New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-17
NINTH GEORGIA VICTIM
SEAMAN T.. II. WALSH DIES.
Gan Captain Tells of Explosion
SIR Bodies Sent Home.

tins of the explosion on board the battleship
Georgia on Monday have been claimed by rela-
ttves and sent home from the United states
naval hospital at Chelsea. and two more bodies
will be sent tomorrow. The body of the ninth
victim Of the disaster. Seaman Edward F.
Walsh of Lynn. who died this afternoon. still
lies on the cot at the naval hospital Walsh's
mother. Mrs. NJ Walsh. of No. 2S Seymour ave
nue.. Lynn. and brother Of the seaman were
with him when he died. Tomorrow his body
will be taken to Lynn for burial
OF the other twelve who lie swathed in
bandages their cots in the naval hospital. il
is expected that two, Seamen James P Thomas.
of Brooklyn and Louis o. Meese. of Cincinnati.
may not survive the night. Five others are in
serious condition. with strong hopes that
three of them may recover. while the rest of the
injured are well the way full recovery.
No word of complaint, of criticism or OF pain
comes from one of the sufferers, but frequently
from the burned and swollen lips is whispered
a question how the other fellows are
getting along. AT the head of each cot in the
naval hospital stands a bouquet of flowers sent
to-day by Admiral Yamamoto of the Japanese
Navy. through his aid. Lieutenant Commander
Naomi TantguChL Beautiful wreaths bearing
the colors of Japan and the card Of the japanese
Admiral We're also placed on the coffins of Lieu.
tenant Goodrich and NIdshipman Goldthwaite
when their bodies were sent home to-day, and
bouquets similarly inscribed accompanied the
body of each seaman.
STORY OF THE EXPLOSION.
Charles H Hansel. acting gunners captain
while lying IN his cot the hospital. was able
TO tell to-day the story of the accident
None of US knew much about il till il
all over Mr.. Hansel said; 1T quick
When 1 saw that first flash Instinct told me
what UP. and kept presence of mind enough
TO dodge back from the sheets of flame that
began to envelOp the turret. 1 got down to the
floor Crawled under the gun and out of the port
hole as far~as l could get Here could get some
air. and was so low down that the fumes did
not hurt me seriously. Kimbau was with me.
and he did not get burn. My hand was burned
where l held iron rod. and got burned
around the head, but guess it is not very bad
THE instant the flash came Lieutenant Good
rich who was in charge of the work in our tur-
ret, rushed TO the hatChway top Of the turret,
thinking 10 get out before the turret filed with
smoke and gas. but the powder was too quick
for him and he was horribly burned before he
could get to the air and safety Seaman Maleck
was sitting top of the turTet. where he was
stationed 10 take messages. with his legs hanging
down the hatchway. Influenced probably by
Lieutenant Goodrich. who. maddened by his suf-
feTing. plunged into the sea, he threw hlnseI
overheard. too
"The first flash was followed quickly by Sec
ond from the other bag of powder. each contain
ing about hundred pounds of smokeless
who were still conscious. and they were few.
Men were lying in heaps moaning. dying, un-
conscious. baking and suffOcating.
THE next minute seemed eternity. but help
from outside came quickly and the men were
lifted out and taken away 70 be cared for But
living men could not enter the turret until the
heat had been overcome by pouring in water,
which also settled the smoke and drove out the
gases to some extent Those Door fellows were
terribly burned Some were burned so as TO be
unrecognizable. Eyes were burned out. faces,
bodies and arms and legs blackened. and there
were no features left some of the charred
faces
"Afidshipman Cruise was pointing the gun
when the flash came and was by his side. He
did not move away from the sheet of flame
quickly as I did and fearfully burned We
were making a record all right. Lieutenant
Goodrich took great pride in the work and had
all the men worked UP to enthusiasm We had
fired nine shots and made nine hits. and still
had time enough to fire twice more. and that
meant two more hits, the way shooting.
and still be within two minutes. Now when
You fire eleven shots with S-inCh guns IN twl
minutes. you're doing some shooting whether
you hit the mark or not. But We were hitting.
How those fellows suffered after they were
taken OUT Captain 9ICCrea won the love OF
every man on that ship yesterday. Time and
again he came down 10 the hospital and would
bend over some dying fellow with his face close
70 the lips that were trying TO speak and try
TO make out the last words. and then turn away
with the feelings of his heart written on his
face. All the officers and the men behaved
splendidy through IT all. and there con-
fusion. It's fine ship. and II I go back want
10 go back 10 the Georgia
BODIES SENT HOME
The body of Lieutenant Caspar Goodrich was
sent 10 Stone Church. y. J.. Rear Admiral and
Mrs. Goodrich accompanying it, The funeral
will be held Thursday. The body of Nidship-
man Faulkner Goldthwaite was sent TO Hop
kinsville. Ky. in of his mother. Mrs. Will
lam c. Goldthwaite The body OF William J.
Thatcher. chief turret captain. was sent TO his
mother. Mrs Louisa Thatcher. No HOS West
9th street, Wilmington, Del George G. Hantl-
tons body was claimed by his father. George
Hamilton. of No. 81 Wellington avenue. South
Franingham. Mass. who came 70 the hospital
to-day John Thomas. father Of Seaman Will
lam NJ Thomas returned home with the sea-
mans body during the afternoon 10 No II
Thames street. Newport, r. l. The body o.
George Miller will be sent TO Brooklyn. and
that Of William F Pair TO his mother. Mrs NJ
Mcdonald No. 1914 FIatbush avenue. Brooklyn.
Tomorrow The expense of forwarding the
bodies is borne by the government.
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick e. Hodgson.
~ { A and Mrs Hodgson. uncle and aunt OF
Nr,debinrnan John T. Cruise. came to-day from
pbiIadelphia while Major Thomas Cruise. father
Of the injured midshipman is on his way here
fron, Omaha and is expected 10 arrive to-nlor-
row noon. The condition of Cruise. while serious,
is yet hopeful
Erank schlapp boatswain's mate. OF North
Adams. Mass. will probably recover. Schlapp
has once before been victim OF an explosion
while in the service. being one or three who were
injured near a six-inch gun of the kearsage on
April Is. 1906.
New York is in a most critical condition and his
mother and father. Mr. and Mrs Michael
THOMAS Of No. 992 Degraw street. BROOKLYN
are constantly near his cot Louis y Meess.
YTwA fNfrr-f natl