Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-04-12
BLOWN INTO THE AIR
New Orleans Block Wrecked BY
an Explosion.
THE STORY OF A SURVIVOR
Sleeping Inmates Crushed and Mangit d
In the Ter ribie Crash that
Followed.

New Orleans. April 6.-About 2 o'clocl
this morning an explosion from som
unknown cause occurred at the corne
Of Decatur and Ursuline streets In
two-story brick building containing
two stores on the ground floor. One o
these was occupied by Emile Boulet a
d drinking saloon, the other by Charlie
Salathe as grocery and ship chand
lers' store. The building was near tn.
lower end of the French market, sep
arated from 1t by narrow little alley
| Tongues of flame began shooting VI
from the debris and by this time the on
| lockers had recovered from the shoci
and set about to think for some means
| to rescue the unfortunates whom they
knew were imprisoned In that smoking
mass Of brick and timbers. An alarn
| Of fire was sounded. The firemen die
| effective work In saving adjoining
buildings. They poured water on the
debris to save the dead from crema.
ton. People ran to and fro SO much out
OF their wits that they could not give
Intelligent answers to queries
Salathe's place was known as the
Fisherman's Exchange and was rich In
the memories of Cheniere storm. II
was there many of the rescued made
their headquarters when they were
brought to the city. and it was a very
popular resort of fishing men.
At this morning two bodies were
recovered. They were identified as
those of Charles Salathe and wife. At
daylight the work of removing the ruins
began. The police were compelled to
use force to keep the crowd away. The
bodies of Felix Rigot and James Ed
wards. employees of the fish stand in the
market, were found. 1t was ascertaincd
that Edwards entered the saloon a few
minutes before the explosion with a
basket of shrimps.
THEORY OF REVENGE.
While the police are inclined to be-
lifve that the explosion was the result
Of accident, people residing In the yicin-
ity of the wrecked building are of an
entirely different opinion. They state
openly that the explosion was an at
tempt to kill Boulet. who had a mirac-
ulpus escape. Boulet is the Frenchman
VINO TWO years ago shot and killed one
or the wealthiest Italians doing bust
ness near the French market. This
man, Ariestene Balestraci, and Boulet
We're in the saloon business together.
Boulets wife contracted a liason with
Balestraci which caused Boulet to leave
her. Balestraci would taunt Boulet
with his dishonor but was always sur
rounded by friends when doing SO. Two
years ago they met In the French mar
Ket and Balestraci. who was carrying a
cane, drew from it's sheath large
sword with which he attacked Boulet.
Inc latter drew revolver. fired and
killed the italian. The trial resulted in
Boulet's acquittal.
ever since then Boulet has been look
ed upon as a marked man. His friends
tired to persuade him to leave the city,
or at least stay away from the market
but he refused. Last night he OCCUPIED
a room In the barroom on the second
Moor and 1t Is believed that the explo-
sion was done for the simple purpose of
killing him. Balestraci was the leader
OF the Italian colony and just the sort
or man to be at the head of the Malta.
DEAD AND INJURED.
The dead so far recovered are: Charles
grocer; Mrs. Charles Salathe.
his wife; the 14-months-old infant of
Mr.. and Mrs. Salathe; Felix Rigand,
barkeeper for Abe Decuerst; James Ed
wards, employed by Barthole.
The injured are: Lille j. Salathe.
aged B, badly bruised; Edward Salathe.
aged 4, bruised; Charles Reiss, driver
Jaw fractured; I. Valenter, skull frac-
tured; Tom Anderson. slightly injured.
STORIES OF EYE-WITNESSES.
=. II. Witty, collector of the French
was standing on the corner op-
pos1te the saloon when the explosion
TOOK place. He was In the habit of CO.
ing TO the saloon often during the night
TO chat with the barkeeper whom he
Knew very well, and had just walked
across from the market to the corner
when the explosion occurred. He said
II was accompanied by terrific sound,
apparently half smothered, as IL blown
up from the bottom of the basement.
The edif1ce trembled, and then went I'M
with tremendous CONFUSION, throw
ing parts of the building high In the air,
tearing down the Ursuline street wall
and part of the Decatur street wall.
and leaving a greater part of the wall
standing In the rear of the building.
Witty says 1t went up like a mighty
hash. and the explosion was followed by
big blaze that went high into the air
ana then subsidized somewhat. The
walls and debris came down with a
crash and Immediately the air was full
or smoke and dust blown everywhere
from the grocery store. Immediately
people rushed to the place of the ex-
plosion from every direction.
The people in the two building were as
follows: c. ]. Salathe. living over the
grocery store with his wife and four
two of the latter being saved;
Felix Rigaud, barkeeper. an 1S-year-
DID boy. who is dead; Emile Boulet.
who slept over the saloon, and who es-
capped; Joseph Grimaldi and Mike
Bierei, frequenters of the saloon, sup
posed to be there at the time. and who
are missing.
When the firemen reached the scene
hey found that flames were creeping
,ut from all quarters under the debris.
water was pumped on the ruins, and
/ large force of men started to work TO
'leAr away the debris over where II
va supposed the bodies lay
JAPANESE lABORERS FOR HAWAII
German Ship Loaded With Coolies Ar. |
rives at Honolulu.