New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-05
Madison Square to take charge of the police

Madison Square to take charge Of the police
force.
Temple. who was said by the police 10 have
superintended the fireworks is alleged TO have
told the police that while passing in front of one
OF the receptacles for the bombs a spark from
his lighting fuse. which he carried in his hand,
dropped into the receptacle
The buildings in the neighborhood were badly
shaken by the force Of the report. William G.
Feeney boy who was standing on the west
side Of Madison-ave., was blown across the
street and his brains were dashed out against
the steps of the Madison Square Apartment
House
Earl Weitzler, corporal in the United States
marines stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
says he was standing on Madison-ave. directly
opposite Twenty-sixth-st. when the first explo
sion occurred, followed by second. and then
a third. Weitzler jumped behind tree and
saved himself from injury.
DR. Charles Edwards. of No. 24S Third ave,
was standing on the stone porch of No. IL Mad
ison-ave. when the explosion occurred. He
knocked down.
the explosion shortly after it occurred He at
once sought out Inspector Brooks and with
him made inspection of the ground Then
he asked if any uniformed policemen had been
witnesses of the explosion. Inspector Brooks
found Policeman John Madigan. of the Health
Squad. an old man. Madigan told the District
Attorney that he saw some of the men who
were attending to the fireworks set off huge
dynamite bomb at the top of a Then
there was a terrible explosion and he
knocked down
Madigan said that he saw the bombs before
the explosion. They iron shells like iron
sewer pipe, about two feet long. There were
more than size These bombs stood in a row
along Madison-ave. They were standing in two
groups according to their sizes. The large
ones were furthest up Madison-ave man
started to touch off one. and all went off to-
gether. Besides those ready for discharge,
there were three or four barrels of them near by.
According to another bystander. Emanuel Jones,
of Morrstown, y. J.. who said ne was within
fifty feet of the explosion. there were three dis
tinct explosions, the second of which was the
worst. This one he thought. was probably
caused by the contents of the barrels.
When asked to make a statement District At
torney jerome said:
I was dining at the Union Club with Cor
oner Scholer We heard the explosion, but
did not think it amounted to much. But went
over TO the scene Immediately, and when l got
there il was terrible. It is another Of the long
chain of horrors experienced in New-York dur
ing the last year
When asked if he would proceed against any
body account of the explosion District At
torney Jerome said:
Il cannot tell what I will do until after the
coroners inquest. l do not blame the individ-
uals so much I do the system. Dynamite
bombs should not be allowed in such public
places where there is great danger 10 life and
limb"
District Attorney Jerome said later:
I'm the matter of the Park-ave. explosion. the
dynamite was stored in the tunnel for useful
purpose. but in this the collecting together
OF such a quantity was only for celebration
purposes and for the amusement OF the people.
Il have not as yet seen the permit that
issued for the fireworks, but the matter will be
thoroughly investigated.
II think that steps should he taken al once To
prevent a repetition of such a horrible disas-
ter"
Captain Fitzpatrick OF the East Twenty sec
oad-st station, sent for by the District At
evidence. and had sent the base of a huge bomb
TO the station. and also many fragments.
District Attorney Jerome said that he would
not go 10 Police Headquarters but would stay
on the grounds until an early hour this morn
ing to aid the police all he could in the nves-
tjgation of the disaster