The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-04-17
KILLED ON THE KEARSARGE
Fatal Accident in Forward Turras 81
Bic BattIeship.
TWO OFFICERS, FIVE MEN DEAD

Inquiry Is Now Under Way = Crew
Had just Completed Target Practice,
and While the Powder Was Going
Below Three Sections Of 1a-Inch Gun
Charge Were Ignited- ip Not mi urea
Washington, D. Oh The ignition Of
three sections of a charge for a thir-
teen-inch gun in the forward turret OF
the battleship Kearsarge, in the vicin-
ity Of Guantanamo, Cuba. resulted ia
the death OF two officers and Ave en-
listed men and the probably fatal in
jury Of another enlisted man. Lieuten-
ant John NJ Hudgins, whose home was
in Washington, and Lieutenant Joseph
w. Graeme attached to the United
States steamship Maryland. who was
acting as gun umpire at the time Of the
accident, were the officers Killed. The
Kearsarge had just completed target
practice at the time of the accident
The news of the accident came to the
Navy Department. in a dispatch from
Captain Herbert Winslow, command
ing the Kearsarge. Beyond the am
1OUuCStliGl1t OL W Aldl nf1tt l4tlDlJCntu anu
the names of those who were killed
and injured, the dispatch contained
few details. 1t seems clear, however,
that there was not an explosion, and it
is presumed that the slnokeless powder
burned up, suffocating or burning to
death the men within the turret.
A charge for a thirteen-inch rifle is
composed of four sections According
-
ton of the charge in the gun and an
other charge in the hoisting car used
to carry powder from the handling
room below to the turrets, remained in
tact Upon these details the theory is
based that there was not an explosion,
as both the section of powder within
the gun and the charge in the lift be-
low would have been ignited, causing
the death of many more men and prob
ably completely wrecking the forward
part of the vessel.
The cause of the accident, according
to Captain WinslOw, has not been de-
termined, but an investigation is now
under way. Ii is supposed that as soon
as possible following the ignition Of
the explosive Captain Winslow made
for Guantanamo and from there made
Ills lCHOils Allc Qlbi1ulCH u tAlC 4NAtJ
Department is as follows:
f'On April Is, about 3.15 p. M, short
" after completion of target practice
on the Kearsarge in the forward tuIret,
while powder was going below, three
sections of a thirteen-inch charge were
ignited. Charge of powder in other
lift just below and one Fe5fion inside
thrteen-inch remained intact. Cause
x-,A A4cil,f ffx~
Matter is being Investigated. Lieuten-
ant Joseph Y. Graeme, gun umpire,
sent to the Maryland in a very critical
state about o p. M The following
have since died: Lieutenant Hudgins,
turret officer; Peter Norberg, gunner's
mate; Theodore Naegely, seaman; AM
ton o. Thorson, ordinary seaman; Ju-
Illus A. Rooster, turret captain, first
class; Aliis II. Athey, seaman. Fol
lowing was dangerously injured by ac-
cident, recovery doubtful, w. King,
seaman. Will bury dead at Guantan-
amo Vessel uninjured."
Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte is
in Baltimore and in his absence Act
ing Secretary Newberry sent the fol-
lowing to Captain Winslow:
"The Department is deeply gTieved
Ny the NuIO1 tul1dAE htC4QC1lt vi BOftlN
the Kearsarge which occasioned the
death and injury in the performance
of duty of brave officers nd men of
the navy, and it extends It's heartfelt
sympathy to the injure and wishes
for speedy recovery from their
wounds. Spare no effort to ease the
sufferlngs of the injured in every pos
sible manner and show every honor to
the dead