Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-29
GAMBLERS ARE
HURLED TO
DEATH
WHILE'MEN WERE'BETTNGaON
HORSE RACES BUILDING WAS
: SHATTERED BY, ANsAWFUL.
EXPLOSION. u

HUT -cftkANNrcs ArA-s 4Jec-N@o-- NAittaAh
Helwig and Joe Kenny. both. OF Hot
Springs. victims Of yesterdays poOlroom
explosion. died during the night. Thus
far these are the onlyt fatalities recorded.
although four more OF thee victims are,
likely 70 die These are
c. r DONNEELY. Chicago.
WILLIAM ArETzGER. a 12-year-old
boy Of Hot Springs.
THOMAS OBZIER~ engineerIoffthe.A Ar,
Mngton hotel. Hot Springs.
w s. NcuHEzRY, OF Louisville. Ky.
The explosion wrought dpeadfuI havoc
20 the pool room which was located in the
heart OF the city When the explosion
occurred the pool room was, crowded with
people and all went down in a mass or
wreckage r G. Chambers. one OF the
proprietors OF the. club. had both legs and
both wrists broken. The bones were set
last night. and tOday'it issbelieved no viii
recover.
]. c. Burch. Of Chicago. sustaineds a,
broken leg and Is seriously injured
Ben Murray. the driver OF gasoline
tank wagon. who was arrested for Grim
fnal negligence. made a statement this
morning. He says he made connection
irony his wagon TO the gasoline tank in
the cellar under the p0olrOom- Upon en-
terfng the cellar he found twenty or thirty.
gallons Of gasoline overlooked in a large
pool on the floor. Fearing an explosion
. he rushed 10 an. open window and CLOSED
e. He says the door was then opened
BY one OF the negro porters and the gases,
coming into contac1 with the lighted
cigars in the poolroom- ignited andsthe .ex-
plosion followed Murray was blown
against the side OF the.cellar. sbutiescaped.
with slight injuries
The most seriously injured are:
r. c. Chambers. one OF the proprietors.,
both legs and wrists broken
William Helwig. a blind hath-house.
manager. both legs broken, viii die.
J. S. Meeks. HOt-springz. badly bruised
Joseph, kinney. Hot Springs. legs
broken
Joseph Pace. hotel keeper Hot Springs.
both legs broken
- FInnegan. plumber. Hot Springs.
both legs broken
james cowen. Hot Springs. both legs
broken
william AIetzer. boy. Hot Springs.
legs broken. skull fractured. viii die.
James coughlin. plumber. Hot Springs.
leg broken
c. c. Parker. Milwaukee. Wis. both
legs broken
Amen HotehISisz. Hot Springs. .knee-frac-
tured
T. o. ozler. engineer. Hot Springs. both
II. George. New York. leg broken
+. .Cranfieid. Cincinnati. leg broken. ribs
crushed
Walter Powers. St Louis. NO. arm
broken
eugene DAILY. Hot Springs both legs
'sTru6ahas PheIen. telegraph ioperstor. Hot
Springs. badly cut
,. c. Burch. Chicago. leg broken. not
expected 10 live
w. s McInerny. Louisville Ky. in
ternaI injuries. win probably die.
Henry Lindsey. New York. injured
about lower limbs.
J. c. Crawford. Cincinnati. leg and wrist
e. r. Donneuy. SO State street. Chica-
20. fore arm ana knee broken. will die.
Twelve others sustained bruises and
slight injuries
About 4 O'Clock D. m the pool room
was crowded with more than 100 persons
Just as race at New Orleans was being
called by the operator the floor Of the
building seemed 70 rise and in an instant
q report that shook the entire block rang
out The upper floor and back walls Of
the building fell on the mass OF strug-
Cling men who were wildly excited in an
eudeavor 10 escape 20 the street The
entire house looked as IL a tornado had
ploughed through It's center. The front
glass windows were broken and both sides
or the structure were shattered by the
conclusion which rssembIed the report OF
a twelve FOUNDER
TIE news OF the catastrophe spread
rapidly. and soon Central avenue was
damned with people. Reports were cur
rent that several persons had been killed
The police and firemen took charge OF the
building and the work OF rescue began.
Men were pulled from under the debris in
a terribly shattered state One OF the
most pitiable sights. was when Billy
Helwig. the blind manager OF the Lamar
hath house. was taken from the ruins.
Helwig Is widely known to the thousands
OF visitors who come TO Hot Springs an
nually-
r c. Chambers. one Of the proprietOrs
OF the turf exchange. is also a lessee Of
the Fort Erie, Ontario. race track. and
Is one Of the best known sporting men
IN the country. His condition Is seri-
Gus.
The injured were taken In charge by
the local physicians and everything pos
sIble IS being done TO alleviate the SUI
fering.
The bank roll OF the pool room. con-
sistIng OF $500. was blown away in the
explosion. but the greater part OF it has
been recovered