The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-10
THREE MEN KILLED.
Result of Explosion of Heavy Gun on
the Iowa.

Result of Explosion of Heavy Gun on
the Iowa
Pensacola Fla. April ia disas- 4
trous explosion occurred on the battle
ship Iowa while the vessel was at tar
get practice in the gulf. The forward
port 12-inch gun burst from prema-
ture explosion of a she'll, twelve feet of
the piece outside the turret being de-
n1olished. Three men were killed and
five injured, two seriously. The killed:
FIRST CLASS SEAMAN KIELE.
ORDINARY SEAMAN PURCELL.
GUNNER'S NATE BERRY.
The injured: First class Seaman
Gocht, ordinary seamen Tuesdal, Brown.
Rothschild and Parrucker.
The men killed and injured were on
the second or gun deck at mess Three
pieces of the exploded gun, each weigh
ing over ton, passed downward
through the spar deck, falling upon the
men at mess instantly killing the three
named. All of the men were horribly
mutilated. The heavy missiles after
passing through the gun deck continued
down to the third deck. where they
came in contact with the arTnored deck
the heavy steel bringing them to q
stop, thus saving the engineers and fire.
men who were at work below
Although the upper deck was covered
with men none were seriously injured.
The explosion occurred just as mess had
been sounded.
The firing was to have ceased after
Liz Sl3Cl LOT the dinner nOuT. Inc range
had been set. and the Iowa was steam
ing along at a rate of twelve knots an
hour when the officer in charge of the
lz-lnch gave orders to load and fire. The
time fuse was set the piece charged,
the breech closed and the word given to
fire Following the report of the gun
there was snOthered noise as the shell
exploded midway in the gun and pieces
of the burst gun and shell were scat
tered broadcast. Three great holes were
/ torn through the deck
The Massachusetts. six miles distan.
was signaled for aid, and one of the
cutters put off with surgeon and as
sistant surgeons. The injured mer
were taken to the hospital and their in
juries dressed The dead were brought
to Pensacola.
by defective shell. and others think
that the frequent firing of the piece at
Culebra during the winter. added to the
work done here during the past ten
days. so strained the piece that the
force of the charge burst the gun
Washington, april i0.-Because of the
d1nance has alerady orders for the
u inch gun aboard the Iowa yesterday,
which Admiral Higginson's dispatch
contained, officials at the navy depart
ment this morning can only speculate
as to its cause. In accordance with the
regulations Admiral Eigginson ii is
supposed, has already appointed a
board of officers to investigate the ac-
cident and report This report may not
arrive for several days. Rear Admiral
O'Neil. chief Of the bureau OF Or
dinance has already orders for the
transportation to New York of a new
Il inch gun, which is now at the Wash
ington navy yard, and it will be placed
on the Iowa, when that vessel comes to
New York for repairs. Admiral O'Neil
said today:
THE gun which burst was designed
/ in 1898. and manufactured in 1895 at
the naval gun factory. January !, 1903,
the gun had been fired 125 times. Yes
4 terday'S accident is the first that has
ever happened to any of the large cali
bre guns of the navy except in the
case of IS inch gun on the Kearsarge,
the bore of which was injured by pre-
mature explosion of a shell two years
ago. A lining tube was inserted in that
/ gun and today it is in use at the prov
ing grounds
NO reason can yet be assigned for
/ the accident AS vet it is not known
nor have the details as to the loca-
ton or character of the fracture or Of
the condition of the bore of the gune.
all of which will have to be considered.
While the accident may have been due
/ to the premature explosion Of the shell
in the bore. such a contingency is I'M
likely. as shells have on several occa-
| Sions broken uD in bOreS of guns with
out any other injury to the gun than
the defacing Of the bore. So far as the
bureau is advised all the IOWa'S Pinch
j smells are ntted Win DdSe covers Win
! a view to preventing a possible prema :
ture explosion due to the action o.
4 powder gases
The bureau of navigation has sent
kilograms of sympathy to the families
of the men killed and wounded in the
explosion.
A dispatch from Admiral Higginson
at Pensacola received today at the navy
department reads as follows.
Purcell. landsman: Walter Eik1e
seaman: f. l. Barry. ordinary seaman,
killed on Iowa, will be buried at navy
yard, PenSac cola H gginson.
DEFECTIVE SHELL FUSE.
Pensacola, Fla, April 10.-An investi-
cation of the explosion of the battleshir
Iowa, which occurred in the gulf near
this port yesterday afternoon, resulting
in the death of three seamen and the
serious injury of five others, shows that
the accident was caused entirely by q
defective shell fuse, which. it is said
burned faster than was calculated. II
is understood that the shell exploded
fully 50 seconds before it was timed tC
go off. An examination of the shiI
today shows that the burst gun is
beyond repairs and that the Pinch for
ward turret viii have to be repaired. a
number of supporters are also sprung
and it is stated that portions of the
deck will have to be replaced where
heavy pieces of the gun tore through.
The funeral of the three men who
were killed in the accident took place
today. The dead We're buried in The
National cemetery here with military
: from all the ships of the squadron
participating in the exercises. It is IN.
derstood that all of the injured men are
almost entirely out of danger except
First Glass Seaman Paul Gought. who
lost an eye and is in a critical condition