The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-22
BTeech Block Of Big Gun Is
Blown OutWhi|e Men Are
At Target Practice
HERO|SM OF OFFICERS
AvERTS SECOND TRAGEDY
Bloodstained and Badly Hurt Two of-
ncers Carry Away Powder Bags
From Scene to Prevent Dis
astrous Consequences

Fortress Monroe, Va, July 21-Eleven
men of the coast artillery are dead to-
night as the result of the blowing out
of a breach block in one of the big guns
while the fort was engaged in target
practice.
half dozen others are now in the post
hospital, one of whom may die.
The exact cause of the explosion is not
yet definitely determined although a
board of investigation and inquiry was
appointed Immediately after the disaster
by orders Of the war department.
The list of dead and wounded are
Killed.
Sergeant Harry Hess. Charleston, w.
Va.
Corporal Charles o. Adkins. Cincin-
natl, o.
Corporal Albert Bradford, Dorothy. w.
Va.
Private Roy Duffy. Naugatuck, W. Va.
Private John w. Chadwick, Tazewell.
Tenn.
Private Cliye w. King, Dayton, Ohio.
Private Alfred w. Smith. N Y. City.
Private Andrew ]. Sullivan, Perkins.
KY
Private Judd E. Hogan, Geyer. Ohio.
Private James H. Turner, Ripley. Tenn.
H. A. Dey. N
The latter name does not appear on
the muster roll of the Ninth coast ar
tillery for May or June of 1910 nor has
any record been found in the war de-
partment of any enlisted man by the
name in three years.
Probably fatally injured:
Private Arley A. Dey, BrandOnyille,
Va. ~
Slightly injured:
Lieut.. Geo. l.. vanDeusen, Passaic,
N j. sllg
Private orville t. Rainss< FindIay, O.
Private Ellsworth w. Hoffman. Pitts
burg, Pa.
Private Chas. E. Parks, Menon.nee,
Mich. 4sf.,
Private VIM. c. sulzberger. Fortress
Monroe, Va
Narrow Escape From Death
The total list of the deaths would have
been probably greater had not many OF
the injured been considerable distance
away from the piece when 1t was dis
charged. The explosion took place in
battery De Russy, No. gun doing the
damage. The gun was in charge of Capt.
James Prentice, who had with him
Lieuts. Geo. P. Hawes, Jr, and George
l.. Vandeusen. Lieutenant Hawes had
gone FORWARD IrOI1l Lne Dreecn TO examine
the range wheel when the charge was
exploded He was thrown down and
momentarily stunned, but otherwise was
! uninjured.
In the thick. heavy smoke the scene
was almost indescribable. Eight men
were killed outright. their bodies lying
scattered around the emplacement. I'M
der the pail the wounded writhed and
moaned. Captain Prentice and Lieuten-
nj Hoyv Ga 0rif
of life If the other charges caught from
the smouldering sparks, and the two
sent out call for surgeons while they
attacked the flames with their bare
hands. s
Captain Prentice reached the emplace-
ment first and before looking into the
extent of the damage he pushed his way
through the smoke and sparks and car
ried of a bag of powder. He then was
Joined by Hawes and the two completed
the task of averting a further explosion
Van Deusen's Heroism
During this time Lieutenant Van Deu-
sen lay crumpled beneath the gun. his leg
broken In two places. He was suffering
agonies but when the officers and men
tried to remove him he. would not hear
to it.
sSee to the men first he ordered and
propped himself against the gun car
riage and aided in directing the work OF
the rescue parties and the surgeons. W
Corporal Humphreys and Sergeant
Brinkley, gun pointer, also distinguish
ed themselves The formers head, body
and arms were filled with pieces of flying
concrete that had been blown from the
emplacement, when the explosion came
In spite OF his painful injuries, he rush.
ed to his dead and wounded comrades,
extinguishing their burning clothing and
hurried to the nearby encampment for
water.
Sergeant Brinlley was close to the
breach when 1t blew out. He was hurled
over the sight standard and when he
regained consciousness found himself
hanging by one arm from the railing Of
the sighting platform. Although severely
bruised and suffering from the shocS.
Brinkley declined to go to the hospital
or permit the surgeons to examine him
until after he had assisted in the work
Of rescue
Col. c. p. Townsley. commandant Of the
fort. promptly ordered an investigation.
While no decision has yet been reached
Colonel Townsley advanced the theory OF
the disaster
Townsley's Theory
'It Is evident he said. that the ex-
Yiosion occurred during the insertion of
the breech block into the breech of the
gun and before it had been rotated and
locked in place. The safety devices on
the gun are intended to make prema-
ture discharge impossible. just how they
failed to operate probably will never be
known to certainty. Every member Of
the detachment who could explain 1t
vas killed.
The board of inquiry, however, is to
be thoroughly assisted in the investiga-
tion by some Of the leading officers Of