The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15

~ So - yOo' ~ bO was BiNOh NIIOO
months sick leave, and upon his return to
the Kearsarge was placed in charge Of the
wireless telegraph tests which were being
instituted by the Bureau of Equipment.
Lieut.. Joseph w. Graeme was appointed
a naval cadet at Annapolis in September.
1893. He reached the grade of ensign
in July, 1899, and has since reached his
present rank. He served at the Washing
ton Navy Yard from November, 1902,
until April, 1905, when he was sent to the
Maryland. He Is married. At the Navy
Department it is thought that Mrs. Graeme
is in Wilkesbarre with the injured officers
father. Graeme's father is Thomas
Graeme, 1888 South River street, Wilkes
barre, Pa.
The following list of the dead enlisted men.
together with the next Of kin, was made
public by the Navy Department:
Norberg. Peter. gunner's mate. third class
residence, New York, N. T.; next OF kin.
Margaret Norberg. mother, Sandsvall, Sweden.
NAegely. Theodore. seaman; residence.
Elizabeth. n. j.; next of kin. Louis Gran.
guardian. s84 Elizabeth avenue, Elizabeth,
n. j.
Thorson. Anton Olays. ordinary seaman;
residence, New York. n. Y: next Of kin.
Elias Thorson. father, Wyckof avenue near
Broadway. New York.
Rooster. julius Alfred. turret captain. first
class; residence. Chicago; next of kin. John
Peterson, uncle. 345 West Huson street,
Chicago.
Athey. Ellis Homer. seaman. residence.
Parkersburg, w. Va. next OF kin. W. f. Athey,
father. 1905 Twenty-frst street, Parkersburg.
william King. ordinary seaman. whose re-
covery is doubtful. lived at Appleton. Mo.
on the records of the Navy Department his
next of kin is Mrs. Alice Cox, Appleton. Mo-.
but the relationship is not shown.
As soon as the list of lead arrived at the
Navy Department kilograms were sent to
the relatives of those mentioned in the
despatch, The news of the tragedy came
after the Navy Department had closed
and few we're informed of it. but there
we're numerous telephone calls from this
city by those who have friends or relatives
on board the Kea sarge.
That more men were not killed is regarded
as remarkable by officres here. They
say that good luck alone prevented a spread
Of the burning powder, the heat and fumes
from which are terrific. There were prob
ably about a score of men in the turret at
the time of the disaster.
Officials here think that the smokeless
powder must have been ignited by a
smouldering cartridge in the breech Of the
gun, which set the powder afire when the
sections we're being withdrawn. A hang
fire might nave brought about the result
At times, officers say, there is smouldering
powder in the gun for ten or fifteen minutes
after the gun has been fired.
The accident of yesterday was the Kear-
sarge's second misfortune this year, al
though the previous accident resulted in
little damage to the ship and no loss Of
life. The previous accident occurred in
New York harbor on January 7, when
five battleships Of the navy got tangled
up. The Maine Flagship, Kentucky.
Kearsarge. Alabama and Illinois, in the
order named, were leaving the harbor.
The Kentucky, a sister ship Of the Kear-
surge, went into the mud, and the Kear-
sarge, to avoid hitting the Kentucky, also
went aground. The Alabama tried to
get around the two vessels, but was unable
to do so, and the Kentucky vas damaged
by a rather severe collision with the Ala
bama.
The worst turrec explosion in the history
of the navy occurred exactly two years
ago yesterday, the day of the acciden on
the Kearsarge, On April l3, 1904. sever al
charges oil powder Ill the dlttT luIIol Vi lilo
battleship Missouri, then engaged in target
practice in the Gulf of Pensacola, exploded.
| killing thirty persons, including five officers
That affair was the result Of what is called
a fare back" when the wind from of
! shore blew the flames in the muzzle of the
Pinch gun, caused by the previous shot,
back into the brech. while another charge,
consisting of hundreds Of pounds of power
full smokeless powder, was being rammed
| into the breech. In the case OF the Mis-
souri, a section of powder weighing two
hundred pounds had been rammed home
and another had cleared the lift or hoist
ing car. when the gases from the previous
shot exploded the exposed powder. A
part of the burning stuff dropped into the
preparing room below, where four full
charges we're exploded. 1t was here that
! there was the greatest loss Of life.
A board of inquiry will be at once ap-
/. pointed by Rear Admiral Robley D.. Evans,
commanding the Atlantic fleet, to make
an investigation Of the accident. Admiral
Evans has the power to order a court
martial to try any one on charges OF neglect
OF duty who is found to have been to blame
nv the court of inquiry.