Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-16

cUuS luuleS uuu Mduueueu WILL pdlH, the men screamed in agony. Some staggered blindly up the ladder to the hatchway ill the top of the turret, while others crept along the turret floor, beg ging piteously for assistance.
 Lieutenant Goodrich and Seaman Maleck became crazed, staggered up the iron ladder to the top of the turret and then threw themselves headlong into the sea in q despairing effort to choose a death by drowning in prefer cnee to death by slow fire.
 When the smoke of burning powder had cleared away the shipmates of the unfortunate men rushed to their as sistance, and tenderly the suffering sailors were lifted out of the fire blackened turret and quickly conveyed to the ships hospital, where their burns were dressed by the surgeons.
 In the meantime Lieutenant Good rich and Seaman Maleck had been res cued by the launch that was return ing from an inspection of the target.
 The surgical staff of the Georgia was soon re-enforeed by the surgeons of the other vessels in the fleet, who had been informed of the accident and summoned to the scene by the combin- ed use of wireless telegraphy, signal flags and the wigwag system.
 A message came from Midshipman Goldthwaite's parents in Kentucky 1yin hot fpa they could reach him. The return mes sage conveyed the information that he was dead.
 Several incidents were told of the coolness and heroism of some of the men just after the explosion. Chap lain Charlton was the first officer to reach the turret. The first man he found was Midshipman Cruse. who was terribly injured. He would not allow the chaplain to do anything for him, but said: Let me alone. I am all right Look after those other fellows"
 In one or two other cases also he met with the same spirit of self sacri- flee. '8
 
 tails of the accident Captain Henry McCrea. commander of the Georgia, notified Rear Admiral Charles NJ. Thomas, commander of the squadron, of what had occurred. Rear Admiral Thomas ordered an Investigating board 10 examipe into the causes of the acci- dent. Until this board makes its re- port the real cause of the explosion will be in doubt. and it is uncertain even that the board will be able to determine definitely what ignited the cases of powder.
 Two theories are entertained. One belief is that spark from the dis charge of the after turret guns floated back to tbs turret through q gun port and settled on to the powder cases. Another theory is that the spark that caused the trouble came from the smokestacks of the ship and fioated through the gun ports.
 After landing her dead and injured the battleship Georgia, under orders from Washington, sailed back to the target grounds.
 Midshipman Faulkner Goldthwalte, who died as a result of his injuries and the second commissioned officer among the eight who died, was born in Calvert. Tex. on May 24, 1883, and entered the naval service as midshipman from the state of Kentucky on June 8, 1903. After serving the full four year course at the Naval academy he was on March 1, 1907. ordered to the United States battleship Georgia, to which vessel he was attached at the time of his death.
 .Midshipman J. T. Cruse, who was ln- jured, is a son of Major Thomas Cruse, chief quartermaster. department of the Missouri, with headquarters at Omaha.
 Major Cruse, accompanied by his wife and son, Lieutenant Fred T. Cruse, have left for Boston to be with the injured mldshipman.
 Lieutenant Casper Goodrich was born in Italy and appointed to the navy from Connecticut in 1897. Rear Admiral Brownson. chief of the bu- reau of navigation, immediately wired Rear Admiral Goodrich in New York the sad news of his sons death.