Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-07-10

Two Men Blown to Atoms at Centralia
on the Fourth.

happened at CentraIia on the Fourth, :
just when the festivities were at the
highest. Jno. Finks and d. D. Con-
ger, who were engaged in firing the
artillery cannon borrowed from
the University at Columbia-were
the victims, the weapon being pre-
maturely discharged while these men
were engaged in charging it with
powder.
We are indebted to the Centralia
Guard for the following details,
taken from it's proof sheets:
The gun was in charge of Capt. j.
w. Kneisley, an old and experienced
a~rtilleryman, who commanded a bat
terry during the war, and at the start
everything had been arranged SO as
to guard against accident The Cap
tain told the men it was no child's
play, but the gun had frequently
been discharged in the forenoon by
the same men, who probably exer-
cised more care than later in the
day. During the firing of the salute,
when the fatal accident occurred, a
great crowd lowered about the can
non. There was much loud talking
\ and cheering and the men being ex-
cited lost their presence of mind and
paid little or no attention to orders.
I Two shots had been fred and the
men were preparing to put in a third
' charge when the command was given
loudly and repeated, "Don't load any
more; the gun is red hot and some
q body will be blown to pieces" Sew
eral bystanders shouted to the men
not to load again, that if they did
> somebody would be killed. From
some inexplicable cause 10 attention
. was paid to these commands and re-
peated warnings, but the men rushed
recklessly to their fate.
n The two unfortunate men received
horrible injuries, both being almost
directly in front of the muzzle. Con,
" ger was blown about Is feet to the
right and in front of the cannon and
il Finks the same distance to the left
The men we're entirely denuded Of
clothing. Mr.. Finks was found OF
he his back, feet to the cannon, his
shirt blown up over his face and OF
,s fire. Mr.. Conger's pants were blown
over 200 yards and torn into shreds
= Nj. Finks' pants were ripped opel
down the outer seams. Both mel
ID were badly mutilated and horribl..
~ powder burnt, the faces being black
8 ened beyond recognition, while thei
bodies and limbs were more or les
th burned John Finks had n arr
- broken at the wrist and the thum'
torn loose. He was not cut or mar
gled otherwise. Death vas cause
n BY conclusion. He lived but a FEY
ID minutes. Mr.. Conger had both arm
shattered, his left arm being broke
in five places while his right arm wa
n horribly mangled and was amputate
by by the doctors. His collar bone ws
also broken and right breast bruised
beside internal injuries. His ey'
Is sight was destroyed. He lived unit
next morning, resting well throue
the night and was conscious to tt
,o+ last. The gun hammer was blow
to atoms. 4 blackened silver doll
ess from the pocket of one of the me
was found 200 yards away. M
he Conger's watch could not be fou1
e but the chain was recovered.
VI Finks leaves a wife and large fal
ily who are in destitute circul
Elk stances. Mr.. Conger was a memb
md of the Knights of Pythias, which to-
charge of the remains and buried h
we with appropriate ceremonies on Su
as day last.
Immediately after the accide
100 flags were lowered. and draped
mourning, and Grape dropped whe
SIMS bunting waved before.
my Mr.. Conger was a son-in-law
the MI. James i. Gillian, of this CT
we having married Miss Rosa less tina
year ago. Mr.. Gillian and all
family attended the funeral, VIII
the was one of the largest ever in G
has tralia.