The morning times., 1896-01-25
SHOWING UP IcETIlENE
Coroaer's Jury Investigating the
New Haven Horror.
LIGHTED MATCH CAUSED IT
It Was Applied to the SO-CsIled II
luminant and the Explosion Fol-
lOwed-Insurance Companies hepre-
scented at the Hearing-SOme One
Is Criminally Liable.
Especial to The Times.)

New Haven, Conn.,, Jan. 24.-Coroner
Mix this afternoon began a public investt'
CATION into the cause that led to the ex-
piosioD of acetylene gas at Frank F.
Pfieghar & Co.'S shop Tuesday, killing
three men and severely injuring mary Others
and wrecking fouT-story brick building.
The general Acetyiene Gas Company Of
New York and Pfelghar & Co. were repre-
sented by counsel at the investigation. Pfelg-
hara nd one eOfbisemployes, Alex. Krah, were
unable TO be present. physician said that
they were not in condition to appear. They
will be examined later.
James F. Mcneil, employed by Pfleghar.
was the first witness. He informed the
court under oath that Pfleghar had been
engaged In making a regulating machine
for a month TO use in connection with the
gas. He said there were two tanks in
the building loaded with acetylene gas,
one arriving last Christmas.
SOME OF THE TESTIMONY.
He was at work on one OF these regulating
machines with PfIeghar and three other
workmen, one or the three being Hauser.
who was killed In the explosion. The ma
chine was designed to regulate the flow Of
gas. The two gas tanks were six feet
from each other. The explosion threw him
several feet up against n door. When be re-
covered lie ran back TO find Hauser. and
discovered him near one of the tanks dead.
Mcneil further testified that leak in
the gas tank was discovered last Saturday
by Hauser, who lighted a match to locate
the leak. The other workmen were cx-
amined at length, but they were in posi-
tions in the room where they could not
see Just wnat occarred just prior TO the
explosion. The hearing will not go on
until Pfleghar is able TO be examined.
WILL sIFT 1T THOROUGHLY.
The coroner, in response to public senti-
mcnt, will make the Investigation very
thorough. Representatives OF the in
surance companies that insured the build
ing and the stock, were at the hearing,
and will attend all future hearings 10 find
out II possible just how far the companies
are liable for insurance money in view OF
the fact that acetyIenc was used in the
building without their knowledge
DR.. Edwin F. Toof, who was interested
in the making OF the regulators with PIE
CHAR, and whose son, Rev. John Thomas
TOof, WIS one of the victimsoftbe explosion,
states that the regulators we were test
ing have been on the market for years.
If we had known that this acetyIene gas
was dangerous we would not have used it
In the building
INSURANCE MEN AROUSED.
The representatives. Of the General
Acetylene Gas Company of New York are
in town asking for an investigation. for
they claim that their gas is safer than the
ordinary gas and that it is not nearly
so dangerous to human life when inhaled
as the ordinary compound. Their theory
is that the gas was allowed to leak from
the tank and that a lighted match came
in contact with the leak. The flame fol-
lowed the gas down into the tank and
burst it.
The question which is uppermost in the
mind of the coroner is as to the liability
and criminality in the case of those who
have explosives Of this dangerous character
right in the very enter of the city.