The evening world., 1891-07-14
BLOWN To DEATH.
Dynamite EEpIOdaS on tho Steamer
c. R. Booth.
Two Men Killed and -Four Others
Injured.
The Vessel Now Sinking or the
Foot OF Richard Street,
Brooklyn.

! A loud report, followed by shock that was
| perceptibc for nearly quarter OF n mile was
heard In the section known as Red Hook,
South Brooklyn, at 1890 o'clock this MORN
ing.
II was caused by an explosion OF n case OF
dynamite cartridges in the hold, under the
aftcr deck OF the steamer q. X. Booth, lying
at the foot OF Richards street.
Two men were instantly killed and four
were injured The victims were
KILLED.
CORNELIUS HAYES, forty years old, Of 100
Cherry street, New York.
WILLIAM REAGAN, twenty-five years old, OF
Sc Fulton street. Brooklyn.
INJURED.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS, first mate, suffering
with sprnined ankle and punctured wound
OF right foot.
lnachinist ON the vessel, sprained ankle and
incised wound Of jaw.
JoHN GRAHAM, ships carpenter, suffering
from shock; also badly bruised.
PATRICK DOwEEY, longshoreman, suffering
from shock; also bruised.
Immediately AFTER the shock the other men
aboard the vessel ran to the spot where the
explosion occurred and peered into the hold
| OF the vessel.
A horrible sight met their gaze. Reagan
had been blown to bits and his flesh and
bones were scattered In all parts OF the little
compartment.
An alarm Of fire was immediately sent out,
followed by a call for four ambulances.
The hold OF the vessel was nlling with water
and the ships pumps were set to work.
The G. X. Booth IL an English vessel OF
$500 tons. She is owned by the Britannia
Steamship Company. Her commander is
Capt. W. II. savilie, OF Sunderland, England
The Booth left Hamburg June 25 and ar
rived at her dock IN Brooklyn Wednesday.
Her cargo which was OF general character,
was consigned to Messrs. simpson, spence a
Young, whose once Is In the Columbia Build
ing. corner broadway and Norris street, this
city.
Immediately after the vessel arrived X.
Augustus Frazier was placed In charge OF the
'iongshOremen, and the work OF removing the
cargo was begun.
in the manifest OF the cargo there was no
report made OF dynamite cartridges being
aboard the vessel.
Everything proceeded all right until this
morning. quantity OF dynamite had been
placed on deck, and capt. Saville alleges that
he was unaware that there was more OF It on
the vessel.
Shortly before 1890 O'Clock there were four
men at work In the hold. They were Reagan,
Hayes, John Mcguire and Patrick Downey.
They were taking heavy cases from the hold
and loading them on the decks.
The heat was intense, and Mcguire took
tin pail and told his companions he was going
above for some water.
Hayes and Reagan were working In the eX-
treme after part Of the compartment, while
DOwney stood near the entrance.
Chief Mate William Williams and Carpenter
John Graham were standing on the deck I'm
mediately above the spot where Hayes and
Re agau were working.
suddenly there was shock, followed by
roar, as OF thunder, and the vessel shook.
The decks bulged upward so suddenly that
Williams and Graham were thrown IN tine AIR.
The real extent OF the explosion was moi
discovered until all hands went below and
found Reagan and Hayes dead.
RGaganS body was literally blown TO bits.
Scraps OF bone and flesh, two or three inches
square, were lying all @ oyer % the noid. HIS helh
capt. Saville ordered the remains swept up
and gathered into bng.
Hayes'S body was also badly torn and lac
era ed. What remained OF the two victims
was arried 20 the Morguc.
The general call for ambulances brought
Drs PO.acS and Young to the scene.
The fircmen who had been summoned rem
dered oil assistan In their power. Foreman
Plntt Van COtt, Of Engine No =, while work
ing In the hold Of the vessel badly injured his
leg. He was removed 70 his home.
Soon AFTER the explosion Capt. saville gave
orders TO his men not 70 speak 10 any one OF
the slaughter, and II was very dincult 20
learn the extent Of the disaster.
II was learned that the explosion had torn
a hole through the port side below the water
line and had started the decks.
The rivets were blown out ON the StarbOard
side and the deck was badly damaged.
The damage will exceed 100000.
What caused the explosion will probably
never be known. There was rlmOr Circu-
lated that the intense heat had caused the
explosion, but this Is pooh-poOhed by the cap
tain.
Capt. Savtlle has theory that there must
have been loose cartridge IN the case and In
Canttng II over on a truck the shell exploded,
causing the case Of dynamite 10 60 on.