Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-07-28
BIG GUN ENPLODES ]
ELEVEN men DEAD
The Breech Block Of ~ Inch Gun
Blew Out.
CHARGE FIRED pRtMATuRELy
Accident Took Place at Fort Monroe
During Target PraetIee-soard
Of Inquiry lnvestl-
eating.

Norfolk. va. July 22-EleVen al
ready dead and eight more injured
was the dreadful toll exacted by q II
inch rifle at Fort Monroe when tne
breach of the gun exploded without
warning. Whether the accident was
due to faulty mechanism in the gun
or negligence upon the part OF the
men who were hurled into eternity Is
to be determined by board OF inquiry
which is investigating the dreadiui
affair
Colonel Townsley, the commandment
who was directing the target practice
from battle tower among the pat
teries needed no formal notice OF the
| accident. He saw the body OF un'
fortunate Private Duffey as 1t was be-
ing carried out over Mill Creek by tne
| breach black. He rushed from his post
to the battery and took charge in per
son.
In Action But Few Minutes.
Target practice had been in pro
gress only few minutes when the &C
cident happened. Naval tugs, towing
targets which represented a hostile
fleet trying to pass Fort Monroe tt
reach washington, had just appeared
in sight and ali Of the batteries nae
opened fire.
The fire was very effective during
the few minutes and the targets were
badly battered, but when the expo
sion occurred interest in the miml'
battle was lost.
Colonel Townsley, commandant O
the fort, said that he did not know
whether the mechanism Of the gul
was at fault or whether the acciden
was due to the carelessness OF tn
men around the gun.
Thinks 1t An Accident.
II am inclined to think" said Col
Townsley, that it was an accident
pure and simple. 1t was caused b.
one Of the men, which one l don
know. but it was one of the poor fel
lows who were killed, getting the lar
ward caught in the breech before
could be locked.
81 think he must have pulled tn
lanyard to fire the gun, and the cor
in some way got wedged in the breec
and prevented it from locking secure
ly.
THE gun was made at the govern
ment arsenal at Troy, N. Y, and
has been at the fort for some year
The gun itself is uninjured, whic
leads me to believe that the accideT
was due to the fact that the breec
y was not properly closed.
"The explosion was through tn
breech, and while l am not sure
was due to faulty mechanism or col
struction, we must wait until II
board Of inquiry reaches decisio
: before the real cause can be known
. The Men Torn to Pieces.
Col. TownsIey stated that the she
9 is still in the gun and that only OF
e breech was blown away. The who
9 breech-block was blown away and WI
IS carried some distance by the force
v the explosion Of 800 pounds Of his
explosive. The projectile was lie
in the gun and excepting the breet
block the gun was not damaged II
men and the gun were in a concre
q pit about fifty by fifty feet and d
+ whole effect Of the giant charge to-
d effect in that small enclosure. y
le men were torn to pieces, arms, le
: and heads being scattered in all
3 rections, some Of them going into t
waters Of the Roads and other PAL
on the Lana side. All the men clio
y to the breech end Of the gun we
le either killed or wounded.