The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-09-14
DEADLY CAIss0N.
It Suddenly Explodes on the
Streets of Louisville.
Four ArtIlisrymen on Their way 20 fire
an Early salute 20 yeterass Are
KILLED and Two Others
Are Wounded.

| LOUISVILLE. KY, Sept ~. = Four
meuibers of the Louisville legion were
instantly killed Wednesday morning
by the explosion of ammunition In the
caisson of the gun which was being
driven TO Phoenix hill for service in
connection with the q. A. Il. parade.
The victims were:
Corporal A. l.. Robinson. ee3s Grnyson street
Private G. Woods. 1881 Vine street
Private A. Mcbride. 5sb West Chestnut street
William Adams, colored driver.
The soldiers killed were members OK
battery A, and belonged 10 a section
of six in charge of one gun. Capt
David Castleman was in command.
The four unfortunates were seated on
the caisson.
Sergt. Fred Conn and Private f. NJ.
Hobbs were injured, though not very
seriously. Conn's left hand was lac
Grated and left eye and face powder
burned. Hobbs back was sprained.
eyebrows burned and eye slightly
injured Both men are suffering from
the shock. Another member OF the
battery. whose name is not as yet
learned. is reported missing. Capt.
David Castleman, who was in charge,
was riding at the side of the detail.
He escaped injury.
The caisson contained sixty pounds
of powder enough to fire forty rounds.
The cause of the accident is inexplica-
BILE. The report that one of the men
was smoking is denied by Capt. Castle
man.
Col John Il. Castleman said ii 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'clock. The battery section was pro-
cecding TO Phoenix hill TO fire forty
salutes in honor of the G.. A. r.. and
had reached APPOINT between the Avery
and Hall residences on Broadway, be-
tween Third and Fourth, when the ac-
cident occurred. The Legion hospital
corps was notified at once and FASTENED
to the scene.
Gov John Young Brown. who was
stopping with Maj. George b. Easton,
was asleep in bed The explosion
stunned him, and IL was some
time before he revived. Mrs. Easton
was In the bathroom at the
time. She saw the fash and
was knocked off her feet by the ex-
plosion. She was badly stunned, but
as soon as she was brought around be-
gan ministering To Gov. Brown. Sheets
were taken from the neighboring
houses and spread over the dead
bodies
This description of the affair was
given by Bishop Samuel Fallows, of
Illinois, who is the guest of Mr.. w. l..
Hall:
II was awakened by the explosion by being
shaken out OF bed. jumped up and
ran TO tho window. but could sec
nothing but smoke. The remains OF those
killed were charred beyond recog-
milton and one man was but a mass OF raw
flesh Three OF the men lost arms and legs.
All OF the clothing was torn from their bodies.
Ono ~ the bodies was found lying between tho
street car tracks at Fourth and Broad
way: another by the side OF a tree box Ia front
OF w. G. Halls house at $40 West broadway:
still another was found by the side OF
telegraph pole 90 feet from the
corner OF Fourth and Broadway. One was
hurled through tree ih George IL Eistons
yard and fell through the branches striking
Several branches were torn OF the tree by the
body rs IL came through. An unknown negro. who
was passing opposite the cannon at the time.
was hurled through the air by the explosion to
the top OF this house.whcrc he struck with fun
force against the stone. His leg was broken
by the fall"
The explosion created Consideration
among the occupants of the fashion
able residences in the vicinity. In the
Rcidhae mansion every window was
broken and several of the family and
guests stunned. In the McMannon resi-
dence several people were knocked
down and others rushed into the street
screaming that the end OF the world
had come. A foot Of one of
the victims was found in the
back yard of this house and
u leg in the front yard. The
door of another residence was blown
into splinters and trees on the front
lawn were lcveled. Miss Flora Focee.
who occupies the Yandell mansion,
next door TO Bishop Fallows' quarters.
was at a window when the explosion
occurred. She said
II saw the men coming down the street with
the cannon drawn by two horses. They were
all seated on II laughing and talk
Ing. One OF the men who was seated
on the caiss0n WAS smoking cigar
heard one Of the men say 20 him; Look out
for the sparks from that cigar lie was just
about 70 knock on the ashes moment later