Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-18
HEROIC SAILOR
SACRIFICES
. LIFE TO SAVE
COMRADES
Commander Of the BattIeship
Georgia Gives Graphic Ac-
count Of Bravery Of Inflated
Gun Crew.
DISASTER DUE TO OVER
zEALOUSNESS, BELIEF

ASJOSl iHSOtJ VI OgAtN lOali
SmokeStack Setting Fire to
| Powder Bag,
IBy Morning Journal Special Leassd wiFe.l
Boston, July l7.--On board the
Georgia in Boston harbor this after
noon Captain Henry McCrea told 70
the Associated Press the story OF the
disaster on Monday which has cost the
lives of nine men. Captain Mccrea
said:
Il was on the bridge making the
run for the practice I was taking
observations OF each shot AS shot
after shot came from the elght-inch
guns | saw we were beating the rec
ords of the other ships of the fleet.
on the bridge / could hear the COM
mand from the after turret.
II heard the shout 'frel but there
was no shot, and then / saw men rum
ming aft, and quickly the fire hose
that is always laid out in readiness.
was manned.
II rushed to the after bridge, near
er To the turret. to see what was the
matter. The water was already be-
ing poured into the turret The
boatswain and Midshipman Graves
croat led the way for their men with
the rest of us. I tell you, there was
courage. No man knew what had
happened and no man knew into what
danger he might be rushing. But
those men never thought OF self OF
danger Their brave act will look
well on their records.
Then they began 10 bring out the
men. One OF the first was the one In
whose hands the powder was when It
/ flashed. He was laid down on top
of the lower turret with a blanket
under his head His hands were burn
ed to the bone and the flesh was
J gone. With those hands raised above
his chest and the tips OF the fingers
bent toward each other. | could hear
him whisper: oh God, oh God. oh
n God He could not move his lips
enough to utter other words.
II bent closer and said to him:
My dear fellow. God has heard your
prayer He soon died.
The men were brought out as fast
as they could be taken from the tur-
ret Most of them felt relief as soon
as they got TO the open air. The
gases from smokeless powder are ter-
rible. That's what kills. The exter-
nal burns were hldeous enough. but
10 breathe that stuff n fatal.
zone man In that turFet was not
hurt--Midshipman Klmhall--and I
do not understand how he could have
escaped. He helped take out the men
He, too, showed grit after the shock
he had. Lieutenant Goodrich set an
| sr,la 20 kstt
courageous officer could set. when he
lunged right into the flame and gases
to lead the way to safety. told his
father, Rear Admiral Goodrich. that
II was such officers that made a great
navy. After he got 10 the deck he
threw himself overheard. II our
launch had not been near by on it,
return from its examination OF the
target. he would have drowned.
Probably one little act. OF rather
: one great act. by one of the men. pre-
} vented a far greater disaster don't
, know his name. He IL dead He and
one other stood by the second gun
} that had just been loaded. The last
powder bag that had been put in was
r protruding a little from the gun.
, When he saw the flash. instead Of
? dashlng for the ladder 70 save himself.
he crowded home the charge In the
! gun and with the help Of the other
7 man got the gun closed before the
flame reached the bag. II the flame
had touched that bag there would
. have been an awful explosion, for the
powder was confined In the gun ana
would not have flashed ns the other
did. Not a man In the furret would
have been left alive That man gave
his life for the others.
Il am told President Roosevelt has
inquired about man that gave hIs
life closing the shutter from the ann
munltion room to save the ship from
blowing up II would be very wrong
10 have n story like that 20 out. be-
$ cause I cannot find thai there IL any
foundation for II. OF indeed. for q
l man 10 make any attempt ~ do any
thing Of the sort But II the nreai-
dent wants herolsm let him lock up
this brave man who stood y his gun
i to save the rest
II "slnce We went back 10 the target
-. grounds the men have been shooting
I better than before the accident
s The naval beard of Inquiry appoint
J cd to investigate the cause 81 IHe *.
n piosion Monday. visited the naval sta
e ton at Chelsea today % take The dep
q osIlions OF the injured men.
y The board carefully inspected the
g iufrei IN which The explosions occurred
2 and took the evidence 81 such officer.
!. aud men aa we're familiar with the
l conditions on board The luFret AZ thl
: time
Owing 70 the critical condition u
! the men IN The large hospitals. faHI
: OF whom L was feared might not faT.
s vlve the night the surgeons IN ehafsl
i Of the hospital would permit Ihl
sr beard ni Inquiry % examine nnlz lnfHs
sf men.
ar Il # understood fhaI he InfeN|Ea'
= iien - The board 4 aucIien|Ix conn
ulele. and that ldH1f@8N - HHdIH4