New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-23
THE LATE FIRE ENGINE CATASTROPHE.
INQUEST OVER THE BODIES OF THE VICTIMS
Coroner Keenan, commenced yesterday the IN

INQUEST OVER THE BODIES Or me ''
Coroner Keenan, commenced yesterday the III
quest on the bodies Of the victims OF the late Iai ~
trophe In the BOwery where six persons were hlieu
large number Injured by explosion of the boiler OF
fire engine, the particulars OF when werg re
names Of the killed. Including one who died aer Dei"s
removed 10 the hospital are rs follows a. CHARLES
Schmidt and G. W. ErcOt, residence No. IA NOrIoks.'
VIM. Remer a shoemaker, residing at NO % bnA.crs
John Baird confectoner residing AZ No "a IN front Of
the Bowery Theater. ThOs OConner, boy, resiHS t
No Rooseve-st. man, name unknown VINO hA' iio'
The first testimony OF any Importance was thai Of the
foreman OF the exploded engine ana was M a. Pitt
st.; about five minutes before O'CLOCK on the shs IN
received at our enginehouse 70; % nj
beth and Canal; proceeded to the Bowery ana TOOK
hydrant front Of the Old Bowery Theatre we stretched
line of hose the fifth floor Of No. 3d. where the nre
after playing about % minutes received our oucs
to stop after the lapse OF 10 minutes were W I'd
from five to 10 minutes, when the 0rder was ELneh
was then ON tie nth floor of No SO; coming
down found the engine lying halfway III Oh tho
there wounded and assisted In taking Of them !
carried away the engineers the engine was IN charge Oh
Patrick W Hand engineer and stOker Daniel o. keefe;
the soker had been scaded the eye and had gone
sion occurred Coronor-Ow long is Mr. Hand engineert
A. He came there "A year ago the last 18th Of June. o.
What kind OF an engine was iti A. IL was hfs,ci9ss
AmOskeag No. It about three years old. q: DO
you know whether it was in perfect order A. NO, Sir 1t
was not. O. The boiler9 A. No, the tubes; the boiler
was not in perfect order; the tubes leaked little;
nothing else that | know Of was wrong with her; we
had her only nine hours before tue accident Oc-
CURED; our own engine was out OF repair and We
took to the repair yard and got this one Mt GllDel
the in charge OF the repair yard told US 70 y her
and see il she was perfect order and If not bring her
back tried her for half an hour with 95 or 100 pounds
of steam on and found her to first rate we then went
that there was another one we could have No and to
20 down to Eeycnthst and see her we qua So ana after
Inspecting her TO the conclusion To keep the one we
had. q. DOyOu known anything about MT: Haudt "its
he an engineer before he went to youf A. Yes SIR mere
are his papers; in the Fulton Iron works
and the Etna. q. How long was he an ehHheeIt
a. He is man should Judge 10 DC 80 SeaiS ~ 'te
He was recommended by the Fulton and Etna Iron
Works, 10y Mr. Morgan OF the water company snu Dy
papers speaks, not OF Patrick W. Hand. but OF W. +.
Hand. In reply counsel for the Fire Commissioners
tine witness testified that the engine was all rght III he
machinery except the leaking Of the tubes; the test was
under from 95 10 100 pounds OF steam whereas at ie
allowed only to have from go to 90 pounds pres
on the accident occurred within the fire ues, where
no person should be allowed
KoundsnIan Win. H. Clnchy OF the Sixth Precinct was
the next witness He testified That there we're 90 pOce
present and that they cleared and kept clear the entlre
BUwery from Bayaid to Canasts. no persons were per
mtled inside except those who came out OF the theaes
aud gardens We did not permit them Out we Kept theIh
ont 1f the placr AS well as we could at OF the
explosion (yl o'clock was In the act OF driving away
persons who were coming out from the PIT OF the
Old BOwery, aud when the explosion occurred was
blown into the pit; noticed the engine before the
satsiactOriy-tO the engineer; she was not acting
smoothly, but pumping at times very iTregulary he
about G25 O'clock; the engineer was standing where he
should be when the accident occurred; lie appeared 10
be attentive his duty all know about her Is that she
appeared To be working irIegulary; Capt. JOurdan,
Scrgt Kennedy, Sergt. LO0nie OF the Fifth and Sergt
Meymey OF the Tenth Precincts, were present.
Vim. II. ChuChy, POtrOlman OF the sixth Precinct,
testified that four five gues and some hook and lad
der companies in the immediate vicinity OF the
BOwery Tneater When the explosion occurred he was
blown into the pit entrance of the theate before that lie
noticed the engine did not work regularly which was
also noticed by the engineer who continued at his post
Jonn TuOmey, patrOlmau OF theSixth Precinct corfob
grated the testimony OF the previous witness ana sad
the engine did not work TO the satisfaction OF the
engineer; that after being 20 minutes in operation
the order given TO stop water" but soon after
water" called for, and the explosion occurred al
most Immediately.
Dr. John B. Lcahy testified that he standing at the
Atlantic Garden at the time OF the explosion and that he
rendered professional aid 10 the wounded.
The inquest was then adjourned until Wednesday at
y. H., be continued at the sixth Precinct station