Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-09-02
BLOWN TO PIECES
Premature Explosion at Fishers
Island This Morning.
TWO DEAD AS A RESULT.

TWO DEAD AS A RESULT.
The Men Injured Belonged to the Sec.
ond Company, Coast ArtiIlery-The
Second Attack on the Island Forts
Took Place at Five O'clock This
AIorning-Army Men Claim Second
Victory.
Fishers Island, Sept While the
guns of the fort were firing on the feet
this morning Edward Roy was instant
" killed by the premature explosion of
a twelye-inch gun. Harry A. Davis
died later at the hositaI from injuries
received. A third man, Samuel Bleven-
Ger, was severely injured Seven. 9th
ers were slightly injured. All were pri-
Yates of the Second company, coast ar
tillery, regular army Roy was han
ding powder. He had just pushed
thirty pounds of charging powder into
the gun and had showed the breech
block into place without locking it,
when the remature explosion took
place. Roy was blown to pieces. Davis
was hit in the chest by some of the fly
ing wreckage and received fatal in
juries.
New London, Sept 2.-The second at
tack on the island forts took place at 8
this morning and as far as went the
maneuyers were practically a repeti-
ton of the fight Of last night. OF
movements. but the army men claim
second victory. The ships entered
through Plum Gut and were obstructed
by mines, three of the ships being put
out of action. After the engagement,
which lasted over an hour, the ships
proceeded towards Block Island.
The following information was given
out at headquarters of General MacAr-
thur at IL O'Clock this morning:
At 4:50 a. M fleet attempted to run
mine field in Plum Gut Alabama and
Massachusetts were blown up by mines
at 4 80 a. M. and Puritan at 537 a. M.
At a. m. fleet, headed by Kear-
sarge retreated southeast from Fort
Niche to their base at Block Island,
where it is now.
At 1918 a. m. squadron of enemy
was reported at mouth of bay off Fort
d.
sels Of enemy We're standing off Bren-
tons reef Fire opened at once from
mortars from Fort Adams, to which
the enemy did not reply, and at 1 1:0S a.
m. retreated towards Block Island.
This was undoubtedly feint against
Newport to support MAIN attack on
west end of line.
Two small vessels of enemy. be-
lieved to be Montgomery and Mayflow-
er, feinted at Fort Mansfield at 4:10 a.
M, attempting to open Sugar Reef
passage. Guns of batteries Immediate
ly opened fire and driving them in re-
treat towards the base at Block Island.
The following seffexplanatory dis
patch was received at headquarters
this morning:
"Hartford, Sept 2.
s'Major General Macarthur:
'sIf necessary to repel INVASION Con-
nectieut can furnish in twelve hours
notice, at any point of coast, 1,500 in
fantry one troop of cavalry, one bat
tery of three sixteenth breech loading
guns and service ammunition.
sCOLE, Adiutant- General"
General Macarthur appreciated the
offer, but owing to the army success
thus far in the game of war, Connecti-
cuts assistance was declined.
BLOCK ISLAND, r. l., Sept. e.
Rear Admiral Higginson has won the
first move in his attack upon the east
ern defenses of Long Island sound.
He has established a naval base in
the harbor just as the marines estab
Iished the naval base at Guantanamo
dn the war with Spain.
lcllf 90 n
Ehieh communicates with the outside
world as well as the telephone lines.
All this was done despite the fact
that a panic was created in the ships
of the squadron when it became known
that a projectile from Fort Terry had
passed between the masts of, the Lam
caster when off Plum island. The
sound passenger boat Maine had al
ready received a bowling visitation
from twelve inch shell from that di-
Tection
The big squadron is lying off Cor
morant point preparatory to the next
move against the enemy.
The plans of Rear Admiral Higgin-
son provide for the division of the
squadron into two attacking forces.
The fact that Rear Admiral Higgin-
son has captured Block island is in
itself regarded as an important pointer
for congress the coming session. Rear
Admiral Higginson's officers assert that
it will result in the establishment of
Notifications on Cormorant point and
the eastern shore of the island.
Express Car Robbed.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Sept. 2.-As
passenger train No. 2, northbound, on
the Louisville and Nashville road, due
here at 7:20 p. M, was pulling out Of