New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-30
THEIR BODIES TERRIBLY NANGLSD.

THE SOLDIERS KILLED AT THE SANDY HOOK
PROVING GROUNDS SENT HOME FOR BURIAL.
The post.mortem examination OF the bodies OF
Corporal Robert Doyle and Private Frank conway
who were Instantly killed by tho premature eA-
plosion of Camel gun at the SANDY HOOK PROVING
grounds on Saturday afternoon. was held carry
yesterday morning at the hospital on Governors
island, whittier the bodies had been removed after
the accident. Both men were found to have been
terribly mangled. Doyle In particular presenting
shocking appearance. His right forearm had peeh
completely torn of. and nearly the whole OF MS
right side had been blown away Corporal Doyie'
who was thirty years old. belonged In Philadelphia,
and Conway. who vas . few years younger came
from Green Island. near Troy. y. Y.
The relatives Of the unfortunate men were COM
mun,cated with on Saturday night. and yesterday
morning both bodies were claimed and conveyed 10
their homes for burial. No religious services were
held over the bodies at Governors Island prepara-
tory to their removal. but full military honors
were accorded. The coflins. covered by the Stars
and Stripes were escorted By q squad OF nfty-two
men, the regulation mourning number. from tho
hospital to the landing pier on the Island. where
the ordnance steamer General Thayer was in readi-
ness to transfer them to ths mainland. a. the the
ySsy. .a
Ss d,;essn and for R5y;,s Con;
Philadeiphis. and thai Of Els unfortunate com:
Private James Coyne. one Of the injured men.
who was seriously wounded In the face is stu IN
precarious condition although It T. thought that he
is that It 10 likely the poor fellow viii! lose his
sight. One eye II already destroyed. and the hos
ptal surgeons yesterday expressed the gravest
doubts OF their ability to save the other eye
Private Mcdonald. whose arm was hurt. Ia recov-
ering, and will be about again In few days.
Captain Frank Heath who was In command OF
the hiring squad. told Tribune reporter yesterday
that the usual precautions were observed. and that
the accident could not be attributed to any In
q
cause Of the accident from which It seemed that
the rapidly with which the breech mechanism
could b worked. . second cartridge was placed In
position and a. soon a. II was firmly seated Doyle
threw the breechblock back and was In the act OF
beginning the rotary motion to secure II when the
explosion occurred. The Immediate cause OF the
accident, Captain Heath said. was owing to the
firing pin projecting beyond the surface Of the
inner side OF the block. He thought that with the
nrst shot some grit or powder must have lodged In
tho spring Of the firing pin. preventing It return
ing 70 its proper place. Consequently when the
protrudinS pin causn. the primer Of the cartridge
The Canet gun II If French design and manu-
facture. and 10 the only one At present in this
country 1t was SEQ. here about . year ago. and
has been tested frequenty. and was not found to
be faulty in any way. The yun which II q rapid
firing piece 10 Q long slender steel weapon not
differing materially In outward appearance from
the Armstrong and H0tchkiss guns. 1t weighs
Just over three toni. and 10 mounted on . rapid.
IRE carriage protected by segmental steel shield