The record-union., 1895-09-12
FOUR MEN KILLED.
FATAL EXPLOSION OF A CAISSON
AT LOUISVILLE.
Remains of Deceased Badly Mangled
and Charred Almost Beyond
Recognition,

! LOUISVILLE (Ky.), Sept. II. - Four
members of the Louisville Legion were
Instantly killed this morning by the ex-
plosion of ammunition in the caisson of a
gun which was being driven to Phoenix
Hill for service in connection with the
Grand Army of the Republic parade.
| The victims were: Corporal Robinson,
Private Woods, Private Mcbride and
William Adams. the colored driver. The
men were seated on the caisson.
| Sergeant Conn and Private Hobbs were
injured, but not seriously. Another
member of the battery, whose name is
unknown, is reported missing.
The caisson contained sixty pounds of
powder, enough to tire forty rounds.
Thescause of the accident is inexplica-
| BILE. A report that one OF the men was
smoking is denied. The accident hap
pened aDout o'clock this morning.
When the accident occurred the Legion
Hospital Corps was notified and hastened
to the scene. Sheets were taken from
neig boring houses and spread over the
bodies. The remains OF the killed wore
badly mangled and charred beyond
recognition. One man was a mass of
raw flesh. Three lost arms and legs.
All the clothing was torn from the bodies
The bodies were found many feet away
from the scene of the disaster. One had
| been hurled into q tree and fell through
the branches, striking an iron fence and
crushing it, negro passing opposite
the cannon at the time was hurled
through the air by the explosion to the
top OF a house, where he struck with full
force against the stone wall and had his
leg broken.
The explosion created CONSERVATION
among the occupants OF the fashionable
Il in ni,,ff Il
for several miles. Soon exaggerated re-
ports began TO circulate Thousands
rushed to the scene of the disaster and
the police found IL necessary to rope Off
the street intersections of three blocks.
The accident cast gloom over the city
aud lessened the interest in the parade
already in process of formation.
Colonel John b. Castelmau ssid it was
one of those unfortunate accidents that
cannot be guarded against A similar
one occurred In Chicago during the
strike, in which three men were killed
and several wounded.
The accident happened about $50
o'clook. The battery section was pro-
ceeding to Phoenix Hill to fire forty
salutes in honor of the G. A. R., and had
reached point between the Avery and
II all residences on Broadway, between
Third and Fourth, when the accident
occurred. The Legion Hospital Corps
was notified at once, and hastened to the
scene.
Governor John Brown, who was stop
ping with Major George B. Easton, was
asleep in bed. The explosion stunned
him, and it was some time before he re-
vived. Mrs. Easton was in the bathroom
at the time. She saw the flash, and was
knocked off her feet by the explosion
She was badly stunned, but as soon as
she was brought around, began minister
ing to Governor Brown. In the near-by
residences several people were knocked
down, and others rushed into the streets
A foot of one of the victims was found in
the back yard of one Of the houses, and a
leg in the front yard.
Miss Flora Force, who occupied the
YandeO mansion, was at q window when
the explosion occurred. She said: "I saw
the men coming down the street with the
cannon drawn by two horses. They were
all seated Oh it, laughing and talking.
One of the men who was seated on the
caisson was smoking a cigar. l heard
one of the men say to him: Look out for
the sparks from that cigar He was lust
about to knock Off the ashes. A moment
later the explosion came. l was knocked
down.
The explosion was heard for distance
of several miles, although at the moment
1t was supposed to be simply the dis
charge OF q cannon.