New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-06
CORONER HOLDS CRAIG.
AHtRGED WITH JIANSLA UGH.
TER AT EXPLOSION.
scHoLER SAYS ITALIAN FOR WHOM
WARRANT is OUT HAD CHARGE
OF FIRING MORTARS.

AT Ate preliminary lL44NCSb AAANS NAS ~~~~~ "a
the fireworks explosion at Madison Square on
election night held yesterday in Coroner Scho-
ler's court in the Criminal Courts Building
John Craig who was in charge OF the eXplo-
sives OF the Pain Manufacturing Company at
the time OF the disaster, was held in $4,000
bail on a charge OF manslaughter in the first
degree. Late yesterday afternoon he was bailed
out by Harry J. Pain, the New-York manager
OF the company.
John Stamm and William Ridley. boys who
were employed in carrying boxes Of explosives.
We're sent by the coroner 10 the House OF De-
tention 10 be detained as witnesses. in $500
hail. to appear next Tuesday at 10 a. m, when
the inquest will be held. The other employees
OF the Pain company who had been arrested
were discharged after the examination. Coro-
ner Schoer said that Craigs testimony was
that along near the west curb near Twenty
sixth-st were a row of twenty Roman can
dies and in the centre of the street seven
bombs.
Coroner Scholer last evening said:
Even if the aldermen did grant suspension
of the fireworks ordinance. il was the business
of the police TO that the fireworks were Kept
within proper limits. The granting OF a suspen-
sion does not, Of course, grant any sort OF per-
Torrance. II would almost seem as IL the police
had let the people come too near. But the
crowd was unprecedented Inspector Brooks
told me that il was greater then any Presideh-
tial gathering. and that nothing could be done
with it.
AT our hearing to-day the Corporation Coun-
sci was represented and his man was busy fol-
lowing the proceedings. as If somewhat worried.
OF course there is the possibility of big SUITS
against the city if things should so IN a certain
way. This man. John Craig. had charge OF the
manufacture Of the explosives. ! have issued
warrant for the arrest of the Italian who was
responsible for dlscharSlnE the fireworks. II. ~
will also he held for manslaughter IN the nrSl
degree. The theory is advanced that the SLOW
time fuse was cut too short, so that the cheini-
Gals in the shell exploded within the mortar. al
most simultaneously with the gunpowder Which
should have SEM them aloft
Craig stood near the bombs. with his watch
IN his hand. timing the work and giving IN
structions when to set off the bombs. An Ital-
ian, named Metallino. touching OFF the
fuses.
Under instructions from Craig, Metallino set
off the seventh bomb 1t did not shoot off.
however bur detonated. and the defamation
caused the explosion of the other bombs 1t
was q wonder that the Italian was not injured,
as he was nearest Of all 10 the explosives. AS
soon as the first excitement Of the disaster
had passed he ran away and had not been
found
"A warrant has been issued for his arrest,
and we hope to have him very soon," said the
Coroner There is something behind all this
which I viii say nothing about he added.
The Pain nufacturing Company issued the
following statement of the cause of the accident
late yesterday:
On Tuesday night we supple. one Of our TegU-
lar selections Of fireworks for disPlsy IN eonaeG
The original order was for delivery OF the hre-
et TTyentv-third-st and Broadway. but Monday
afternoon were informed that the gentlemen
with whom we dealt could not procure the consent
OF the owners. and then we We're to nre from me
re Necessary permits had been obtained, and that
fifty policemen had been specially detailed to pro-
We had nothing to do with the selection Of the
place or the obtaining OF PeEIls; lae s ES
tended 70 by the gentlemen with wnon We arranged
The detail Of police was on hand. The actual
firing Was in charge Of John Craig. who has been
with for twenty years a pyrotecnisSt al 81 ss ~
liar displays for us-tWelve OF them IN Ma9ison
squarein past years he was sem 81 4 had
charge Of the display on Independence Day az
we have never had one Of the large steel NOR
break This is what happened as taF @s we
can learn. The bomb EXPLODED N me = t ~ ~
instead OF expending its force upward IL ourst te
The mortar was made Of steel manufact in
England, OF the best quality why II burst ~ car
lection leads ON TO keep all our appliances IN
The mortar Which exploded was not one OF the
small mortars used FOR small shells but on u.e co
f trade ~ '' ~
There are many points still 10 be settled in
,asc,nr the blame If the mortar bombs were
overcharged or a. large number were IN TOO
great proximity. the responsibility would look
sn one direction and that the company's II
the people were permitted TO come too near the
scene Of the display the fault would be with the
police
District Attorney Jerome announced that he
had assigned his assistants. Messrs- schurman
and Train 70 place the responsibility.
.I visited the scene about midnight" Mr..
Heroine said and from what was told be-
Teve the explosion was caused by some Of the
crowd knocking over a pile Of bombs. think
g. hermit for the display had been obtained, but
a. Is NV opinion that so large display OF fire
works should not be set OF in the street.
think the Pain people took the usual precau-
rions TO guard against accidents, but what we
have 10 find is what the permit covered. From
what evidence I have gathered so far don't
see any reason why Mr.. Pain should be ar
rested and I do not think Mr.. Hearst had any
thing 70 DO with what happened"
Police Commissioner Partridge said the per-
nit had been given by the Board Of Aldermen.
and that the Police Department had nothing 10
do with H.
resolution passed and approved by the
Board of Aldermen on October % approved by
the Mayor and sent out to the police. granted
a suspension OF the ordinance relative to the
display Of fireworks TIL November 10. It states.
however that the suspension was subject 70
such restriction and safeguard as the Police De-
partment may determine as necessary"
The Commissioner said that from the nature
OF the injuries and the places where the injured
fen il did not appear that the front rank, next
20 the scene OF the explosion. suffered nearly so
much those far back in the crowd He said
the explosions, apparently We're Of a double
character including the discharge from the
mortars ana the subsequent explosion OF the
shells It was clear that he aid not blame the