Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-18
Circumstantia| Account Of the
Accident on the Great
BattIeship.
OFFICERS AND MEN VERY COOL
Seems Certain Electric switch Was
Short Circuited by Shell.Tongs
Striking II,

day prints a cable dispatch from Cali
manera, Cuba. which purports to con-
tain a circumstantial report Of the ac-
cident last week on the batteship
Kearsarge, the official version Of which
In detail is not yet available.
The Herald's cable says;
When the Kearsarge had finished
two successful runs firing at targets on
Friday afternoon, using all four guns OF
her forward turret. she turned off range
to secure IL.
"One gun. the left l3-inch piece, was
loaded when the firing ceased Lieut..
Hudgins, the turret officer, and Lluet.
Graeme, the umpire, remained in the
turret discussing some firing rules,
HOW ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
THE turret crew, about 10 minutes
after firing ceased, began to unload
the guns, Three sections OF the charge
had been withdrawn by metal hooks
and placed on the turret floor, when
the man handling the hooks accidental
ly short clrcuited the switch 20 the
electric ammunition hoist behind him,
causing the arc which fused the metal
OF the switch. The molten particles
dropped into the powder ON the floor,
and seeing the danger, the man
jumped headlong down through the
turret and was but slightly injured.
"Lieuts. Hudgins aud Graeme and II
seamen We're seriously burned No ex.
ploson took place a Ad no sound was
heard by the officers on the bridge. but
SMOKE and flame burst from the tur.
ret.
FIRE QUARTERS SOUNDED.
Fire quarters We're sounded and
hose laid to the fire with geat prompt.
ness, II was put out without difficulty
and further damage was prevented.
The burned men were removed at once.
SIX MEN DEAD.
Six OF the enlisted men were re-
moved at once.
six of the enlisted men were dead.
Ll:ut. Hudgns died at quarter OF
four o'clock the next morning, and
Lieut.. Graeme who was removed at
once to his own ship, the Maryland,
died at O'Clock, The condition OF
the injured men Is favorable.
Every officer and man OH the Kear
sarge behaved In the coolest and Draw
eSt manner after the accident There
Is long list Of men ana officers whose
bravery was conspicuous.
Lieut. Hodgins pushed l.. W. King,
ordinary seaman, away from the dam
ger, and interposed his own body. King
wa9 very severely burned and In his
delerium cried Mr.. Hudslns, YOU are
having me, but burning yourself
saving me. but burning yourself.
his men removed from the turret be.
fore the rescuers took him out. Lieut..
Graeme asked that the others be at.
tended by the surgeons before him and
repeatedly inquired after his comrades.
SHOUTING FOR HELP.
~ A. Rooster. turret captain. him.
self frightfully burned climbed to the
top OF the turret, shouting for help for
those inside. When the fire was put
out and the rescue began he sank
down. saying: Goodbye. Kearsarge.
He was conscious until his death al Is
minutes after o'clock that night and
gave a clear statement OF what had
happened In the turret though suffer.
ing excruciating pain
IAN Of the wounded men showed
great fortitude and self-control. Ut.
terlng many expressions Of affection
Ite regard for Lieut.. Hudgins.
AS soon as the flames In the turret
were beaten down volunteers were
called for TO 20 I'm and bring out the
injured. Gunner McHugh was con-
spicuous In the brave work In the han.
ding room and magazines, q. Bree-
man, seaman, rushed into the handling
room. stamping out the burning pow
der and then cltsed himself inside the
magazine ana began covering the
powder tanks.
"Boatswalns Mates Pickard Nord.
strom and Carpenter and Chief MachIn-
its's Mare Cayanaugh We're the first
who rushed into the turret IN the blind
ing smoke. They remained there in the
suffocating gas until all the injured
had been passed out,
SEEMED LIKE CERTAIN DEATH.
"BoatsTaIn's Mate J. Herrlck. Chief
Master at Arms Magnuseen, Ordinary
Seamen Egan and Schneider. Seaman
Weber, Keith and Dougherty and Ma
chinlst's Mate Wilson led the hose into
the S-inch handling room to what 10.
peared certain death.
1T appears certain that the electric
switch was short-circuited by the han.
die OF the shell tongs accidentally
striking 1t. and fusing the Jaws OF the
switch. Mldshipmen Hall and Con-
nor, though barely month at sea, re-
mained at their stations IN the handling
room leading out the hose, though the
burning grains Of powder were falling
bout them"