Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-01
BURIED AflRL|NGTON
Funeral Of Corporal slavin
of Fourth Battery.
KILLED All dPRACTICE
COMRADES WHO WERE INJURED
ARE IMPROVING.
Accident Was Due to Rut in Drill Hall
Post Mortem Examine
ton Held.

ton Held.
The funeral of Corporal Charles J. Sla-
vim of the 4th Battery, U. 8. A., who was
killed by the overturning Of a heavy piece
of artillery during a regular drill in the
drill hall, Fort Myer. Monday forenoon,
was held this afternoon at Arlington GEM
etery where the body was inferred.
Shortly before o'clock the 4th Battery
formed in front of the battery quarters at
Fort Myer and proceeded to Arlington. The
|. body was taken to the cemetery vault last
night The funeral services consisted of
prayer by Father Kelley of Georgetown
University, the firing of salute and the
sounding of taps. The palIbearers were
Sergeants Maurice, Grammen, Renfrow and
Feeney and Corporais Bratton. Mock and
Dodds.
The three other members Of the 4th Bat
terry who were injured by the accident are
improving Their injuries are not of Sc
rious nature. Frank w. Reilly, a native of
England, twenty-three years old, received
a confusion and abrasion of the right groin.
Elmer Wehn received a slight confusion of
the back and neck. His home is Balti-
more. Matthew E. Duncan Of Brooklyn,
twenty-nine years old, had both legs
bruised.
A0HA Ing ~ q NoA4Ops
When the accident occurred the battery
detachment, consisting of four pieces, was
tearing at gallop around the drill hall in
column. AS the heavy guns took the turn
at corner the wheels of the leading piece
struck rut under the tan bark and the en-
tire piece was turned upside down.
Slavin was the gunner Of this piece and
| was seated on the extreme right of the lin
Der chest. He was hurled to the ground.
his body. Four of his ribs were broken and
he received internal injuries.
On the timber case with him were Reilly
and Marcus Shores. The former was Sc
verely, though not fatally injured, while
Shores escaped any harm. On the axle
seats Of the overturned piece were Elmer
When and Jesse Woods The latter escaped
| injury but Wehn was thrown beneath the
! axle of the overturned gun, receiving In
| juries to his neck, Duncan. who also oc-
| cupied a seat on the artillery carriage, was
injured. but not seriously
Men Were on Their Mettle.
The 4th Battery which is under command
| of Capt. Foote, will drift in few days be-
fore board of army, officers in the COM
petition for the Madison Square Garden
| tournament. In preparation for this the
| men of the battery were on their metal in
! Mondays practice drill.
| So far as can bertearned, the responsible
| tty for the accident rests upon no one. AS
| Col. Edgerley of the 7th Regiment, who is
1T is one Of those Fegrettable things likely
to happen anywhere and everywhere IN
| this world" svrFF
| Capt. Foote made an examination of the
| drill hall and found rut, which undOubt-
eddy caused the heavy piece Of artillery to
| turn over when tryiMgrto swing the sharp
| commissary at Fort Myer, was the only
| woman who saw the accident She tainted
| and was taken to her home.
Native Of Washington.
Corporal Slavin was native of this city.
| When infant he was placed in St.
| Joseph's Orphan Asylum. from which insti-
| tuition he was. taken by Mr.. and Mrs. Geo.
Milmore of 4sO L street northwest and
adopted.
In 1893 he enlisted at Washington bar
racks in the 18th Battery. Field Artillery.
and served in the Philippine Islands. taxi
ing part in the battle of Iloilo. In April,
| 1901. he was transferred from Manila to
| San Francisco and there mustered out of
| service, receiving an honorable discharge.
| According to the records he possessed an
| excellent character
| little less than a year ago Slavin re-
| enlisted in the 4th Battery. and had since
! that time been stationed at the post at
| Fort Myer. He was popular with his asso.
| ciates and was regarded one OF the best
| men in the battery.
Foster Father at Funeral.
! His foster parents were notified of his
| death. Mr.. Milmore was present at the
| funeral this afternoon. Mrs. Milmore has
| been an invalid for years and was unaot,
] to attend.
! Capt. James S. Wilson and Maj. James
D. Glennan. post surgeon, made a post
mortem examination. They found that the
| fourth, sixth. seventh and eighth ribs were
fy.,
ternal hemorrhage was given as the cause
| of Slayin's death.
Not Reported to Department.
Adjutant General Corbin said today that
no report mad been made to the War De-
| partment in regard to the accident at Fort
| Myer Monday morning. and that none is re-
| quired under the regulations unless it shall
| be shown that the casualty was the result
| of carelessness or other fault on the part
| of some of the officers or men concerned.
| The post at Fort Myer is within the limits
| of the Department of the East, commanded
| by Major General Chaffee. who has his
| headquarters at Governors Island, New
| York The matter is entirely within his
| jurisdiction, and 1t VIII be for him to say,
after the investigation now in progress has
| been concluded and reported to him. wheth-
| er any action is required on the part of the
| War Department Although the casualty
| was promptly reported to the department
| commander by the officer in command of
the post, 1t has not vet been brought Off
cially to the attention of the War Depart
menf in any form. Adjutant General Cor
said today that the Only information they
had on the subject Mad been obtained from
| the newspapers. GeR coTbin said it was a
| most unfortunate afatEs but seemed to
as is liable to happen II the handling of
| field pieces II 1t should appear. as now
seems probable. that Corporal slavin was
| seem that hds next 81 Kin would be entitled
| to pension on the grounds. that the soldier
| lost his life in the 1nh, AZ duty.