The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-24
C0R0NER'S INVESTIGATION
CORONER MIX VISITS WINCH ESTER
 SHoPs-MAY HOLD INQUEST.

Oi bhc SoihphhJ Claim That Only Black Powder Was Used-Four Funerals of Victims Yester- day-Brown Denies Bradley's Assertion. Coroner Mix began his official inves- tigaton into the cause of the fatal eN- plosion at the Winchester shops yester- day. He is, however, not yet entirely satisfied that he has all the information that can be secured and will probably not make any official statement for a day or two He hopes to be able to find some one who can throw addition al light on the mystery of the eXplo- sion,
 The coroner went through the grounds of the company, carefully in- spected the room where the accident occurred and saw the operations Of the automatic loading machines, investi- gated the kinds of powder which are used, and came back satisfied that black powder was used on the machine and that there was an unusual amount of powder in the dome of the machine in order to cause it to do the damage 1t did.
 Meanwhile the various theories that have been advanced by those who claim to know the inner workings of the shops are being studied
 President Bennett of the Winchester company denies emphatically that mt ro-wood powder was used in machine No. 19, which caused the fatal explo- . sion. ''We use the smokeless powder but not in that room. The ordinary black gunpowder was used on the ma chine and no other" The company mas a box of sample cartridges which was exhibited. The one the company says was made on the machine is called the "New Rival" and is charged with a powder black in appearance The sheii is for sporting purposes. Authorizes say 1t Is utterly impossible to construct an explosive cartridge out Of ordinary black powder exclusively. Some otnef more powerful substance, suscepllple to concussion, has got to be introduced into the cartridge shell in order to ignite the powder.
 Officers of the Winchester company say that the smokeless powder, name they apply to nitro-wood powder, is not ss dangerous as ordinary black pow der. They advance the theory that an extraordinary amount of powder must have been placed in the machine to have caused the explosion. According to the company's own statement, this is extremely improbable, for they say a, weighing scale weighs the amount of powder placed in the reservoir pound of powder is placed in at time, and .- crlv suffices for a certain num- Der of shells. A pointer on dial indi- cote when the, supply is low, and the boy is called to bring more powder. He gets it at the powder house and is obliged to tell the attendant what ma chine desires it, and also what kind of shell is being loaded. The powder house attendant determines by the name of the shell what kind of powder is needed, and hands out the pound can. which is poured into the machine The boy does not examine the contents of the can.
 One of the women employed in the room advanced the theory that 1t i. probable that the attendant misunder. stood the boys order and handed out the wrong kind of powder, for the ex. plosion occurred immediately after the delivery of the powder. All theories are mere speculation. Several kinds of powder are kept in the powder house and the operators theory seems to be reasonable. The machines are so con structed that there is little or no dan ger when black powder is used. The theory that the machine was overload ed is plausible, but according to opera tors on other machines, it is peculiar for they claim that the scale does no permit more than a pound of powder 1T at time.
 MT. Bennett was asked whether tht company has decided to allow the heir. of each of those who was killed $5, 900 as had been published. He said tha the company could no do that, or a least that it never did except where there was some exceptional circum stances for so doing. The company however, had not fully decided thi question yet
 FUNERALS OF VICTIMS.
 St. Mary's church was crowded at o'clock yesterday morning with tht sorrowing friends and relatives of Mar, Theresa Connolly, the fifteen-year-ole daughter of MT. and Mrs. Patrick Con nelly of 19o Willow street, whose fun eral was held at that hour.
 A requiem mass was celebrated b, Rev. T. H. Justa, o. P, assistant rec tor. The pallbearers were Michael Col llns, Lewis Corcoran, Hugh O'Neil ant M. Kileran, all shopmates of the deat little girl. There were no flowers. In terment took place in St. Lawrenc cemetery,
 The same sad and impressive scene were enacted al St Mary's church at | o'clock, when the funeral of Mary Jo sephine Brennan, the sixteen-year- -olt orphan, who lived with and was tn nainstay of her grandmother, Mrs Della Doyle, at 34 George street, wa held. Rev. Leonard J. Lockingen, o P, celebrated requiem mass Tn pallbearers were Paul, Joseph and Johi Istas Robert Walsh and John Unger and the fowerbearers were Henry Ista and Edward Bissell. All were shop mates of the deceased. The floral trib utes were beautiful and included al elaborate piece from the poor girl shopmates. The torn little body wa laid at rest in St. Bernard's cemetery
 The funeral of Adolph Edward Bar dorf, the twenty -one-year-old son o August Bardorf, of 518 Winchester ave nue, who died at the hospital from tn, terrible injuries he received, was helt yesterday afternoon at 2:3O,