The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-14
THIRTY=TWO DEAD IN
MISSOURI DLSAS TER
FUNERALS OF 20
SEAMEN ARE HELD
Impressive Ceremonies Mark In
terment of Victims of Tur-
H.. ret Explosion.
New York Sun Special Service.

Kew York Sun Special Service.
Pensacola, Fla, April 14.-One Of
the most horrible accidents in the
history of the United States navy took
place off Pensacola on board the bat
tleship Missouri when, by what in
naval parlance is known as a hang
fire, one of the after 12-inch rifles
exploded, killing instantly twenty-nine
men and Wounding five others. OF
the latter, two have since died. One
man of the turret crew is missing. 1t
is the general opinion that he was
either blown overheard or else escaped
from the turret and jumped over
board being crazy with pain and ex-
element.
Five officers were killed and the
body of one man was blown into the
gulf and was not recovered. It was
stated that the conclusion lifted his
body a distance Of 800 feet. Every
body in the after deck was hurled to
eternity In the space of flash.
The board of inquiry which was
convened yesterday afternoon is still
in session and will not come to a find
ing for several days.
Impressive ceremonies were con-
Quoted over the graves Of the twenty
six seamen this afternoon at the ma
uonal cemetery. Hundreds of officers
and blue Jackets were present.
The bodies of the five dead officers
are being held here awaiting advices.
Explosion at Sea.
The Missouri had been at anchor
In the bay for two weeks. In the lat
ter part of last week she was ordered
to the gulf for target practice.
The ship had been at this work two
days and at 1880 yesterday morning
the accident occurred. At the time,
the battleship was about nineteen
miles from Pensacola.
A report came to the flagship Kear-
sarge at noon that an explosion had
taken place and that ten men had
been killed.
, A second message was received by
the wireless telegraph that the num-
Der would be more than three times
the original figures. .
At 8 p. m. the Missouri, arrived in
Pensacola bay. The official informa-
ton spread to all the naval ships and
flags went to half-mast. Merchant
vessels in the harbor and business
houses along the water front followed
the same example.
Twenty-Five Killed.
The dead are: Lieutenant W. c.
Davidson, in charge of the twelve
inch turret; Ensign e. A. Weichert Of
the cruiser Cleveland, gun umpire;
Midshipman w. r. Newmann; Lieu
tenant j. p. V. Gridley, U. S. NJ c.;
Lieutenant Thomas Ward. Jr; Divi-
sion Officer J. X. Peterson; boat
SWANS mate, second GLASS; w. Boy
ghard; ordinary seaman, j. Bloxaput-
Ian; CoXswain, Charles Rice; seaman,
j. G. Hardy; apprentice, second class
X. J. Kivlin; seaman, j. Gadrls; ordi-
nary seaman, N. Scherbauth; ordinary
seaman, J.F. Rolands: electrician, sec
ond class, H. B. Franks; coxswain, J..
P. Starr; ordinary seaman, j. c. Num-;
seaman, n. Solder; seaman, G.. e.
Never. ordinary seaman r Cast
Ter; apprentice, second class, r. H. AL
1son; ordinary seaman, r. c. Tobin;
ordinary seaman j. j. Mulligan:
geant, A. Smith; gunner's mate, first
class, w. S. Shipman; private marine,
J. P. Brown; chief gunner's mate, J.
f. Kennedy; ordinary seaman, J. M.
Roach.
Five Badly Injured.
The injured: J. E. Knight. sea-
man, may recover; j. r. Donnelly, or
binary seaman, dying: R. S. Starr, sea-
man, will recover; F.. G. Scaub, ap-
prentice, second class, will recover
and a man supposed to be O. B. Moe
apprentice, second class, dying.
Lieutenant Hammer, the ordnance
officer, gave out statement Of the
probable cause of the explosion
About noon, after the first pointer OF
the after twelve-inch piece had fired
his string and the second pointer had
fired the third shot of his string, the
charge ignited. The fourth shot was
being loaded. and from all indications
the first half of the charge had beer
was being rammed home, when gases
from the shot previously fired, or por.
lions of the cloth cover, ignited the
powder.
Flames Leap from Turret.
The breech was omen and a dul
thud gave notice of something un
usual. No loud report was made, blu
flames were seen to leap from ever,
portion of the turret. A few seconds
later another explosion, somewha
more fierce, occurred This was IL
the handling room below, where 1,6O,
pounds of powder, or four charges
ready to be hoisted above, had ignited
Fire quarters were sounded and ever,
man on the ship responded and tn
magazine and handling rooms wer
flooded with water. In less than flv
seconds after the first explosion twelv
streams of water We're being playe,
on the ruins, and when volunteer
were called for every man Of the Shi
responded, eager to go into the turret
and rescue the crew. Captain COwle
gave his commands and but for hi
presence Of mind and that of the Off
GERS of the ship the Missouri woul
have gone down.
Captain Cowles Leads Rescuers.
The second explosion occurred nea
one of the magazines, and SO hot wa
the fire that the brasswork of tn
magazines was melted.
Smoke and the fumes of the burne
powder made it almost Impossible
enter either the turret or handlin
room, but, led by Captain Cowles tn
officers and men with handkerchief
over their faces, made efforts to res
cue the men inside.
But for the prompt and efficier
work of Captain Cowles in flooding tn
handling room and magazine wit
water, one of the magazines woul
have exploded and the ship woul
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