Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-09-20
The Arsenal Disaster.
THE OoRoNER's INQUEST.


ner, held an inquest at the Washington arsenal
on the bodies Of the two soldiers-Privates
Michael Joyce and John A. Berry-of Major
Breckenr1dge's battery (B, I'd U. S. Artillery
who were killed on saturday morning by the
accidental discharge Of cartridge Ia Calling
gun. Sergeant John A. Mason and PriVateS
Biddle, keefe and Strecks testified as to the gun
being moved preparatory to cleaning and when
cartridge took place and the deceased fell, they
being directly In front Of the Darrels
sergeant Moore testified that after the gun
was turned over to him on Friday he had the
man In charge OF the crank turn 1t round sew
era! times to see II all the shots were fired of,
and heard the Click OF the gun and supposed
rom this that there was nothing in il. When
ever there was cartridge caught in the gun he
moved the crank himself. He was under the
impression that the gun was empty when they
left 1t, and that some children or other person
ground and which had escaped notice. The
cover was put On the gun before they went to
dinner, and person could not put cartridge
In without removing the cover. He saw that
the gun was secure after the firing ceased.
DR.. j. w. Bayne, post surgeon, testified that
On hearing Of tie accident ne went directly TO
the ground; found both men on the ground in
state OF collapse; the bali had made It's entrance
In the left breast OF Joyce just above the heart
and In close proximity TO the arm pit; the ball
passed through The body. and he died from the
shock consequent upon the injury. Berry was
shot In the right breast, just below the collar
bone; the 6all passed through the lung. coming
OuI at iut Udck, lie also Ueu from SHOCK con
equent upon the injury.
Lieut.. Hubbard second artillery, testified that
ne rad charge OF the detachment firing on FRI
Gay; IL was the regular semi-annua. practice:
directed the men 10 continue firing with the
half-1nch gun after the cartridges for the one
Inch gun were exhausted; tod tneEl To get m Ore
feed cases. ard they said they were out OF feed
cases Also ten or twelve cartridges fail i 10
piCde, and were taken away; there Is a definite
number OF shots ordered fer each gun at stated
times; record is kept for each shot; they were
10 nave iired TWO hundred cartridges; does not
regard this as safe gun; thinks Ii dtsecsive Ia
That there is nothing to prevent an explosion
On slight drop OF the trail, when the handle is
In certain position. and the handle has 10 BE-
In that position 70 put on the cover; it IS the
DUTY OF the non-cOmmiSSi0nei officer, when the
gun Is turned over to him. TO see that IL is not
loaded; when the firing ceased. witness asked II
all the cartridges were out, and they said they
were: these men were not In their proper p0-
S1tfCn. there Is nothing which requires man
TO go in front OF the gun; Major Breckiuridge
was SHOT once With this same gUn, and the men
were particularly told TO be careful, as the gan
was hot regarded as safe one; a arefuI man
Will not 90 ln front OF q gun.
Major breckenridge testified: regard the gun
as much more unsafe than the rev pattern; [
had made acquisition for a new model aud
this was SeEt instead; was so sure OF its IN
safety; as compared with other guns, that [
placed the best and most experienced tnel III
charge CT it.
THE VERDICT.
A verdict was rendered that the said Michael
joyce and John A. Berry came 10 their death
between and II o'clock a. In. on the 18th day
OF september, 1SsQ, at the United States hos
pitaI or the arsenal fn the City or Washington
and county Aforesaid by reason OF q gun shot
wound III the chest inflicted by the accidental
discharge OF Calling gun. We further find
from the evidence that the gun vas unsafe and
should not have been used Second. that the
officers TO whom the gun was turned over after
the target firing on the nth inst. failed IN their
Gufy in not seeing that all the chambers OF the
gun We're empty. Third that had the deceased
teen in their proper positions at the time the
accident could not have happened"
THE MILITARY INQUIRY.
The board OF survey. Capt. Wilson and Liauts.
Reed and Weaver. have concluded their investi-
gat10n as TO the accident, and find that criminal
carelesSness attaches 10 no one concerned in the
matter. Mi. Charles E. Joyce, brother Of one
OF the victims, makes statement blaming First
Sergeant Moore for the presence OF the Charge
In the gun. He also says: 1.-THE charge that
my poor unfortunate brother and his young
comrade were responsible for their own deaths
Is one take particular exception to. ANY man
having the slightest knowledge OF artillery
practice knows that a fatigue party who are
sent 10 clean gun are not called OF by
them at the piece; and even If they had Joyce
and Berry were occupying the positions that
NO; ana No should occupy when moving an
unlOaGed gum
THE FUNERAL
took place this morning from the quarters OF
the battery at the Arsenal, and there was
large assemblage present, embracing maay of
the friends and acquaintances Of the deceased
and families generally residing within the
Arsenal grounds The bodies were encased In
handsome rosewood caSketS on tie TOD OF
which were floral tributes OF their friends. The
casketS were placed on a caiSSon and borne TO
81. Dominic'S church, where high mass was said
Tor them by Rev. Father RoccOfort, as,iste. b.
Father H0rrigan. The band OF the I'd artillery,
from Fort McHenry. headed the escort, which
was detail Of Battery b MAI. Breckenridge's).
under command of First Sergeant Moore, with
arms reversed; then followed field piece and
a caisson ON which were the two corpseS -Pri-
Vate Joyce On the right and Private Berry on
the leftover which the national flag was
dTaped This was fianked by the pail bearers
volunteers SIX from Battery b ana five each
from Battery II and the ordnance corps There
were carriages containing the officers of the
bat.erles and post, carriages with the relatives
and frlends OF the deceased those OF Private
Joyce ON the right and OF Private Berry on the
lelt. After the services at the church had been
cOncluded The remains were taken to Mount
OIiVet, where they were interred-Chs cuslom-
airy salute OF three guns being hired over their
graves. >