The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-12
DEATH IN AWFUL FORM.
Demonstration of Veterans at
Louisville Marred by
Catastrophe.
WERE SEATED OVER POWDER.
the Victims Was Smoking
Cigar.

LOUISVILLE, KY, Sept. 11.-Fpur men,
bers of Louisville Legion were instantly
killed this morning by the explosion of
ammunition in the caisson of gun which
was being driven to Phoenix Hill for SER
vice in connection with the G. A. R. parade.
The victims were: Corporal Robinson,
Private Woods, Private Mcbride and Will
liam 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 bat.
terry, whose name is unknown, is reported
missing.
The caisson contained sixty pounds of
powder, enough to fire forty rounds. The
cause of the accident is inexplicable. A re-
port that one of the men was smoking is
denied.
When the accident occurred the Legion
Hospital Corps was notified and fastened
to the scene. Sheets were taken from
neighboring houses and spread over the
bodies. The remains of the killed were
badly mangled and charred beyond recog-
milton. One man was 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 tree and fell through the branches,
striking an iron fence and crushing it. A
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
residences of the vicinity. 1t was heard
for several miles. Soon exaggerated re-
ports began to circulate. Thousands
rushed to the scene of the disaster and the
police found it necessary to rope off the
street into sections for three blocks. The
accident cast gloom over the city and
lessened the interest in the parade already
in process of formation.
Colonel John b. Castleman said 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.
Governor John Brown, who was stop
ping with Major George B. Easton, was
asleep in bed when the caisson exploded.
hO CApIOolO1 oluHucu anu III Was
some time before he revived. 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 ministering to Governor Brown.
In the nearby 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 leg in the front yard.
Miss Flora Force. who occupied the
Yandell mansion, was at window when
the explosion occurred. She said:
81 saw the men coming down the street
with the cannon drawn by two horses.
They were all seated on it laughing and
talking. One of the men who were seated
on the caisson was smoking a cigar. 1
heard one of the men say to him: Look
out for the sparks from that cigar He
was just about to knock off the ashes. A
moment later the explosion came. / was
knocked down.
Tne explosion was heard for distance
of several miles, although at the moment
it was supposed to be simply the discharge
of cannon.