Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-17
Explosion on the Battle Ship
Massachusetts.
FOUR ALSO INJU RED
A BRIEF CABLEGRAM FROM AD-
MIRAL HIGGINsoN.
Sketches of the Victims-Cause Of the
Accident Now Being In
vestigated.

:
Department today from Admiral
Higginson, dated at San Juan today
states that by powder explosion in
the eight-inch turret of the battle
ship Massachusetts, five men were
killed and four injured. None were
commissioned officers.
The text of Admiral Higginson's
dispatch is as follows:
SAN JUAN, P. R.,
January II, 1903
Secretary Navy, Washington:
Powder charge exploded acciden-
tally in eight-inch turret Massachu-
setts. Cause being investigated by
board. Dead-A. Hendrikson, boat
swain mate; F. H. Loesser, appren-
tice; S. F. Malinowski, landsman K.
J. Platt, ordinary seaman; Robert
Rule, ordinary seaman. Injured
w. w. A. Schert, apprentice; A. S.
Tacke, coxswain; J. g. Patterson,
ordinary seaman; A. N. Dossett,
ordinary seaman.
(Signed) HIGGlNSON.
Sketch of Victims.
The records of the Navy Department,
which were promptly overhauled by the
officers upon the receipt Of the dispatch,
give the history Of the victims Of the ex-
plosion as follows:
Dead-Felx' Herbert Loesser, enlisted at
New York, October 4. 1900, as apprentice,
third class; born Brooklyn. N Y. Decem-
ber I, 1884; residence, New York; next Of
kin, Edward Loesser. 313 East seth street,
New York.
Stephen Frank Malnowski, enlisted at
Chicago. ILL.,, August 4, 1900, for four years;
born Poland. August 2, 1882; residence,
South Chicago. H.; next of kin, Frank
Malinowsk, s431 Ontario avenue, South
Chicago, Ill.
Andrew Hendrickson, enlisted at New
York, September "a 1900, for four years;
born Norway, March IS, 1873; residence.
New York; next of kin, Hans Jensen,
Christiansund, Norway.
Kenneth Joseph Platt. enlisted at Albany
landsman for training; born Dublin, Ire
land, May 6, 1882; residence, Troy, N. Y;
next of kin, Sarah Platt (mother), $50 Sth
street. Troy, N. Y.
Robert Rule enlisted at Cincinnati, Ohio,
March 20, 1901, for four years lands
man for training; born Cincinnati. Ohio,
May u, 1852; residence, Mount Washing
ton. Ohio; next of kin. John A. Rule
father. Mount Washington, Hamilton
county. Ohio.
1njured-Alexander Newton Dossett enlist
ed at Durham, NC, for four years as lands
man for training, July 90 1901. Born Or
ange county, n. c., July II. 1871 Residence,
Durham. n. c. Next of kin, Newton Dos
sett (father). 1908 Pettigrew street. Dur
ham, n. c.
Jas. Garfield Patterson enlisted at League
Island, Pa, March 81, 1900, for four years
as landsman. Born Pittsburg Pa, Sep
tember 10. 1881. Residence, Pittsburg, Pa.
Next of kin, Mrs. Barbara Nagle next
friend. 81 Soho street. Pittsburg, Pa.
Albert Stephen Tacke enlisted at st.
Louis. No, September /, 1899, for four
years as landsman. Born st. Louis Mo-,
May 10, 1873 Residence. st. Louis, Mo.
Next of kin, Mrs. Mary Magel Cmother),
2122 Miami street, st. Louis. Mo.
Walter William August Schert enlisted at
Chicago, ILL.,. March /, 1900, as apprentice,
third class. Born Chicago, ILL.,, February
Il, 1854 Residence, Chicago, ILL., Next of
Kin, George p. Schert GatheD, 375 Cleve-'
land avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.
Probable Cause of Accident.
Il is realized here that it will be with
great difficulty for the board referred to
In Admiral Higginsons dispatch to ascer-
tain the cause of the explosion, for from
the heavy casualty list it is surmised that
the entire turret crew was either killed
or disabled. in the latter case perhaps to
a point where they cannot tell what hap
pened. The eight-inch guns are next in size
below the thirteen-inch turret guns car
ried by this battle ship and just above the
rapid fire gun limit So their charges were
not contained in metallic cases and the
powder was put up in bags. 1t is conjec-
tured that by some means one of these
bag came in contact with bit of burning
waste from the preceding charge while the
ammunition was being hoisted, with the
dreadful results recorded in the telegram.
The regulations require that the powder
bags referred to should be conveyed from
the magazines to the breech of the gun in
a can-like metal receptacle, intended to
guard against just this kind of an accident,
so it is Inferred that there was careless
ness somewhere in handling the powder
1t is cause for general regret that this
catastrophe should occur just at tho end
OF the naval maneuvers, which havtj been
conducted with extraordinary success and
with degree of immunity from accident
to men and ships that is absolutely with
out parallel in the records of any other
modern navy. So far as 1t is now known.
there was but one life lost during the ma
neuvers and one small boat lost, both re-
sulting from the running down of a steam
cutter, while the records of European ma
neuvers are full OF entries Of losses of life
and breakdowns in machinery and the
sinking of torpedo boats.
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
Accidental niSch a roe of Or; M ar F;rod