The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-05
AS TO THAT EXPLOSION
There Are Nine Damage Suits Entered,
Assrssatins $4,000.
DEFENDANTS IN THE CASE
Relatives OF the Victims OF the
Disaster Appear In Court to
Demand q Settlement By
the Responsible Parties.

the Responsible Parties.
BUTTE, April 4.-The FIRST lot Of damage
suits growing out OF the great dynamite
explosion Of Jan. Is were filed in the dis
trict court to-day by ]. w. Kinsley, a
Helena lawyer, who represents all the
plaintiffs. There are nine suits, with
claims aggregating $145. 900. The Kenyon
Connell Commercial company, in whose
warehouse the destructive explosions oc-
Cured, il named as defendant In all
cases.
Mrs. Louisa Tracey. the widowed
mother of Coleman Tracey, who was one
of those killed. is plaintiff in one of the
suits. and the allegations of her complaint
also give the substance of the allegations
in the other eight actions. She alleges
that the defendant company, at the time
OF the explosion. had stored great quanti-
ties of giant powder and other explosives
in its warehouse at Iron and Arizona
streets, contrary to law and unknown to
the public--a fact we'll known to the off,
GERS and agents of the company. In adj
dition to having on hand for use for its
retail trade. In its store on Main street, 1t
did uniawfully, feloniously, wilfully, nea-
ligently and without due care and eau
ton, which every reasonable person
should exercise in doing an act which
might result in the destruction of human
life and In the performance Of an unlaw-
full act, store, deposit, and keep within
said warehouse and within the city of
Butte and within one mile of the residence
of the plaintiff and several hundred other
persons, large quantity of gun powder,
giant powder, Hercules powder, nitro
glycerine dynamite and other dangerous
and powerful explosives.
The aaid av ploaivea uaro an naUlfUontIv
and unlawfully kept in said warehouse,
that fire therein or any serious accident
to said building that might happen
therein by the negligence or malicious
act of any agents or employees of the de-
PENDANT or others, would cause the same
to explode and destroy said warehouse
and cause the death and destruction of
any person or number of persons who
might chance to be in or near said build
ing at the time of the fire or casualty,
which conditions were we'll and truly
known to the officers and agents of the
defendant on the 18th of january. On
the date mentioned, by the carelessness
and negligence and unlawful conduct of
the defendant, the warehouse took fire.
The complaint says that the plaintiff Is
the widowed mother of Coleman Tracey,
and that she lived in the vicinity of the
warehouse. She relates that Coleman
Tracey did not know of the contents of
the warehouse and that there was no sig
nal or warning notice informing persons
OF the dangerous contents at the time the
warehouse took fire. Said Coleman Ira
cey and others hearing the alarm of fire,
and not knowing but what it might be
given for a fire in his own dwelling house,
and with q willingness to volunteer his
services to aid the fire department in ex-
tiuguishing any fire in that neighborhood,
and willing to submit to be placed under
the directions of the fire marshal, or
nfh nfi w ffrhf ahn naA
10 be in command at the fire,
he proceeded to said burning building,
and when near the warehouse, and with
out any negligence on his part, the con-
tents of the warehouse exploded, the en-
tire building was destroyed and it's con-
number of firemen and others were killed
and wounded, and then and there the
said Coleman Tracey was instantly killed
by said explosion to the damage of the
plaintiff in the sum of $4,000, for which
amount judgment is asked.
Ida Z. Ash, widow of Samuel Ash. one
of the dead firemen, and mother of the
deceased's posthumous child, sues for
1000 and alleges that her husband was
killed while in the discharge of his duties.
Minnie A. Cameron, widow of the dead
chief and mother of his four children, sues
for $4,000.
Louis Doerr, brother and guardian of
John Doerr, sues for 1000 in the latter's
name, who, 1t is alleged, will always be
MANNED and permanently injured.
William X. Orr, volunteer fireman, Is
plaintiff in two suits of $4,000 each. He
alleges in one complaint that he received
permanent injuries in one explosion
while in the discharge of his duties. In
the second complaint he says he was leav-
ing the scene of the danger and was walk
ing along the public street when the other
explosion occurred and he was hit with
flying pieces of iron and again sustained
permanent injuries.
William G. Singleton. brakeman. sues
for $4,000 for injuries sustained by flying
pieces OF iron while he was in the dis
charge of his duties on train near by.
John III. Steinborn, the police officer
who was injured while on duty in the VIZ
entity of the fire, asks for $4,000.
j. David Magee, Hattie b. Marston and
Frances Mcmillan, brother and sisters of
William A. Magee. one of the firemen
killed. sue for $4,000. making a total of
$145 200 in the nine suits.
1t is claimed that q number OF others
will soon be filed.