Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-02-28
HER0sN OF MARINES
Ono HuFls Powder Bags While
Flames Roar.
aHRIbLIEa DEEDS on BATTLEsHIF

AFTER E~xDlneiou or a Gun ON h
Massarlsueseta L~feutenant Hughes
ana Gunner AahI4gein Worked on
II gaasac viii sire Aooee-Dyins
Heroes Told Doctors to Eel2 oehera
Behind the cold. brief departmental
report received at Washington of the
fatal Incident on the United States
Steamship Massachusetts Off Culebra.
Porto Eieo les a story of heroism sell
dom equaleB in history, nays the New
foek Evening Journal. Nine of the
good ships jsckies. every Il Of them
members OF The gun crew, lie in palm
eaelterea Graves as y result of the ca
s.astrophe. but around the name of each
one is intwined a wreath Of glory that
Ills borrowed mites are speaking of to-
day In whispered tones.
The navy department knows that the
starboatl aft els Inch cup turret of
the big battleshlp was demolished, and
in the list of the dead are the anne Of
the rf1e with feT words of p%erfunctory
concentration for bravery.
# IS for the living mates of those
WHO With their lives taught the lesson
Of ho@ to Gle Ike men to take up the
story and toll &. to the world in all its
detail of sublime courage. Not alone
were the lost ones heroes, but there
were others on the boat who, seeking
to help their dying comrades and save
tie ship, rushed into the very jaws Of
death and only through almost a mira
cle were spared.
When The turret blew up with a vol
canic roar and the nine lay cruelty torn
nGd burned in the little smoke and
famc filled deathtrap. Boatswaiu Mate
Soneman and Lieutenant William C.
Cole. at the risk of their lives, entered
the hell-like place with a line Of hose
10 flood &C. There were bags Of powder
in dangerous proximity to the vicious
little darts OF fame. and if these were
not extlngulshed the Massachusetts
was doomed
Captain Harry Lee of the marine
corps knew this. and. throwing off his
sword, he followed Soneman and with
the strength Of a Hercules began to
throw out the powder.
Lieutenant Hughes and Gunner KuhI.
vein bethought themselves of the mag
azine below the turret and tore down
to the heart of the ship to make It safe.
All this was the work Of only n few
seconds. Then the agonized cries OF
thS wounded could be heard. One OF
the dying iackies. with the last of his
strength, jumped into the sea. He was
brought back by his uninjured mates
and laid on the deck to die with the
others.
BY this time the awful shock OF the
explosion 10 longer affected the boys.
1t was the gaping wouads, the broken
bones and the torturing burns that
compelled the %i-oans. And here was
where the victims earned their right o.
fame.
Each of the doomed men knew his
death was near, and when the surgeons
came 10 ease their pain each pleaded
with them not to waste time on Linn
but to look "a for-"some Of the boys
who might live"
And so they died, one after the oth.
er. until the nine had gone and all
found graves draped in red. white. blue
and-blacl;. Guns, doomed. the sound
OF taps toated over the southern sea
and II was all over eycc-t for those
who care to treasure instances Of the
heroic heights mankind may ascend to-
The accident happened while the
Massachusetts was Off on q target prac
tice trip. There are two eight inch
AZ Ft tN.. g. -4.-t.