The New York herald., 1870-12-10
GASOLINE MURDER.
Another Patent Oil Explosion, and the Last
slaughtcr by Means Of Safety Cos.

a Mechanic Mending an Empty Gasoline Cylinder
is Cut in Two and Instantly Killed-Full
Particulars-Statemsnts Of Parties In
tsrssted-Ths Coroner's Inquest
Yesterday morning at about seven o'clock an ex.
plosion occurred al the machine shop OF Thomas
Kerr at the southeast corner Of Fifty nfth street
and FIRST avenue, the noise and shock OF which
startled the people for blocks around. Many per-
sons rushed In the direction or the several
ofYicers hurried the On reaching the shop
It was found that y gasoline boiler had been
ploded, and the fragments Of q human body fear
fully mutiated, were also discovered.
THE MACHINE OF DEATH
was an iron boiler as 1t Is called, perhaps quarter
OF inch In Thickness and three feet i've inches In
length by three feet in diameter. 1t was blown In
tw0-one head beng blown OF about six inches from
onetend. 1t was painted on the outside q reddish
color. The fracture presents rough surface, but
uniformly 50, and near the bursted end are two
holes bored through the plate each being about one
inch in diameter. About fifteen feet from where
the boiler lay was
The TRUNK HUMAN BODY,
stained with dirt resting in pool OF blood and
excrement, while the nestInes lay prorrudlng from
the body upon the ground. The head remained In
tact, with the exception OF a deep cash. extending
across the cheek and chin, and was that OF tne-
looking man OF about twenty-eight years of age
with ieng, dark-brown hair side whiskers and eyes
OF light blue. About thirty-fve feet from the
p0iler In cavity in the earth beneath nywkeel of
the machinery, were the legs. with q part Of the
spine hanging TO them, covered with cl0ts Of blood
and bearing parts Of the ntestines The sole Of one
or the shoes was blown on
This man, the fragments OF whom lay thus scat
tered about. was named Frederick Meyer, and his
At the time Of the explosion he was engaged in
trimming the boiler for the purpose OF soldering on
THE FRAGMENTS OF THE BODY WERE COLLECTED
and carried TO the Nineteenth precinct station house.
where Coroner scnfmer began an an a,ne inquest upon
adjourned to enable Professor Chandler to inspect
the boiler. The remains were then removed by Mr..
Merritt, an undertaken, to his premises In Eighth
avenue.
DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING.
The building was considerably shattered, causln &
perhaps damage OF from two TO four hundred
dollars. The pieces Of machinery were thrown in
every direction, glass was broken and the walls
THE FIRST ARREST.
Thomas McGinnis the man who sent the cylinder
or boiler 10 Kerrs SHOP was arrested and held TO
await the examination by Coroner Schrmer.
- THE SECOND ARREsT
and Is In the employ OF the New York Gas Metre
Company No. Dey street, as superintendent He
forming French Mayor or the dangerous nature OF
gasoline boiler" He was neld by Coroner Scher-
mer IN default OF $1,000 bail
John d. Ayerll being sworn, says:-I reside at
cupation about two weeks ago boiler made firon
was sent to me frcm the gas works al New Rochelle
storing rasoine aid not examine the bdiier oS re- e.
ceivng but allowed 1t to remain In lot or No. 1913
East Fifty-thlrd street, on Tuesday last examined
II and found two wooden plugs and an iron one
inside; took one of the wooden plugs and left the
rest insde examined 1t to see what the boiler had
been used for;
but nothing came out OF IT, The iron plug was In
By the advice OF Mr.. Richards i sent the boiler to
Mr. McGinns IN Fifth street. near Second avenue, to
nave TWO brass cocks put into the & boiler: MT Nc.
taps. so went to Mr.. Thomas Kerr, machnst, at
the corner OF FIRST avenue and Fifty fifth street.
Mr.. KERR'S FOREMAN
SAID they would put the cocks IN. told him the
tank had come from the gas works and wanted the
cocks fixed TO hold
was coming up at two O'Clock today TO get the
O'Clock heard 1t had exploded; considered the
BOILER A SAFE ONE
as regards thickness and cocks, one below TO draw
material; l was not informed what the Doler had
been used for; understood that II was made by Mr.
Potter, or Jersey City, about two years ago; /
am employed bv the New York Gas Saving
Metre Company, Of No. Dey street; told Mr.. Kerr
that II was gasoline tank.
Thomas McGunness being sworn, says:-I reside
at eS4 East Fifty-hftn street; am In the foundry
the week Mr.. Averil asked put the taps IN the
boiler, but was busy and advised him TO take 1t TO
Mr. Kerr.
BOILER MAKERS OPINION
l have examined the ooiler since ana consider the
break TO be new one ana the part that gave way
was sound iron with no naw In IL.
Mr.. Kerr was next examined. In his evidence he
said:-Mr Averill did not tell me that 1t wasa gaso-
line boiler but that 1t to be used for that pur
pose; the cocks were to be secured in and then
aOldered with tin SO as TO make it tight the tank he
brought was common sheet.iron oae; this morning
began TO tin two COCKS for the purpose of soldering
them after being secured In, the holes having been
drilled the day previous; in proceeding with the
work found IL necessary TO
HEAT THE TANK
little TO tin IL: heated piece or iron In the forge
and told the deceased, who was In my employ as en-
gineer TO carry OFT the hot piece Of iron and lay 1t
on the holes OF the tank; he took the iron which
was red hot, and as soon as he touched the tank
with IT
took place, destroying the building and killing Mr.
Shop the head and shoulders were ten feet from the
boiler, and the lower extremties about forty feet
disant the explosion occurred within eight or nine
feet OF me- II i had been told that the boiler had
been used for gasoline l would net have 1t within
hundred feet OF my shop.
william Murdock, Of First avenue near Fifty-sixth
street. the foreman OF Kerrs shop, was next ex
amined. He also said that II he had known that the
boiler had contained gasoline he would not have
Charles W. Kruger one of Mr. Kerrs apprentices
living at 164 East Ffty-sixth street. was present al
The time OF the explosion. His story developed
THE HISTORY or THE BOILER
William A. Covel Of No. 175 Amity street Brook.
lyn, testifed-I am a gas engineer; the boiler was
made eighteen months ago In Jer sey City by Berher
Co. gasmeter makers; saw the boiler there and
for my opinion; think 1t was made Of tbree-eighh
Inch wrought iron, with riveted joints; was asked
II The boiler was good by the representative OF the
for Passing gas through; l saw 1t at New Rochelle
about year ago, and IL then contained gasoline
The boiler has not been used for year.
POLICE "BREAks"
rtz