox .oxxorrv ,xox
Monmouth Lyon residing at No. 2s2 East Forty
ninth STREE sworn, says:-Deceased was my brother;
am employed as cashier at No. 2e4 Broadway; yes
was standing at the back Part Of the store talking
deceased and TWO Otner DOyS, MT. nOrtOu
was In the front part OF the store standing by the
desk; AZ about the middle OF the store noticed
sparks coming from what appeared to be q nower
pot; very soon afterwards | heard noise IKE
large fire cracker when ran towards the front OF
the store: reached the desk and the next remem-
ber was in the street; we all ran together.
TESTIMONY OF sYLvANUs LYON
Sylvanus Lyon, residing at Miburn ~ j., being
sworn says:-Deceased was my nephew; ] am
salesman at the fireworks establishment No. SO Cort-
landt street; know exactly what fireworks were
contained In 2o4 Broadway there were about six hun
dred boxes OF Ore crackers several barrels torpedoes
miscellaneous fireworks about $500 to 5000 worth-a
small stock about one-nfth the quantity allowed
to be kent by law; from my experience OF fireworks
should say that there was nothing there that would
explode spontaneously; was there some nye min
utes after the fire, and from my examination can
form no idea OF the origin Of the fire OF the expo-
sion; some light might have been dropped or some
thing from the street might have been thrown In;
everything was done In the business In the most
careful manner.
ing sworn says:--I am truck driver; yesterday
afternoon about twenty minutes past four O'Clock,
was standing in front OF 900 Broadway; heard re-
port Of fire crackers and torpedoes at about the
middle OF the fireworks store I heard
these reports for about ten minutes very
soon after / saw smoke and fire In the place; had
been where | was about three minutes before;
when frat heard the report saw three boys run
from the store they appeared very much excited; i
looked In before that, but saw nothing but man
working ut desk about six feet from the front door;
ne tried 10 get out but sufocated 10y the sm0ke
am not sure thai was the that vas sunocated;