The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-05
HORRIBLE.
Four Msn Blown to Pieces-The Bxpio-
sion Yesterday I'm New York Bay-Ehe
Dnw

Four Men Blown to Pieces-The Expio-
sion Yesterday I'm New York Bay-Ehe
Particulars.
The New York Herald OF this morning says
About noon on Sunday an explosion occurred
at the wreck of the steamer Scotland. In the
lower bay, which caused the death OF four men
and the wounding of several others 1t Will be
remembered that some time since a contract
Government by the Neptune Submarine
Company TO remove the wreck OF the large
water in the lower bay. short distance inside
of Sandy Hook. About three months since
operations were commenced, and the company
sSoS pTopelier william +. Truxton, Captain
Churchill and four yawl boats, about the size
and the other men employed in raising the
sunken vessel. Daring the recent storm the
expedition left the vessel and anchored in
sandy Hook dock until the weather should
again become calm. On Sunday morning.
about nine o'elock. there being prospect OF
dock and proceeded to The wreck; but before
leaving the Government magazine was visited.
a half pounds Of gunpow der each, were placed
on board one of the small boats, which
towed along at some distance from the steam,
ship. -
After obtaining the torpedoes and making
fast the line attached TO the small boat the ex-
petition started for the scene of operations.
Arrived there, two small boats one containing
the torpedoes and the electrical apparatus, ana
the other the divers and the air. pumps, were
moored over the wreck the steamer standing
Off from them and coming to anchor some 800
feet distant. Operations were at once COM
menced by sending down diver named Sterne,
who, after being below the water q short time.
signRlled thosein the torpedo boat TO send down
one of the blasting charges His signal was
complied with, and after liking the torpedo
under some portion ofthe wreck, at q distance
of about twenty eight feet below the surface of
the water, he came no aud reported all ready
for the firing oft charge
THE EXPLOSION.
This intelligence was given to Captain
Churchill, who, together with George Moore
and James Obey, two seamen, constituted the
persons upon the boat which contained the
electrical apparatus and The other torpedo.
Before attaching the wires connected with the
submerged torpedo TO the galvantc battery, the
fbe Charge. CAPTAIN Churchili EXPRESSED an
opinion that the wires attached were not suffi-
Client 10 cause ignition. But nevertheless the
about $50 feet. a distance. by the by, only
half as much as is generally allowed. and the
water. An explosion Of the submerged charge
ensued directly, OF SO great force that both
distance of at least six feet. Hardly had the
sound of the first discharge passed away when
the second torpedo in the boat also exploded.
atoms and cspszing the other, which was being
used by the divers. Captain Churchill and the
blown to atoms, and a diver named Louis
SIs'' his brains s knocked out and was in
Ing fragment of the shattered boot
All the men in the divers boat were
sizing, but were fortunately rescued. One of
the divers was standing in the boat at the time,
one loaded shoe. which he had just sufficient
time 10 cut of. His heavy clothing soon caused
him 70 sink but, hauling s1d on & his lite line; he
of by boat from the steamship. The other
men in the capsized boat, curiously enough,
also clung to a buoy, and were rescued In the
same manner.
THE CAUSE
The cause of the explosion is wrapped in
mystery Some of the saved men are of opinion
| that Captain Churchill attached the wires of
| the unused torpedo to the battery; but it is
| generally thought the explosion was caused by
the conclusion consequent upon the explosion
| OF the submerged charge This seems the more
probable as the fuses employed are of a very
| delicate nature and easy of Ignition, as also
from the fact that no other theory will explain
the almost simultaneous discharge of both
| torpedoes. From the fact that Captain Churchill
| was an electrician of acknowledged ability, and
had held position of that character in the
| United States Navy, it is generally believed to
| have been an altogether accidental occurrence,
which, under the circumstances, could not
have been prevented.
THE KILLED.
| As already stated, four mems lives were
sacrificed by this frightful catastrophe
% diver, Who % was Killed by some % portion S@ Of the the
| falling debris. II Is supposed that the three
first were blown to atoms, as nothing was seen
| OF their bodies after the explosion; and this
supposition is supported by the fact that por
| tions of human entrails were discovered on
| different parts OF the other boat. The diver
| who was killed no doubt had his skull broken,
| as brains are also spattered upon the gun vale
| near which the unfortunate man stood Boats
| were sent from the steamer and every endeavor
made to recover the bodies, but all search was
| In vain.
Captain Churchill leaves a wife In very
| siraightened circumstances at the Belmont
Hotel; where for some months deceased had
| been living. He will be mourned by a large
circle OF friends. who always found him a plea
| SAINT, genial man. and by his employers, who
will find 1t difficult to MI his place. James
| Olney and George Moore, the seamen, were boi b
single and boarded in Cherry street Louis
| Juger. the diver, was married man. without
| family also a resident OF the East side
| Several of the men In the boat which was
saved were more or less hurt. but fortunately
none OF them seriously. Their wants have been