Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-28
CAN IT BE MURDER {?
The Novel Trial in Criminal Court,
Based on Natural Gas.
JAMES IRWIN AND THE PRESSURE
We're What Killed William Rogan, But
There's Another Question,
WAS THE VICTIM DULY WARNED

James Irwin was placed on trial before
Judge Stowe in the Criminal Court on the
charge of murder yesterday afternoon. Ir-
win was inspector of Carnegie Bros. natural
gas line. 1t is charged at Harrison City
he ordered the gas in the line turned on, and
that it rushed out of the pipe with such
force that James Magee was killed instantly
and William Rogan was so severely injured
that he died two hours after being brought
to the West Penn Hospital.
The first witness was w. n. Smith. He
testified that he was working on the pipe
line in Westmoreland county on the 10th Of
March last. He was working down in the
ditch, joining the pipe together. Superin-
tendent Irwin turned the gas on without
giving any warning, and the explosion fol-
lowed. He didn't see Irwin turn on the gas
There were about $50 men working on the line.
AT the time the rush of gas came he saw Will
lam Rogan, James Magee, Patrick Gallagher
and himself and William Smith in the ditch.
Witness was leaning over the pipe, guiding it
into its proper place. There had been a small
leak of gas all day, but it did not do any harm.
1t caught fire.
Sd. WANDERING AND WARNED.
In the cross-examination the witness began
to wander little, and Attorney w. d. Moore
told him: IF you don't keep your remarks to
yourself I'll ask the Court to direct you" His
Honor interposed and told the witness that he
must answer questions direct.
Continuing witness said that they sometimes
put 20 pounds of lead in a JOINT, and to get
pipe out of a joint they have to build FIRE
under it. They are not allowed to use the line
during this operation. There were half dozen
Italians near at the time of the explosion.
taken out of the ditch. Witness sup
posed that they were through digging.
No one called on the witness to get out of the
ditch when the rush OF gas came. He did not
know that there was pressure of so pounds or
more of gas in the main all day. He did not
know whether or not he had testified before
the Coroner that he knew there was 100 pounds
pressure in the pine at the time, and that he
considered it dangerous. Did not remember
swearing positively before the Coroner that the
men were working behind 800 pounds pressure.
Witness and Irwin were not on bad terms.
Witness admitted having entered suit against
Irwin before the Coroner's inquest was held.
He was positive that
NO WARNING HAD BEEN GIVEN,
because he would have been the first man to
get il from the foreman. Rogan was at the end
Of the pipe farthest from the joint The line
was Pinch one, and each pipe was from % to
25 feet long. Witness had worked at the bust
ness five years
On denomination the witness said that the
leaking gas had taken fire about half an hour
before the explosion came, but did not do any
damage. The gas did not take fire after the
explosion. He thought there might have been
300 pounds pressure in the main back of the
gate, which was about half mile back from
where the men were working.
Dr. A. L. Black, physician at the West Penn
Hospital, testified that Rogan had arrived at
16. and died between II and L Rogan had a
large scab at the base of his skull, which was
fractured. A small piece of the base of the
skull was missing. His back was also injured.
The physician saw that he could not live more
than two hours and did not try to do anything
TO his back, as it would only torture him. No
other bones were broken. Witness did not |
make post mortem examination of the body. |
The cause of death was the injury to the bead. |
Rogan was about feet inches high and |
weighed l57 or las pounds. He appeared to be |
healthy. Witness felt satisfied that he died |
from physical injuries. After Rogan's death |
his body was taken to his boarding house, |
No. q Ross street.
On March l6 Patrick Gallagher was employed |
on the Carnegie Bros pipe line at pouring |
lead around the joints. He testified that |
Dougherty & Gibney had the contract for |
laying the line. He saw Irwin about At the |
time of the accident he saw two men hurt. |
They were James Magee and William Rogan. |
Witness was pouring lead into joint two pipe |
lengths behind them. The gas came through |
the main without any warning and caught the |
was not in sight 1t was a wheel gate. He |
heard the gas coming, and felt it under his |
feet. He heard the stones shooting through |
the pipes and ran back. The lines are cleaned |
by turning the gas into the pipes. 1t blows all |
stones and pieces of lead out of the pipes. At |
ter the gas ceased blowing Magee was dead; |
but the breath was still in Rogan. They had |
been blown up the ditch about three pipe |
lengths Witness took Rogan TO his boarding |
house in Harrison City. That was on Saturday. |
When he saw Rogan, on the next Monday, he |
was dead. Rogan had been injured a little by |
the fire Of the leaking gas. but not much. |
over the end of the pipe Witness didn't |
know how the fire caught. The gas had been |
leaking behind them all day.
In cross-examination witness said he did not |
during the afternoon. On re-exanninatioD. in
regard to the leaking gas lgnting, he said the |
only fire about was in the portable forge, which /
stood across the road
R0GAN WAS WARNED.
Edward Connors lives on Ross street. At the |
time of the accident he had charge of Is men,
who were digging ''bell-noles" in the ditch at /
each joint SO that the men would |
have room TO work. He had spoken |
to Rogan and Smith about one minute |
before the explosion. The roar of gas at
tracted his attention, and he ran back of a |
wagon that stood on the road, so that he would |
be safe in case the gas took fire. He saw the |
two men lying in the ditch about 50 feet from
the end of the main. Both were dirt -begrimed, |
and a piece of lead was sticking into Magee's
back. fThe lead was shown to the jury.l Wit
ness brought Rogan to the West Penn Hos
pital
On cross-examination witness testified that
be had received no warning. 1t was customary
for him TO get warning. It was dangerous to
bis men because the gas might have caught fire
and burned them all, although they we're 200
or 800 feet ahead. In case of fire the gas
usually follows the ditch. The rush OF gas
that killed the two men came too quick for
anyone who heard the roar to give warning to
the men in the ditch. On re-examination witness
said that it was customary, before testing the
Eas mans. 10 give notice TO the bosses of the |
gangs, 30 that the men and furnaces could be
gotten out of the way. Testing the line was
dangerous. 1t was customary for Mr.. Irwin to
send messenger to the bosses of the workmen
and wait for an answer, before turning on the
gas II was usual to do all the testing after
working hours, when the men were out of
1anger
Judge Stowe adjourned Court at o'clock
until $50 this morning.