The morning call., 1892-05-25
LOST Ills LEFT HAND.
Terrible Accident to a Young Ma.
tiOnal GuardSman.
While Firing salutes F. C. Wells, Member
Of Battery a, Is Horribly Wounded
by Premature Discharge.

Very sad, indeed, was the accident that
occurred at 9 o'clock yesterday morning
while the visiting editors were starting out
on the steamer Ukiah for bay excursion.
While firing a salute to Governor Mark
ham, Frederick Z. Wells, a member of
Light Battery a, Second Artillery Regi-
ment, \. q. c., was seriously injured by the
premature discharge of a gun and will be
manned for life.
Half an hour before the steamer left the
dock a detachment Of twenty men from
Battery a marched down to the wharf.
under command of Lieutenant Westphal
The guardsmen were there to fire salute
when the Governor arrived and also to
answer salutes from the Ukiah and forts
around the BAY The men at first selected
were all experienced In handling the old
fashioned cannons supplied by the State to
the battery. Captain Roster drilled the
men for two hours Monday night until
they were pronounced thoroughly efficient
for firing the salutes. One of the expert
enced men, however, was withdrawn and
new man assigned TO his place AT the vent.
This did not please Private Wilson and
be withdrew, saying 'the man who loads
that gun with green hand at the vent viii
have his arm blown off.
Young Wells took Wilson's place and the
disaster predicted was only too terribly re-
allied.
The two guns were sent to the wharf
early in the morning and when the detail of
twenty men arrived eight were assigned to
each gun. Each squad was commanded by
a sergeant while Lieutenant Westphal SUI
peTYised the whole detachment
THE SALUTE.
When Governor Markham and staff
arrived gun No. l opened the salute. While
this gun was being swabbed out No. was
discharged. As gun No 1 was being pre-
pared for q second discharge the man in
charge stepped to one side Private Wells
stepped forward with the hammer to drive
the powder into the breech. lie inserted
the rammer and had driven itdown into the
muZZle of the gun about six inches when
the charge exploded. Wells was hurled
backward by the force Of the explosion and
caught in the arms of Private Armstrong as
he was falling. At a glance it was seen
that the poor fellows left hand had been
blown off by the explosion and his lace and
head badly burned and blaekened by the
powder. The firing OF the salute was not
stopped by the terrible accident, and While
some Of Wells comrades tried to staunch
the flow Of blood others sent for patrol
wagon
Wells bore his sufferings with calm.
heroic fOritude, and he uttered no COM
which bore him TO the Receiving Hospital.
An examination Of his injuries showed that
the discharge had carried away his lett
hand at the wrist, burned and slightly
lacerated his right hand, burnt eff bis eye
br0ws and mustache and badly sc0rched his
face.
Chloroform was administered, and while
it deadened the pain the unfortunate yfung
man did not become unconscious. Assistant
Police Surgeon C0lfman amputated what re-
NAMED IF tie left land at the wrist.
THE GUARDsMAN's FATHER.
While this operation was being performed
the young guardsman's father Police
Officer c. c. Wells, arrived and remained
with his son until he was able to be re-
moved to his home at SIC Hayes street.
Poor Fred" said the unhappy father.
chow did it happen?'
81 was loading the gun and it went off too
soon. That was all. l only had the hammer
about six inches in the muZZle or both OF my
arms would have gOne.'
moment later he added. with R faint
smile: IT'S lUcky my head was not in tie
way. 1t would have gone, too"
The victim Of the accident is % years old
and had been connected with the battery
for seven years. At one time he was ser
geant bUgler, but resigned that rank 10 be-
come a private. He is a bright young man,
and for some time had been employed as a
clerk in the Office Of the London and Ian
cashire Insurance Company, of which
Colonel William Macdonald, commander of
the Second Artillery, is resident manager.
Before ne was removed from the hospital
he was visited by the colonel and Captain
Roster, commander OF the battery.
Don't worry, Fred" said Colonel Mac
donald, you viii suit me just as well as
clerk with one hand as any one else would
with two"
The members of B tttery a we're reticent
in reference to the manner in which the
premature explosion was caused. 1t is
probable, however, that the man at the vent
removed his thumb too soon and the charge
of powder was ignited by sparks remaining
in the gun,
eff the truth is known" said one officer,
'tbe blame can be laid 20 the State of Cali
fOTnia for furnishing Us with old-fashioned,
woEn-out guns. l never see them discharged
vvithOut pYnacfiDp an accident