The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-05
THE CANNON WENT OFF TOO SOON.
Milton Gould's Terrible Accident-Other
Casualties of the Day.

Milton Gould's Terrible Accident-OtheI
Casualties of the Day.
Amid the cracking of firearms and the
booming of cannon yesterday, people
naturally wondered how many accidents
would be recorded in tomorrow's paper
And yet the record sheets of the various
station houses were almost blank till the
day was nearly ended. Beyond one OF
two minor casualties nothing worth re.
cording had been brought to the notice OF
the police.
The day, however, was not to close
without recording at least one serious ac-
cident. Jersey avenue was thronged with
spectators parading that thoroughfare
about nine O'Clock last night watching
the display of fireworks made by patriotic
citizens and otherwise taking part in a
somewhat noisy demonstration.
In front of Smiths bakery some two
hundred people were waiting to hear the
report of large toy cannon, which Mil
ton NJ. Gould, stout young fireman of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, was loading.
The cannon is about eighteen inches long,
with an inch bore.
1t was dismounted and Gould was ram
ing home quarter-pound charge of pow
der, with the cannon resting on its butt.
His face was directly above the muzzle.
The metal had not sufficiently cooled
since the last discharge. Suddenly there
was loud report aud young Gould fell
backward. His left cheek was almost en-
tirely blown away and two fingers on his
right hand were torn in way which
will probably render amputation of the
whole hand necessary. The pine ramrod
struck him just above the eye and was
shattered into spliuters about his face.
The right eye was almost torn from its
socket. Charles Stier, of No. 548 Jersey
o1.1 uurr of No OSQ
Second street, caught hold of him and
rushed off to Whites drug store, but
were sent off for doctor.
He was carried to DR.. Loomis' office.
The Doctor dressed the wounds and sent
the unfortunate man to Christ's Hospital,
where he is doing reasonably well.
William johnson, OF Second and Erie
streets, had the skin torn from the back
of his hands by the discharge, and ten
year-old Annie Smiths face was black
ened by the powder. Another bystander
by the name of Daley was also hurt, but
ran off and has not since been heard
from.
The report which spread along the
street, to the effect that there had been a
cannon explosion and several persons
hurt, drew nearly a thousand persons to
the spot
Could is said to be model young man.
He does not drink, is steady and industri-
GUS, and is very popular among his ac-
quaintances.
Fire crackers caused slight fire yester-
day in the coal office of Z. McHenry, No.
1856 First street, which was quickly ex-
tinguished by the members of Engine
Company No. l before any damage was
done.
Michael Spiret, of No. "a Railroad ave-
nue., was shot by some unknown person
over the right eye yesterday. He was
attended by DR.. Doherty and sent home.
Dennis Doyle, of Provost and Tenth
streets, was walking through Eighth
street yesterday when he was slightly
wounded in the right thigh by a blank
cartridge fired from a pistol held close to
him by an unknown young man. His
wound was dressed at the Grove street
station and he was sent home. The
police were unable to find the man who
fired the pistol.
Michael Ward is watchman at the
sugar house. He lives at No. 142 Morris
street, and has a nine-year-old son. Yes
terday the boy shot himself in the leg
with toy pistol. Mr.. Ward had Jacob
Soney, the locksmith, of No. 9S York
street, arrested for selling the pistol to the
boy in violation of the statute. In Justice
Stilsing's Court this morning the exami
nation was postponed until Tuesday.
The awning of the liquor store at Cooper
place and Gregory street was set on fire
Yesterday by fireworks, but was quickly
extinguished by Policeman James Hop
kinS