The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-14
EXPLOSION ON THE OLYMPIA
INDIRECTLY DUETO SMUGGLING 4 OF ALCOHOL.
Members of Crew Got Barrel Full Into
 Norfolk Navy Yard-Found by Officers
 aud Ordered Brought Aboard Cruiser -Expiodtd a, Men were Pouring 1t Into Tank-shockins Death of One of
the NIea-Another succuInb bs,

Norfolk, Va, Sept. 1S.-Lieutenant Ger of the cruiser Olympia, to-day gave out an official statement of the facts at tending the explosion of a barrel of al- cohol on the cruisers deck last night, causing the death of Corporal J. s. Yer kes, U. s. M. C., of Philadelphia, the fatal injury of Apprentice Seifert and the serious injury of Third Class Mas ter-at-Arnls Caster and Apprentice Spavey. in addition to the burning of the cruisers forward auwings and avn ing supports. The explosion resulted in directly from the smuggling of alcohol into the navy yard by members of the cruisers crew.
 The statement of Lieutenant Com mander Van Dozer says:
 tThe entire crew of the Olympia were returning aboard after forty hours shore liberty when a five gallon water breaker. full of alcohol was discovered in the forward turret. The executive officer ordered thorough search of the ship and yard in her vicinity to find any other spirits that might have been snuggled. As the cruiser is in dry dock |all her small boats are lined along the wharf near the dry dock. Between two or these boats two men were dis covered. One fled and escaped in the darkness. The other was placed under arrest. Where the men were hiding was found a full barrel of alcohol. It was, by order, carried aboard the Olympia to be emptied into the alcohol tank on the aft deck.
 This tank being full the barrel was carried forward by Corporal Yerkes. Seifert. Spavey and Caster. In the meantime the crew was called to quar- ters and every man accounted for.
 While the men were in line answer ing the roll the detachment with the barrel began pouring it's contents into a tank on the port side of the forward turret. They. had scarcely begun when, in a manner yet to be ascertained. the fumes of the spirits became ignited and exploded with terrific force. Both ends of the barrel were blown out. followed by a torrent of burning alcohol that spread in a flood of flames over the for ward main deck.
 Yerkes was struck in the head by a slave from the barrel and fell into the burning mass. He was roasted to death.. The other men were struck by flying fragments of the barrel, sbut were knocked away from the center of, the fire and thus two of them escaped fatal injury, but Seifert was horribly burned land SC injured that he cannot recover
 Tt was first thought a tank of snokeless powder had exploded and the crew for a moment broke ranks. but in a second recovered from the suddenness of the shock and turned to with will to save their injured shipmates and ex- tinguished the fire that already was gaining headWay on the cruisers deck.
 This done, the injured men were hur- ried to the marine hospital where this afternoon it was stated Seifert could not live through the night, but that the other two would recover. Yerkes' body will be shipped to Philadelphia for bur |ial." s
 Apprentice Seifert died at the Marine hospital late this afternoon, He will be given naval funeral.