The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-18
KILLED AND MANeLEp.
very welcome

KILLED AND MANaLEp.
Powder Charge Of Eleht-lnoh Gun ON the sattlsshp
Massachusetts Explodes.
San Juan January 17--six men were killed and
three others were wounded by the explosion Of
powder charge of an eightinch gun board the
United States battleship Massachusetts. yesterday
morning, while at target practice off Cuebra island
The dead:
Plat, K. j., Troy, N. Y
MaloWInstty, 8. r., Chicago.
Hendrlckson, Andrew, Norway.
Rule, r.. Cincinnati
Loesser, r. H.. New York
Taeke, A. S., St Louis.
The injured
Daggett, A. NJ, Durham, N. c.
Patterson j. c., Pittsburg
sohert, w. A.. Chicago.
Details OF the explosion were obtained when the
Massachusetts arrived here today. The explosion oc
Cured in the sarboard aft eightnch turret, shortly
before noon and was due to the accidental discharge
of percussion primer while the breech of the gun
was opened The full charge exploded in the turret
and killed or injured all the of the gun. num-
berlng nine men. Ensign Ward K Wertman. who
was in charge OF the turret escaped injury though
he was standing near the scene of the explosion
Magnificent discipline was Immediately shown by
officers and crew. Captain Lee, commanding the
marine guard of the vessel and Ensign Clarence Abel
Immediately flooded the turret with water and Lieu
tenant c, f. Hughes and Gunner c. Kulwein went
below to the magazine picking up powder charges
and prevented further explosions, while Lieutenant
William c. Cole and Gun Captain Stoneman entered
the turret and withdrew the charge from the other
gun, the breech of which was OPEN The SURVIVORS
of the guns crew when rescued were burned mutt
lated and nearly dead.
One man. whose clothing was on fire, jumped over
board. less than minute after the explosion three
streams of water pouring into the turret pre-
venting the charge in the other remaining eightnch
gun from exploding.
Washington January 17.--Admiral Higginson ca
bles from San Juan Porto Rico, under todays date,
that an explosion of powder In the eightinch tur-
of the battleshp Massachusetts had occurred and
that five men killed and four injured, None
were commissioned officers The text of Admiral
Higglnsons dispatch Is follows:
San Juan Porto Rico, January 17--Secretary Of
the Navy, Washington Powder charge exploded &C
cidentally in eghtinch turret Massachusetts. Cause
being investigated by board. Dead: A Hendrickson,
boatswain mate; f. H. Loesser, apprentice; s. f.
Malownsky landsman; K ]. Plat ordinary sea-
man. Robert Rule ordinary seaman. Injured: W. A.
Schert apprentice; A. S. Tackle, coxswain; ]. G..
Patterson, ordinary seaman A. N Daggett, ordinary
seaman"
The records of the department give the history Of
the victims of the explosion as follows;
Dead:
Felix Herbert Loesser-Enlisted at New York oc-
tober 4, 1900; residence, New York.
stephen Frank Malowlnsky-Enlsted at Chicago
August 15 1900; residence. South Chicago, H.
Andrew Hendrickson-Enlisted at New York Sep
TENDER "a, 1900; residence New York
Kenneth Joseph Patt-Ensted at Albany N, Y,
August 49, 1900; residence Troy N. Y.
Robert Rule-Enlisted at Cincinnati, Ohio, March
%. 1901 residence Mount Washington, Ohio.
Injured:
Alexander Newton Daggett, landsman-Enrated at
Durham, N. c.. July 20, 1901,
James Garfield Patterson, landsman-Enlisted at
League Island, Pa. March 81, 1900.
Albert Stephen Tacke, landsman-Ensted at St.
Louis, Mo, September /, 1899
Walter August schert-Enlisted at Chicago March
/, 1900
The eightinch guns are next IN size below the
thireen-inch turret guns carried by this batteship
and Just above the rapid-hre gun limit So their
charges not contained in fixed metallic cases
aud the powder put up In canvas bags. The
regulations require that the powder bags referred to
should be conveyed from the magazines to the breech
of the gun in canlike metal receptacle, intended to
guard against just this kind of accident.
The navy department officials were perplexed at
the discrepancy between the two cable messages from
Rear Admiral Higgnson. and although they were dis
posed to accept the hopeful construction of the
one timed 1880 D. m. when 1t became known that
the accident had happened yesterday, It feared
the cables had become inverted and that the last
ceived was the which was correct To clear up
all doubt, Captain Cowes acting head Of the nayga-
ton bureau, dispatched message to Read Admiral
Hgginson requesting him to again cable facts IN the
case and TO reconcile his dispatches.