New-York tribune., 1908-07-05
FOUR DIE, 253 HURT,
CELEBRATIONS TOLL
SERTM And BAND4GES
RUSHED TO AID.
Many Eyes and Fingers Gone-IO0
Arrests for Carrying Danger
Ous WeapOns.
THE DAYS CASUALTIES.

rro,rb children were raainled and killed yes
terdav TO arouse the great powers of the word
10 arms had they been killed and wounded in
massacre in some obscure village instead OF
while merely celebrating" the 1920 anniversary
of the birth Of the country. BY 10 O'Clock four
deaths had been reported in this city, and 2ot
persons mostly children. had been injured rms
is more than hundred less than the number in
,ured in this city last year-367-but 1t is greater
than the number OF men injured IN many
brisk skrrnish in time.
On the whole however. it one Of the
uuietest Independence Day celebrations in years
The showery threatening weather had little ef-
feet on such celebrations as there were, but
those were of an unusually quiet order
Another feature too, the comparative
freedom from fires At his night headquarters
in Great Jones street Chief Croker said last
night that there were considerably fewer fires
yesterday than on the last Fourth of July As
usual the east side of Harlem had the largest
number Five companies were sent up there
from downtown and they remained there all
day Up to 1880 o'clock last night the chief
had been to only two fires, and neither proved
70 be large.
What DO you think the people would say"
asked the chief, If we got law that would
absolutely stop all private fireworks and allow
fessionals? / think that during this year I'll try
TO get the Fire Commissioner to do something to
put a stop to all private sales. 1t would be a
good thing save lots of damage TO property, lots
OF injuries 10 people and not a few lives
All day long the clang Of the ambulance gong
WED for notice with the swapping of firecrackers
the crackles Of revolver shots and the heavier
explosions Of the big cannon crackers Chill
dIens eyes were blown out filed with powder
their fingers blown off or mutilated and their
tender bodies torn and burned by exploding
giant crackers and toy caanons Others were
shot and killed by stray bullets now
under treatment for tetanus because Of the
pieces Of wadding from blank cartridges in their
bodies. Few Of the hospitals used up their sup
ply Of tetanus antitoxin furnished by the Board
OF Health, but great many children received
the treatment. The Board of Health had twenty
calls for assistance but treated only one person
with tetanus antitoxin.
Milton Cumming. eighteen years old, acciden-
tally shot and killed his sister Jennie. at their
home at No. $500 Olinville avenue Williams
bridge, in the afternoon. The sister, who was
five sears younger. was watching the boy shoot
ing al a target in the back yard Of their home
Then she went into the barn, and as she passed
d small window almost in line with the target
the boy fired. The bullet hit the girl just above
the left eye. killing her instantly. The boy was
arrested on a technical charge Of homicide.
WHEN THE SLAUGHTER BEGAN.
Another child was killed at play by stray
bullet. Two Italians were arrested for it
Tony Faigo. six years old. went up his roof
at No. I70. West Houston street, in the morning
70 play. His brother Joseph says that Hugo
Fndla1i ana Egibo Petrucci, two neighbors,
were the roof at the same time and firing
al a target with Il small revolver. He says he
heard shot fred and then turned around 20
IND his brother lying dying the roof DR..
Quinn came from -. Nincents. but late
10 help the boy The two denied using a
fffolver. bat a round box with bullet hole
through il found on the roof
while Giovanni Rosso. an Italian laborer in
Ihe Rronx. WAS taking his worlsdsy cartridges
out II his revolver preparatory - replacing
Them with holiday blanks, he discharged the
gun hy accident and the bullet went through
ms ribs. Eis wife WIS out shopping at tn"
hm" and 'ehcn she returned found him dead OH
las bee
n" first death II the day WAS that Of John
1i1rs. ten yca:a .;l1. living 40. 32G West
191n street IL throw ing nrecracllers down
an airshaft. and ia watching the course of one
:" th''i'i It f,n he o.. -i,aianced himself and
Confined f.:i.d page.