The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-07-16

Boston, Mass, July 15.-Eight men
killed and 13 injured was the grim
record at a late hour tonight as the
result of a powder explosion on the
batleship Georgia today, off Province.
town. Six were dead when the bat,
tleship reached mere and two more,
one of them Lieutenant Casper Good.
rich of Brooklyn, N. Y, son of Ad-
miral Goodrich, died later at the hos
pital.
With seven of her officers and crew
dead and IA others either dying or
suffering from terrible burns received
in an explosion of powder in the after
superimposed turret, the battleship
Georgia steamed slowly up Boston
harbor from the target jractice
grounds in Cape Cod bay late today
and landed the dead and injured men
at the Charleston navy yard. With
the arrival Of the Georgia there be-
came known the details of the terri
bic accident 81
The accident occurred shortly be-
fore noon today while the Georgia S
crew was at target practice Off Barn
stable in Cape Cod bay. In some
manner as yet unexplained, two bags
Of powder became ignited and in the
terrible fash that followed the en-
tire turret crew, consisting of three
officers and Is men, were engulfed in
fire and received horrible burns, one
officer and five men dying before the
ship reached port. The victims Of
the accident are:
Dead:
WILLIAM J. THATCHER, chief
turret captain, Wilmington, Del.
FAULKNER GOLDTHWAITE, mid
shipman, Kentucky.
w. j. BURKE, ordinary seaman,
Quincy, Mass.
g. G. HAMILTON, ordinary seaman.
South Fsramingham, Mass.
WIN. THOMAS, ordinary seaman,
Newport, r. ].
GEORGE e. MILLER, ordinary sea-
man, Brooklyn, N. z.
WIN. PAIR, ordinary seaman, Brook
lyn, N. Y.
LIEUTENANT GOODRICH, New
Ynrl d;ad a. af.AS
The injured are:
Midshipman ]. 4. Cruise, Nebraska;
Frank schlapp, North Adams, Mass,
boatswain's mate, second class
Charles Hansell, New York, gunner's
mate, first class; Olney Tagland, Rich
ford, Mimi, chief yeoman; j. G. Thorn
as, ordinary seaman, Brooklyn, N. r;
S. Losenberger, ordinary seaman, Phil
adelphia; = J. Walsh, ordinary seaman
Lynn, Mass; John o. .Malick, ordinary
seaman, Cleveland, o.; John A. Bush,
ordinary seaman, New York; Z. O.
'Meese, ordinary seaman, Berea, o.;
H. l.. Gilbert, ordinary seaman, South
wick, Mass; John A. Fone, ordinary
seaman, Trenton, N. J.; Charles Fisk,
ordinary seaman, Frankfort, Ind.
Walsh was in a very critical condi-
ton when brought into the hospital
and it is announced that his injuries
will probably be fatal.
Lieutenant Goodrich and Seaman
Malick jumped overheard after the
explosion, with the apparent motive OF
ending their terrible suffering from
the burns. Both of the men were res
cued by uninjured comrades.
The accident happened while the
battleship was several miles of Pro-
vincetown and the men were engaged
in target practice, together With other
vessels Of the battleship squadron Of
the Atlantic fleet. The powder should
have been taken from the ammuni-
ton hoist to load an eight-inch gun.
1T was seen to be. burning and in an
instant it exploded in the very face
Of the loader Of the gun. No damage
was done to the vessel, as the powder
was not confined ahd learly this even.
ing, under orders frpm Washington,
the Georgia sailed back to the target
grounds OF ProvineetoVn.
How this powder became ignited is
not yet known, but the theory held
at the navy yara is fhat II was set