New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-06
THE STORY. OF THE TRAGEDY.


,ored AZ 1887 Yesterday mGrhng by the sound OF an
exnlosion and almost Immediately a large throng OF
people gathered in front OF the business mousse vi '
Jewett Sons white lead and luseed OIL manufacturers
at Burling slip and FrOntst Assistant Foreman Martin
Cook and Henry Murray of Engine Company NO
90 who had just returned from fire, upon
bearing the explosion and seeing smoke Issuing from
the back office window, which completely Shattereu
rushed across the street with fire exhgusner' anu
ascending to the second floor passed into inc oilce
where thcy found George ". Jewett the senior heoer
of the firm and Orvile d. Jewett his nephew and part
ner lying upon the floor hackened with SCOT
md bleeding from terrible wounds The former was Just
easping his last and the latter appeared UNCONSCIOUS
moment after Officer Peter ODonneil OF the flfs' ric
cinct Police, who duty at the Fulton Ferry "h'h
the explosion occurred, into the room ana gave
assistance Fireman Murray took George W. Jewet UP
in his arms to remove him 10 the front once just e"
second explosion was heard which supposed 10 NC
the discharge of one OF barrels of six barrel Cos
navy revolver which found upon the hoor near 'o
bodies four-barreled sharpes revolver ana hunter
bowie knife about IL inches long when opeheu NY
near it. Officer ODounell and Assistant Foren'ab NooN
tben removcd Oryile d. Jewett into the inner Office
Officer John J. Sullivan OF the Steamboat Squad who
was on duty at Pier No 20, East River afer"'ru cae
IN placed in charge OF the premises p9 O''i
ODonnel who went 70 the police station 10 INFORM Nap'
Petty and TO send for an ambulance
In less than ID minutes after the explosion capt
Petty had arrived with squad of police who were mTne-
datey placed duty keep out the crowd OF people
who wished press into the building. An investigation
was Immediately begun, ard 1t was discovered 'ha' te
fragments of the she which had exploded ana |hch
resembed the hand renadcs used by the police III he
riots of 1863 had damaged the room III every part
showing that the explosion Of great force piece
of the shell found have passed through the cehg
70 the next floor above; another nad gone throuEh
door and the partition, and another through tue VAIN
scoting to the brick Pieces of the shell were also
fha nnnF Of
everywhere books, desk, and hOof WIS
thick coating OF SCOT. The desks in this rear
Office, occupied respectively by George '" Je"ett anu
joseph A. Dean the second member OF the hrin' were
partially demolished, and Of the windows was con-
pletey shattered the glass srewng the pavement ana
The street The chairs also much broken, and one
of the spintes had into the wooden pIti-
ton yidmg the rear office from the inner office The
sheet-ron blower" which was in front of the CRATE III
which there was coal fire, pierced by piece OF the
she'll and at the left OF the CRATE the carpet was pa
torn
officer Sullivan noticed thatOryillc d. Jewett breathed
with great difficulty, and in attempting 10 reloNe MN
found that he had a strap about his waist, upon which
hung the for the navy revolver He TOOK TINS or
and laid Il aside Mr. Dean in the meantime passed.
through the office and went down stairs. lie de
Glued TO say anything whatever as 10 'hc CAUSE Vi
nature of the accident.
In short time the ambulance OF the Chambers street
Uospita arrived and Orvilc d. Jewett removed TO
that institution. Prior TO his removal he was asked ny
Capt Petty he wanted anything and replied by neg
alive shake OF the head and when asked there was any
trouble which resulted disastr0usy he replied III the
same manner Upon examination il was found that his
left arm was badly acerated exposing the muscles and
tendons nearly elbow. He also had several wounds
of superficial character the breast, and penetiat
ing wound in the abdomen. At the hospital he was re-
moved Of the upper wards and no one was per
mtted 10 see him save the members of his family lie
mt ri o'clock when he
pired There was present his bedside at the time his
mother Barrett Mr. Higgins, and the house surgeon
Dr. W H. Faringt H. at the Aston House, was sent for,
aud after examining Mr. Dean, ordered him to be con-
yeyed TO his home, at No, II Waverley-place. DIS
willard Parker and Z s Jones were called in attend
apcc and found that wounds not so severe as to
cause any fear that they would terminate fatally.
At the time when the explosion occurred there were in
the next Office the following clerks: Charles Iantor,
son-u-law of George W. Jcwctt; Arthur DEAN son OF
Joseph A. Dean; j. W. seCck ard {. p. Pollock, but
they were completely overcome by shock that they
were notoDlcss and made 10 effort assist those who
had been injured. Coroner EllngeT came about
O'Clock and Immediately summoned the following jurors;
John Hyslop, No. 113 East Eighty thrd-st; Benjamin
Collins, No. rs East Sxtcenthst. Edwin LOnGfcI0w,
No % south-st; Adam c. Martin, No. 800 East One
buudre-and.twenty fOurthst; Joseph {. kanninG' NO.
SO Cedar-st Robert g. HaIdie IT,. No. 80 West Thirty
e,chthst Thomas Kenncdy,No so RiyngtOn-st; Emil
sauer No. / East Fifty-ninthst. and George H. PEI,
No. 10 Broadway.
Dr. Godschmidt was called by the Coroner to make an
examination of the body Of George W. Jewet to decide
as TO the cause Of death 1t found that death
suited from hemorrhace from wound six inches square,
made by piece the shell which entered the leg pass
ing out at the inner surface Of the lower part OF the
thigh The face Of MI Jewet backcncd with smoke
and SCOT and his clothing also covered thcky with
SCOT The fury viewed the body. after which permit
was given to remove 1t to Mr. Jewets late residence on
IN Ogth to the Jurors
the Coroner said that he could only make preliminary
inquiry them but after searching thehstOry Of this terri
BILE and mysterious case. which he found pistols and
shell had played considerable part, he would call them
together again. probably Monday next. The Coroner
said he thought lie had cew to the mystery which he
would investigate. Coroner Einger aiterwaid went 70
the Chambers Street Hospital TO take the statement of
Orvile ID. Jewett, but found him in q semi
conscious State unable 10 speak, left word that
he should be informed IL any serious change
took place then visited Mr.. Dean who. seemed TO
be almost entirely ignorant OF what really occurred III
the Office further than that lac struck by something
He then got up went out down stairs lie certain
that 10 angry words had been used. The Coroner
eded TO defer further examination until the recovery of
Mr. Dean.
sTATENENIs OF PERSONS IN IRE BUILDING.
Thomas X Jackson the colored ianitOr, who lives in
Che bildug saws that he made the fires ana cleaned
offices as usual in the morning Orvile d. Jeweit came
in about $50 o'clock which unusually early hour
for HIM Mr. Jewett passed up stairs his room, ard
vent down again 10 the Office Jackson noticed as pec
liar the circumstance that Mr. Je~ett did not take on
his oyercoat While the jantOr on the second Moor
above eating mis- breakfast he heard noise OF an
plosion ana rushing down stars saw smoke ana dust
rising from the back office and some hremen were com
ing up stairs. He never heard any angry words ex-
changed between the members OF the 1im. He had
lac she exploded,