Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-12-06
DYNAMITE.
A Stove Blown 10 Pieces Near
Elizabeth, Pa.-TwO Per.
SONS Killed.


About a quarter of mile below the
coal mines of Gumbert and Huey, on
the Monongahela river, is the home OF
Hale Forsy the, miner employed in
the works of the above mentioned firm.
Here Forsythe has lived for some
time with lis wife and three children.
About two weeks ago some miners
employed at Walton's mines came to
visit Forsythe, and were at his house
day or two During their stay they
proposed to Forsythe that they should
90 fishing. They did not care about the
old, slow method of capturing one hsh
at time, with hook and line, but told
Forsythe they knew of much better
plan, which was, to use dynamite.
The miners had some of the explosive
material with them, and they went to
the river and used it quite successful
ly, killing about five hundred pounds
of fish. The visiting miners went
home and Forsythe determined to do |
some fishing on his own account with
the new bait. On Friday morning he
went to the quarry of Mr.. Fleming, on
the Youghiogheny river, and asked If
be could spare some d dynamite. Flem-
ing wanted to know what it was to be
used for and Forsythe said he wanted
to blast some rocks near his house.
Fleming then agreed to let Forsythe
have four sticks of dynamite, weigh
ing in all about a pound.
He then told him that the stuff was
frozen and was useless in that condl-
ton. He explained to Forsythe that
if the sticks of dynamite were placed
near fire they would thaw out ard
be ready for use About half-past five
O'Clock he went home and told his fam
lily about the dynamite, but none OF
them were alarmed, as they, too, were
ignorant of its qualities. Forsythe
took the sticks of dynamite from his
pocket and placed them in the oven OF
the kitchen stove. He then went of to
the coal works where he was quarter
of an hour later when be heard loud
report, and in few minutes he was
: told that there had been an explosion
at his house and all of his family had
. been killed.
After Forsythe left the house his
! wife and children sat down to supper
. at table near the stove where the
dynamite was. While the children
. were laughing about some joke, there
was frightful noise, the stove was
Z blown into tiny fragments, the entire
. end of the house, which is two-story
frame building, was wrecked, and the
u mother and her little ones were hurleo
u in different directions and were cut by
flying pieces of iron and glass, or VIC
lently thrown against the wall.
r Mrs. Forsythe was cut and gashed
.e in a most frightful manner. She ha(
1t been sitting close to the stove and th'
re pieces of iron struck her in over thirty
}: places giving her the appearance of
- person who had been
Is RIDDLED WITH Blu UCKsHoT.
=, She cannot possibly recover. Char
- - ley Forsythe, the youngest of the chill
, dren and about five years old, was ter
. ribly bruised and cut, and died not lonl
70 after the accident occurred. Rober
=, Forsythe, seven years old, was Gu
!. ~ about the head and body. His inju
u. ries are serious, but he will not die
% Willie, the oldest of the boys, escapes
le with slight cuts on his feet. Poo
Is Forsythe is almost crazy about the al
8. fair, and constantly cxclaims that b
40 is to blame for the disaster. He want
se ed to commit suicide, but was prevent
is ed. The man in reality does not seen
10 10 to have known what was liable to hap
oi pen, and of course could not be blamed
y Mrs. Forsythe was daughter of MI
e Huey, one of the firm for whom Fol
y sythe worked. The coroner has bee
Ii notified of the boys death.
Later information from the scene o
q Ss the accident is to the effect that th
~, ~ oldest boy, aged eight years, had jus
m ~ arisen to get drink, and was no
OF more than two feet from the stove an
Fl, facing it when the accident occurred
!. The mother was seated with bee hacl
~ toward the stove and the two younge
ne bows by her side. The boy near th
ol stove received the full force of the e.
- plosina, which was terrific. The DO
90 standing near the stove was thrown
or or distance of twenty feet and was foun'
uo in cave in the yard. He was horr
o as bly, mangled and died from the effect
- L4 Of his ipjpries about tWo hoGrs aftt
~ the occurrence The entire portion (
Gu his body was opened as though tt
flesh had been cut away with a knit
s.; exposing the entrails. Both arm
ils were twisted from their sockets, an
~ one leg was almost severed at the kne'
y, Forsythe was in swoon for sever
NO bonr, oetau tho aoafdopt