Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-21
Half a Score of U. S.
ArtiIIerymen Killed
in Practice.
FIRING HEAVY GUNS
Shore Batteries at Fortress
Monroe RepeIIing "Enemy"
at Hampton Roads.

Fort Monroe, Va, July 21.-EleVen
artillerymen are known to have been
killed and 10 are still missing as re-
suit of the blowing out of gun brcech
at Battery de Russy, Fortress Monroe,
this morning. The identified dead:
SERGEANT HARRY HESS, gun
commander.
CORPORAL BRADFORD, gun
pointer.
PRIVATE E. K SULLIVAN.
PRIVATE DUFFRY.
PRIVATE KING.
PRIVATE ADKINS.
JUDD z. HOGAN.
The dead artillerymen were attach
ed TO the Goth company. The accident
occurred at 10:40. The bodies Of the
dead artillerymen were terribly man
gied. The wounded were rushed 10
the fort hospital
Many Sec Tragedy.
The disaster was witnessed by a
number of prominent officers of the
army and navy who were here to see
practice. Wives and children of sew
eral men killed were present and saw
Sn6rC meet a I6rTlOle uSdIu.
Coast Artillery Mt Practice.
Washington, July 21.-The accident
IS supposed to have occurred In con-
nection with coast artillery target prac-
tice, III which the shore batteries fred
upon the fleet targets towed up Hamp-
ton Roads IN such a manner as to be
comparable to battleships. The shore
guns were to be engaged in battle
practice with moving fleet which was
towed up Hampton Roads about four
miles out and was supposed to repro
sent a hostile feet sailing up the Po-
tomac to attack Washington.
On a Big Scale.
According to the plans of The officers
of the coast artillery the firing tests
were to be conducted on larger scale
than had ever been attempted any
where. 1t was planned to have five
batteries of 10 or IL inch guns con-
centrate their fire on the target fleet
and demolish it as quickly as possible.
1t was intended also TO bring the NOR
tars into play.
Woods First Inspection.
Major General Leonard Wood, chief
of staff of the army, had gone to see
Tue TESTS anu IL was HIS III 81 OLlCldI
inspection OF any maneuver since he
assumed Office a few days ago. A
large number of other officers had
gone from the war department TO see
the firing Officers of the coast artil-
lery here gave as their opinion unoff-
cially the explosion was caused by the
ignition of the charge before the
breech block had been closed and
probably was caused by the wind blow
ing down the mouth of the gun. No
official report has been received at the
war department.
Block Blown into Bay.
The battery was under the tmmedi-
ate command of Sergeant Harry Hess
of the 69th company, U. S. coast artil-
lery. One private was blown into
Chesapeake bay with the breech block
Lieutenant Van Deuson sustained a
broken leg and Lieutenant Hawes was
injured about the face.
Says 10 Were Killed.
The official report to the war depart
ment shows 10 men were killed in the
explosion at Fort Monroe The dead:
SERGEANT HARRY C. HESS.
CORPORALS CHARLES o. AID
1AlANO ELNND ALbEtII bfLAEfORD.
PRIVATES ROY DUBREY, JOHN
w. CHADWICK, CLEVE w. KING,
ALFRED w. SMITH, ANDY ]. SULLI-
VAN, JAMES H. TURNER AND H.
ADEY
Probably fatally injured-Arlie Adey,
Judd E. Hogan.
Slightly injuved-Second Lieutenant
George l.. Van Deuson, Privates Or
vile T. Rainey Ellsworth Hoffman,
Charles E. Parks and William C. Sulz-
berger