The sun., 1897-05-06
AN INVENTOR BLOWN UP.
CHARLBs W. sTEARNs WAS GRIND
ING "A FLAsHLIGHT POWDER.

''It Ia DnnEerouu,- No said, "but ut Will
Mako us All Rich"-Arter tho Explosion
ana Just Before Death Hc Added In n Faint
Voice, ''I Guess Z Won't Get Rich Now."
Charles Wilson Stcarns. n graduate OF the
PHILADELPHIA College OF Pharmacy and, until
about three weeks ago. prescription clerk of
Hudnut's pharmacy. 205 Broadway, was killed
by an explosion OF chemicals at his home, In
Spring Valley, n. j.. at 1880 O'Clock yesterday
morning.
William d. L. wilkins owns n house and a
small tract OF land on what is known as the
Spring Valley road. wilkins is employed by
Cammann & Co.. brokers. 35 Broad street. He
and Stearns kept bachelors hall. What house
work they did not do was done by their one SER
want, Christopher Gavin, who Is about 10 years
old
For some time Stearns had been engaged in
tho manufacture of what he called "Stearnss s
Chinese fiashlight powder" Tho powder was
intended for the use OF photographers in making
fashlight photographs. For the manufacture
OF this powder Stearns fitted up n building,
about fifteen feet west OF the wilkins house, as
Laboratory. When he left Hudnut's employ, on
account Of being troubled with rheumatism In
his feet, he devoted all his time to the msnufnc-
ture of This powder, from which he was confident
he would make fortune.
:. Yesterday morning Wilkins came to New
tory. shortly before Ii o'clock young Gavin
went into tho la aboratory to watch stearns at his
powder on q marble slab using an ordinary
drugeists pestle to do the mixing. As young
Gavin walked into the laboratory. Stearns re-
~ tell you, Chris I've got It at last. This is
going to be the greatest flashlight powder in the
time before this thins'I make Us ali rich 'AO,'
While he was speaking the bells Of the bakers
wagon were heard and Gavin left the lahOra-
tory TO yet the days supply OF bread. while he
was putting The bread away Gavin heard an ex-
pnmio pplSsion which shook the foundations of the
breaking glass and followed by that of falling
timbers
Rushing out Of the house the boy found the
latornt tory in ruins. and second look discov-
cred stearns lying among the debris, where the
When GAVIN reached Stearns the latter was
still alive, though he could not move and was
from the arm. the left hand was hanging BY
shreds OF flesh, the, toes on the right foot had
been blown off, the legs shockinRly lacerated by
The Hackensack Hospital was notified and an
ambulance was sent; Just before he was lifted
tS IN S the sn5 searnS called young Gavin
word to mother"
road to the hospital. stearns was about 2s years
oid. lie wns a native OF Smyrna. Del. from
se i ohfb The sne
port OF the explosion was heard in Hackensack,
three miles away. 1t broke nearly every win.
ploson can only be inferred. The ingredients Of
the powder Stearns was grinding could not bo
learn learned Yesterday, and probably were known
only TO himself. The conjecture Is that as in
the cnse OF many other explosions. grit. that is.
some fiinty substance; had found it's wav into
some one of the ingredients. and when this was
ground under the pcstlc heat enough was devel-
oped to cause the explosion.