Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-14

mldShipman from South Dakota
september IS. 1891. He was graduated
from the naval academy in 1895 and
assigned to the Olympia. He was pro-
NOTED to ensign July /, 1897. to Lieu
tenant Gunior grade) July !, 1900 and
Lieutenant June Is. 1902. He was serv-
ing as a turret officer on the Missouri
ut the time of his death His widow,
Mrs. Juliet l.. Davidson, resides in
Baltimore.
Lieut.. Ernest \. Wcichert Gunior grade)
Was attached to the Cleveland ana it is
assumed ut the navy department that he
WIS aboard the Missouri at the time of
the disaster az an umpire during the tar
get practice. He was a native Of C0anec-
ticut and was appointed to the Naval
Acadcmy from that state. Sept g. 1885
He served Al different times on the Mass
achUSGttS. Narblehcad. Gloucester, Hello
na and other vessels. He returned to the
. United States in December last from a
tour in ASatic waters and III January
last was promoted from the grade of en-
sign, attained in 1901 to lieutenant Gunior
eradcJ lie was assigned to the Cleveland.
March :. His father, J. F. Wcichcrt, is
a resident Of Danhury. Ct.
Lieutenant GriGley was son of the
late Captain Gridley, who commanded the
flagship Of Admiral Dewey's squadron
when he sailed into Manila bay ami
fought the Spanish ships. He was Il ma
rinc officer on the Missouri. He was APP
pointed to the marine corps, March u,
1860. from PENNSYLVANIA, his native state.
MidShipman Thomas Ward. Jr.. was a
son of Cen Thomas Ward. who recently
retired from the active list III the adju-
! tant generals corps in the United States
army. He was appointed to the Naval
Academy. May -. 1899, from New York,
in which state he was born. He mpletcd
a four years course at the academy. last
year. ana was assigned in commission to
! service his allotted two years at sea- after
graduation.
| Midshipman VIM. w. r. Neumann
entered the academy ut Annapolis from
California, Sept. 16, 1899, and COM
pleted his course last year. when he
began a two years service at sea. He
was a native of California. His mothe,
is living in Honolulu. The young Off
Ger was assigned to the Missouri IN
February.
/ The Missouri is the very latest of
/ lily us p'iltltsHilii'S " 80 III CbilitlllS-
/ sion. The flag was hoisted on her in
| December last at Norfolk. by Captain
/ Cowlcs, brother-in-law of President
Roosevelt. She collded with the Hi
nois off Pensacola Il few weeks ago and
! has had very little firing with her big
guns: in fact, the nine or 10 rounds
! which had been fired from each big
gun was in the course of official trials
and she is now going through her first
regular target practice.
/ In the absence of any statement in
the wireless telegram as to the nature
of the accident. naval officers here
would not express any opinion as to
the cause. Privately. however, naval
experts for the most part believe that
what had happened was an occurrence
like that on the Ma ssachusctts a wear
ago last February. when whit is known
as Il blowout occurred. That means
, that the powder charge in the brcech If
Il gun becomes accidentally ignitcd be-
/ fore the bre"ch is completely clos..
| sending the blast back into the turrat.
The Massachusetts accident resulted
\ in the Immediate death OF nine man
in the turrct and for that reason great
difficulty was found in ascertainirg the
cause Of the accident
| To guard as far as possible AGAINST tbn
ignition Of tn" powder in this wa. Nd
mlral Converse. chef of ordnance issued
Il stringent circular forbilding any bag
Of powder to le raised from the maya
zines above the floor of the turrct until
the gun had been discharged and the
I, hrc"ch thrown open.
1t Is feared that the great spirit of rival
~ between Tie crews Of the various war
| ships in the matter Of 1apiditv Of Az
has led the gun crews into such hast. as
to nrcvcnt them from observing pron,r
precautions III the tuIretS. In tie ch;,r...
( for III" l--inoh gun of the Missouri thnr,
We're 300 pounds Of smokeleSs powder con
tanned in four separate bags. enough. Der
haps. to llo% the top of the turrct off
Naval oti.t,rs say they do not rndor-
stand how so many men happened to be-
in the after tutrct at one time. az an ar
binary turrct Crew is made III Of ai.nut
nine men.
Young Ensign Weichtcrt. although A.
ia, he'd to the cruiser Cleveland ~. IL
the turrct of the Missouri, probably as an
umpire. q modern naval custom: Mt wa,,
more than two other officers were tr,,c
;c not known