Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-23
FATAL CANNONADlNG.
THE SAD RESULT OF A SALUTE,
JOY QUICKLY TURNED 10 llOUENiNG
Franx HerzJS Instantly Killed and Peter
RGr;ch's leg Torn OF White Firing
Ihe Gun ON the Hill In Honor
n the E!cctsul,


the Hili'' overlooking the city tirin.
salutes in honor Of victory. The rc-eiec-
ton of Mayor MacGoni.Ic inspired
the customary impulse, and yesterday
afternoon q party OF young Democrats pro-
cured twenty pounds of powder and took
the cannon to the usual ground as the cor
ner OF Fremont street and Laurel alley.
that point being Oh an einineaca that has
adapted to the purpose designated. 1t WAS
generally Known that the celebration was
intended, and the Democrats oi the neigh.
bcrhood We're present in large numbers to
participate in rejoicinss SO soon to be
hushed by an appalling tragedy. The
powder had been divided into fourteen
separate bags, each weighing about a
pouad ard a-half, and one bag being used
for each discharge. The gun was rammcd
with sod, corn, stalks, ETC., and filled
nearly to the nuzzlc, and tho reports that
rcverbcratcd over the city during the latter
part Of yesterday afternoon were hailed
with the most enthusiastic demonstrations
among the assembled thronS,
The Fatal Discharge.
Sevsra: discharges had taken place
without accident, and tho Gun had
been reloaded by different persons, who
stated that tho charge was no heavier
than those that had preceded it that Il
single bag of powder had been put in that
frequently before much mere powder had
been used, and that the load waS very well
rammc,l. Joseph Artlif1 :, young man,
touched OIL the fuse by which the
canuon was discharged and the
large crowd OF spectators we're scat
tered about at various distances wait
inss for the result AS soon rs the powder
ignitcd there was i dcatcning report and
the gun exploded int, hundred frag-
ments flying in every direction. One
party OF young men. consisting o: Frank
HcrzoG David Chic, William Green and
William Lawrence, j.. were standing to-
from whete the gun was stationed. Peter
RTic'! was seated on IN empty powder
kcr, ai.I near him stood .!Gh:, St. Clair.
O.;2 piece of the flying metal, weighing
eight; pounds, struck iierzog on the left
temple. crushing in the silc Of the head
III tho nost shocking manner, AMI the
brains scattering forth. lie was killed
Instantly. Another piece struck Rmricll
i,, ~; cI,4 nnI r.,
the member frishtiuiy. Green was cut
about the legs to some extent, but was
able to walk home. and Il few others were
slightly hurt by s:1al! pieces Of the flying
debris.
After The Explosion.
The explosion occasionod tho greatest
constclnation and wild excitement. 1t is
said that rs far a"ay as the cotton mills
Oh Prince street pieces OF the metal were
seen flying in the air, and in an incredibly
short space OF time an immense crowd was
upon the scene OF the terrible disaster.
The body Of IIcrzog WAS taken to the
home OF his father, Bernard lIcrzoS, with
whom he resided, at No. j3l Manor street,
and where his wife and child also made
their home. Tic distress in the stricken
household was p;tiful, and tho most
intense grief w"s manifested by the be-
vca"cI parents and wife.
!i'c.ich's leg Amputated.
Ruricl was also quickly taken to his
home at 429 High street. He has wife
and three children. His occupation is that
Of a carpenter, and he was engaged on the
improvements now III progress at the
Cross Keys hotel on West King street
Drs. NJ. l.. Herr, Davis, Muh!cnbcr. and
Foreman were sent for, and after consul
tation it was decided to amputate the limb
without further delay. The operation
was performed by the physicians named
the leg being taken off near the hip, the
injured man being put under the influence
Of an aEsesthetic while the surgeons were
at work. After the operation had been
accomplished the doctors pronounced Roe
rich s condition 70 bc still very critical
The Cannon Demolished
The gun was completely shattered, and
the fragments strcwn about ind:scrimi-
Eately. Pieces of the metal weighing
thirty pounds We're found square from
the scene OF the catastrophe, while the
wooden carriage upon which the cannon
rested was torn to pieces. the spokes being
wrcnclcd of close to the hub, axles broken
and little rcmaiDiD. Of the vehicle but
splintcrs and kindling weed.
Tho Coroner's Verdict.
As soon as it had been asccrtained that
Il lie had been lost Coroner Shiffer pro-
cccGcd to the scene Of the tragedy, and
impancled a jury consisting OF John Gill,
George Scnscnderlcr, James Grimacy,
Joseph Adams, James Adams and Henry
Brock. They viewed the remains OF Her
zo~, and adjourned until this morning
when they reasscmblcd at the court house
and after hearing testimony of witness, s
as embodied in the above recital of the
sad affair rendered verdict "that Frank
Hcrzos came to his death by an explosion
of cannon caused by carelessness in load
ing
VINO tho Victims Arc.
Frank 1erzog, whose tragic death is
recorded above. was young man twenty
three OF twcnty-four years of age, was
married and his ouns wife and one child
survive him. lie was barber and car
ried Oh his business at the residence of lis
father, Bernard Herzog, No. j3l Manor