Evening star., 1909-03-05
DYNAMITE CAPS co OFF
Seven Persons Injured, Five of
Them Seriously.

A box Of dynamite caps exploded when
pooIroom of Joe Jones. 3055 X street
northwest, this morning.
Six men and a boy were injured. Five
are in serious condition.
George Castleman, who caused the eX-
plosion, is most seriously hurt His right
hand was entirely blown off. He received
other injuries to his body.
The Injured Men.
It is thought all will recover. The in
jured are:
George Castleman, forty-four years of
age. bell diver. of 1890 Canal road north
west, right hand blown off at the wrist
and injuries to his body.
George Boswell. thirty-seven years of
Age, a bartender. of lila 31st street, in
jury to right hip and back.
John Colback, thirty>fo four years Of age.
an iceman of 1910 Wisconsin avenue
northwest. injured about the face and
body.
John Baggett, forty-four years of age,
iceman, 1910 Wisconsin avenue northwest,
injured about the body.
Charles Donaldson, thirty-one years of
age, 1887 Jefferson street northwest, in
jured about the face
James Smith, colored, sixteen years of
age, of Dol s street northwest, injuries
to his back.
Rodney Henderson. forty-two years of
age, a thinner, injured about the head and
face.
Castleman, Boswell. Colback and Bag
gett were removed to Georgetown Uni
Emergency Hospital. Donaldson and
Henderson refused hospital treatment
and went to their homes.
Thrown on Pool Table.
The men were in the poolroom last
| night watching others play pool. About
1890 O'Clock George Castleman, employed
| as bell diver OH one of the diving boats
down river, with the remark They are
not dangerous threw the box of caps
| upon a table
| Just as the box struck the table there
! was numbering roar and explosion
which shook the entire frame building
! When the smoke had cleared away 1t was
| found that the seven men had been in
jured.
The patrol wagon of the seventh pre-
i
badly injured men were taken to the
| Georgetown Hospital.
Many panes of glass in the poolroon
| were broken. A number of electric light
| bulbs exploded One end of the pool table
was blown off and the cloth covering torn
| and burned.
| The detonation assembled great crowd
| around the place.. Workmen in saw mills
| and feed mills nearby, fearing that one
| of the plants had blown up. rushed into
! the street and sweIled the throng.
! Jones Blames Castleman.
| Joe Jones, who manages the poolroom,
said Castleman had been in the place all
| morning and had several times thrown
| the box on the floor. He said he had told
him not to do it as they might explode
and possibly blow up the entire place.
The man. however assured him there was
| no danger.
'I had left the place to get some
change" said Jones, ''and was about TO
enter the front door when the explosion
! occurred I was stunned for a time, but
ran in with several others and assisted
| the injured men. ! had told Castieman
| before to put the box of cartridges in
| his pocket, as they might explode. He
| Won d fiot do So.
The explosion was probably caused by
the Shock of the caps striking the slate
slabs which are under the cloth covering
of the pool table. The cloth about the
spot where the box struck the table was
torn off