The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-04-06
KILLED BY EXPLOSION.
Building Wrecked Near New Or
leans French Market.
FIVE DEAD BODIES TAKEN OUT.

The Accident Took Place Early in the Morn
ing, and Three of One Family Were Killed
as They sIept-Report That 1t Was Malta
Vengeance Discredited.
New ORLEANS, April 6.-About2 o'clock
in the morning an explosion from some
unknown cause occurred at the corner of
Decatur and Ursuline streets, in a two
story brick building, containing two stores
and rooms on the ground floor. One of
these was occupied by L. A. Boulet as
drinking saloon; the other by Charles
Salathe, who keeps IA grocery and ship
chandlery. The building was near the
lower end of the French market and was
separated from it by n narrow street.
The explosion was loud one, and when
the dust had cleared away the fishermen
and women who had already put in their
appearance at the market saw before them
II heap of wreckage where there had form
erly stood a barroom and grocery. Then
little tongues of flames began to shoot up
from the wreckage, and by this time the
onlookers set about t think of some means
of rescue for the unGortunates, whom they
knew were imprisOnedin in the mass of brick
and timber. An alarm of fire was sounded,
and soon the fire department was on the
scene. The flremen did quick and effective
work in saving the adjoining buildings.
The explosion was accompanied by a
terrific sound, apparently half smothered,
ms if blown up from the bottom of the
building The edifce trembled and then
went up with a tremendous convulson
throwing parts Of the building high in the
air, tearing the Ursuline street wall down.
part of the Decatur street wall, and leav-
ing the greater part of the wall standing
in the rear of the building 1t went up
! like a mighty flash, and the explosion was
| followed by big blaze, that went high
up in the air and then subsidized some
what.
The walls and debris came down with a
crash, and Immediately the air was filled
with smoke and dust that were blown
! everywhere from the grocery store.
! The explosion is thought to have been
caused by gunpowder, twenty five or thirty
pounds of which was always kept on hand
by Salathe for sale to hunters and fisher
men, who make their headquarters in the
neighborhood of the French market
The work of digging out the dead was
begun before the fire was fully suppressed,
and by o'clock all the bodies were re-
covered,
1t was thought at first that the explo-
sion was due to the work Of the Malta,
and that it was intended to kill l..
A. Boulet, the proprietor OF the saloon.
| Boulet is "a FrenChman and two years ago
! killed an Italian named Bulestraci, who
had seduced his (Boulet's) wife. On the
trial it was shown that Boulet acted in
self Defense and he was promptly ac-
quilted. Boulet, who miraculously
escaped the explosion, when questioned
on the matter today, said. THE Mntia
would not adopt such means TO kill their
victim. They have other and surer means
| of doing this kind Of work. l firmly be-
lieve that the explosion was the result Of
an accident"
Those who met death in the accident are
as follows: Charles Salathe groceryman;
Mrs. Charles Sala5he, 1+months old boy
of Mr.. and Mrs Salathe; Felix Rigot, "a
barkeeper for Boulet; John Edwards, en-
ployed by Boulet
The Salathe servants spent the night
elsewhere and thus escaped. Two chill
dren Of the Salathe family were dragged
from the ruins, and although badly bruised
and shocked, will live. Half dozen peo-
ple in the vicinity were injured by falling
debris, but all will recover.
The barroom was generally crowded at
the hour of the fatality, but from all ao-
counts there seems to have been a provi-
Dental lull in trade when the explosion Oc-
curred