Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-17
FATAL EXPLOSION OF A PROJEC-
TILE


The Deadly Shell I'm a Rubbish Heap.
Mr.. GEORGE PHILLIPS AND MR. JOHN sTEwAE,
KILLED.
The neighoorhood OF 18th and ID streets SOUTH
west tnear the long bridge), was thrown into
state OF excitement about S:45 O'Clock this morn
| ing by loud explosion which brought hundreds
OF people out OF their houses to learn the OF
| it. The report proved to BE- the explosion of a
she'll on an open lot belonging 10 the Capt Gibson
estate, just south OF the commissary department,
and the instantaneous killing OF Mr.. George Phil
| lips, and manglng OF Mr.. John Stewart IN a most
shocking manner, which must result fatally. The
excitement was very great, everybody In the
neighborhood running In that direction. A STAR
| reporter was soon Oh hand and gathered the fol-
lowing particulars: ID street between 18th street
ana the river, has never been graded and appears
10 be sort OF dumping ground for all sorts OF rub
| pish. About two weeks ago eolored man dumped
| a wagon load OF rubbish near the rear OF Mr.
George PHILLIPS house on ID street and among
other things were three shells di frerent sizes
The large vas elongated, made for rife gun,
and was al ii fourteen inches long and about six
Inches tn diameter; another was of smaller size,
though OF similar pattern, and tie third YVES
round. These shells Mr.. Phillips took inside his
| yard, where they have been lying ever since.
BREAKING THE SHELL IN SPITE OF wIFEs CAU-
This morning about 9 O'clock, Mr. Phillips, in
company with Mr.. John Stewart, took the largest
OF these shells out the back lot i'm the rear OF
his house, and with a short-handled axe COM
menced to strike It. with the view OF breaking il TO
pieces. Mrs Phillips begged them not 10 do so, as
she said it might be loaded and wouli do harm,
Whlcn caution, however, WAS not Needed. A COL
ored man named John +. Tabbs was the only spec
tat0r TO the Scene. He was seated on q box near
MT Gi6son's brick warehouse, some three rods
from where the two men We're striking the shell
Mr. Phillips had given It some blows, SO Tabbs
says. and he called out TO them asking II it had
cap on IT, ana Stewart replied, "YeS.n TabbS says
he answered back, "For Gods sake don't strike it.
1oun both be killed.n Some colored women were
then talking with him. and he tOhl them to run as
the shell might burst and Kin them. The women
started and ran behind a stable, and he {1abbs)
ran around the brick warehouse, where he was
| standing at the same moment, and had not got
Geite around, when the Shell exploded, making a
loud report
FRIGHTFuL SCENE.
He at once turned and saw the PROSTATE forms
| OF Phillips and Stewart He walked up towards
| them, and at this time other people were running
| towards the scene, and Phillips was dead a short
distance form the place, with his brains scattered
| against post in the fence and over the ground
about them. Stewards right leg was blown in
| pieces from the thigh down and the left broken
between the foot and knee and his left hand ter
ribly mangled. In Phillips forehead was hole
large enough to admit the fist OF a man and the
entire brains were out and scattered the ground
DR.. c. V. Boarman, whose Office Is at 11l4 Mary
land avenue, WAS summoned Uy some one, who
notified him that his instruments might be want
| ing. He, too, had heard the explosion and repaired
| at once to the spot.
STEWART CONSCIOUSNESS ACCOUNT OF IT.
In short time afterwards Dr. c. M. Hammett
came to the spot and finding Stewart stin living,
with DIR. Boarman holding with his thumb press
Ing against the femoral artery to prevent the loss
OF blood, he assisted in putting on tourniquet,
and thus released DIR. Boarman who had been In
this unpleasant position for about ttiteen minutes
Another tourniquet was placed upon his lett leg
to prevent the How OF blcol and by te use OF hy-
perlemtc injections Stewart WAS returned to con-
sciouS ness and was able to speak. He said he
| struck the blow on the point OF the shell which
exploded 1t, but did not suppose it was oIded
t.a oiny f1n
by some one and showed plainly where the pole OF
| the axe had 1attened the lead OF which it WAS
time until the poIice a9buIance u cpme and nd ssewe %
arts mangled body was removed to the Providence
hospital. Ali the physicians present state that it
is not possible for him to recover. The dead body
or Phillips was taken up by some of the spectators
| and carried into his house when the coroner was
summoned
TERRIBLE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The Shell flew In all directions and was picked
up In fragments; one piece dew across the open
lot and stove large hole I'm the fence enclosing
the commssary department. Pieces OF Phillips
skull were picked up in different places, and bones
| from Stewards legs were found strewed about A
good-siZed hole was blown In the ground where the
shell lay. No one knows who Tue colOred man was
Who dumped the shell with other rubbish where IL
was found by Mr.. Phillips
THE VICTIMS.
Mr.. Phillips leaves wife and three small child
| rem. He was IabOring man, and was engaged on
| the new portion OF the bridge now being made.
| He was about thirty-sIx years Old. Mr.. Stewart
| was a single man, brother OF Captain William e.
Stewart, the wel-known fisherman and lived with
| his mother on street, between 9th and 10th
streets southwest. He was about forty years old
laborer by occupation. brother OF Mr.. Phillips
who came upon the ground, tainted on beholding
the mangled remains OF his brother and neice OF
+: MIR. Stewart swooned away on coming to the spot
where her uncle lay. The two remaining shells
were thrown into the channel or the river by Mr..
William Faunce, where they can do no harm.
DEATH OF STEWART.
stewart died at II 80 o'clock at the Providence
| hospital