Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-05
SAD ACCIDENT.
Tragical Ending of a Military
Pleasure Excursion.
TERRIBLE DEATH OF A soLDIE
Result of Opening Case of Powde
With a Ratchet.
IsrnclAl BY rnlnanArn 10 rus HnooNp-usos.l

IsrEcIAL BY TELEGRAPH TO THs RgcoRp-uSIoS.l
Monterey, July 4th-What promised to
be an incompatible event in the annals of G
Company, Second Regiment, n. G. c., was
tragically and sadly interrupted to-day by
AN ACCIDENT OF A SERIOUS CHARACTER.
The company left San Francisco on Friday
evening last, about 60 strong, with the Eighth
Infantry band At San Mateo, Menlo Park
and at San Jose large crowds of the fashion
able friends of G Company and others as
sepbled to salute the excursionists, who in
turn were regaled by the band. The company
arrived at the Hotel Del Monte station little
after o'clock the same evening, and were
received by crowd numbering between 500
and 400. The company formed at the
depot, marched up to the hotel, and SUBJ
sequently moved into camp about one
hundred yards west of the hotel grounds,
carriageway. The camp consisted of two
rows of V tents, with the commanding off,
GERS quarters in the upper center. In front
of the latter was brass feld-piece and a
flagstaff. This camp was called Camp
Orocker, in honor of Charles Crocker, and
the main approach to Captain Chamberlain IS
quarters was named Smedburg avenue. There
was also a tent for the ammunition, which
was not fixed. The company dined at s
o'clock, and then those who liked it gave
themselves up to the dance, which went on
pleasantly until II o'clock. The next morning
there was a dress parade, aud in the afternoon
the company gave a reception to the guests
of the Hotel Del Monte, and as q conse-
quence two or three hours of camp etiquette
and shoulder-strap Irritation were INDUCED in.
Saturday eve was spent in dancing, there be-
ing oven 600 people present. A party OF
gentlemen got together last eve and perfected
arrangements for celebration of the coming
anniversary, and it was at the commence
ment of the exercises that a dreadful accident
took place, resulting in the death of w. G.
Burke, of G Company, the mansling of B.
+. Hastings, of Company c, First Regiment,
N G. c., and slight injuries to Spencer c.
Buckbee, of G Company.
PARTICULARS OF THE AFPAIR.
1t seems that the occasion prompted the
company to take with them a feld-piece, and
in order to do so they were compelled to take
with them an experienced cannonier. So
they employed B. F. Hastings, in great part
owing to his well known career of carefulness
and capability. Between 10 and IL o'clock
this morning the members of the company
and their friends commenced to assemble in
camp, and Burke and Buckbee and the others
who were near by took occasion to assist
Hastings ia preparing some cartridges for a
salute which was to be fred at noon.
AS the squad approached the ammu-
milton tent, Hastings was in the act
of opening a 25pound can of powder
with hatchet, instead of proceeding in his
usually careful way. Burke and Buckbee
were near each other. The latter the moment
he saw Hastings with the hatchet in the air
moved back as quick as possible, as the
thought like fash came to him that the use
of such an implement in such a way was ex-
tremely dangerous. Almost simultaneously
with his retrograde movement came flash
of fire and explosion, that told too plainly
that tragedy had resulted from the careless
ness of the heretofore careful cannonier. The
explosion was dull and startling, and created
SCENE OF CONSERVATION.
Poor Burke was almost instantly killed,
expiring quietly in thirteen minutes. Hast
ings was seriously hurt, and was rolled up
like a bundle. A groan and movement
showed that the unfortunate man was not
dead, but whea picked up his limbs all hung
lifeless, and his face was past recognition.
Very fortunately Drs. J. d. Whitney, of San
Francisco, and G. Cushing, of Oakland, were
within speedy summons, and did all in their
power to alleviate the condition of thesufferer.
He was st once taken to the hotel, and al
though horribly injured he hardly made a
demonstration Of pain or complaint. His
only words were My God This is all
my carelcssness." AS the wounded soldier
lay upon the litter the stoutest hearts were
moved His hair and whiskers were all
burned off, and his face and head were badly
burned. He has lost his right eye, and may
be totally blind, if he lives as the left side of
l o'clock the physicians had splintered his
right leg, which had been screwed around,
but not broken, and entertained hopes of his
recovery. Mr.. Buckbee was only slightly
injured, and no serious results in his case are
apprehended.
THE EXPLOSION
Shook the ground perceptibly, threw the
ammunition tent right up into the branches
of neighboring tree, set fire to the grass,
and scattered divers things in every direction.
A ffty-pound fire-proof can of powder near
by resisted the force of the explosion, and the
serious character of the tragical occurrence
was thereby lessened. Charles Crocker. who
was upon the ground, fastened to assure
Captain Chamberlain that any and ali the
privileges of the hotel and the railroad were
at his disposal, and otter some consultation
with members of his command and others, it
was determined TO put the body of Burke in
ice, break camp at o'clock tomorrow morn
ing, and start for San Francisco by the 10:40
train, to arrive there at $3.50 P. II.
oRRER ISSUED.
The following order has just been promul-
gated:
CAMP CRooKER, July 4th, 1880.
Encampment Orders No. A.
/. The members of G Company will as
semhle af q A. NJ Tomorrow and will return
to San Francisco on the regular train, leav-
ing Del Monte Station at 10:40 A. NJ.
II. First Lieutenant l.. w. Mix is hereby
detailed to take charge of the remains of our
deceased comrade, w. G.. Burke. He will
detail aad have posted guard of honor over
the remains until which time he may be re-
lieved. WIN. II. CHAMBERLAIN,
Captain Commanding.
It is hardly necessary to say that all
that could be done for the deceased and
the wounded was done. In addition to the
substantial service rendered by the physicians
and Mr.. Crocker, there were thousand
kind hearts and hands ready to respond to
any demand The Coroner's inquest, which
has just terminated, found a verdict of acci-
dental death, precisely in accordance with
the facts as stated in detail above, exonerated
theDHicers and men of G Company from any
blame in the premises and commended then,