The San Francisco call., 1910-07-23
SAFETY DEVICE
CAUSED TRAGEDY
Failure to Operate Under I'M
usual Stress Cost Lives of
III Soldiers
Fatal Gun Pronounced Perfect
by Officers Just Prior to
Explosion

WASHINGTON. July 22.-To the
failure OF safety mechanism to
operate when a sudden and powerful
pun was given by an artileryman in
attaching the lanyard. is now laid the
responsibility for the accident which
cost the lives OF II men at Fort Mon
roe Va, in tho battle practice yester-
day. Such is the conclusion of General
Crozier. chief of ordnance. L. 5. A. who
attended the practice. and who has
been in touch with the inquiry made
by the Investigating board.
Never before in the history of the
army had the device failed to work.
The possibility Of its occurrence was
demonstrated, however. by General
Crozier himself shortly after the ac-
cident by a test made OF all guns which
participated in the practice In an
other gun in the i'll fated De IIussy
battery. the device was found defective
when General Crozier applied unusual
force. such IS was never deemed neces-
sary in tests and examinations.
Just before the accident the gun was
pronounced by the officers in proper
condition, and in April d coast artillery
officer on inspection duty reported that
its prems ture explosion was beyond
the range OF possibility. Steps will be
taken at once 10 improve the device.
OF course IL is entirely possible so
10 change the mechanism as to prevent
another accident such as that of Thurs
day said General Crozier.
HEROISM OF INJURED
Stories Of valor and sacrifice in time
of suffering and confusion were de-
tailed TO General Wood, chief of staff
Of the army, and other officials of the
war department today on the return
TO Washington of officers who yester-
day witnessed the explosion.
Conspicuous in the heroic group was
Lieutenant Van Deusen. who suffered
a broken leg from the body of one of
his men being hurled against him. He
was the timekeeper during the target
practice
Lieutenant Van Deusen." said
Colonel Townsley. in an official report,
supported himself on the railing OF
the platform and directed that the
assistance which was offered to him
be given TO others in the vicinity, some
OF whom were lying helpless with
burning powder grains in their cloth
ing"
Lieutenant Hawes was praised by
the comma ndant for having extin-
guished with his bare hands burning
material that threatened to ignite the
second charge, which was on its way
10 the emplacement"
Following the receipt of these re-
ports, General Wood sent a telegram
10 Fort Monroe expressing his
sympathy with the bereaved and suf-
fering, and his appreciation of the "ex-
cellent conduct of the officers and
enlisted men.
Practice Continued
FORT MONROE. Va. July 22-Al-
though death had silenced one gun and
II men were killed or fatally injured
by the terrible explosion in the De
Russy shore battery here yesterday
during the target firing on the imag-
mary hostile feet. which was passing
up Hampton roads to attack Washing
ton, the battle continued until the
enemy was sunk. The practice, which
was the most extensive ever attempted,
was completed with 1attering success
10 the. coast artillery corps.
Within three minutes after the first
gun had been fired the two cheese
cloth targets, so by so feet, represent
ing the vitals of the battleships and,
towed 6,00e yards away, were a sorry
sight. One was not worth shooting at
while the other was badly riddled. Fir
ing was then at an end.
The fatal result of the first attempt
10 discharge No. gun of the De Russy
battery of y inch guns was not known
10 the other batteries, scattered for
nearly a mile along the shore, until
after the conclusion of the firing. The
men at the other two guns of the De
Russv battery did not know that an
attack occurred, but they kept on fir
ing at the imaginary enemy in the
channel three or four miles away just
as if il were in fact a hostile fleet
endeavoring to pass through to attack
Washington or Baltimore.
Officers who witnessed the test say
the practice demonstra ted that a feet
attempting 10 pass the fort could not
have lived five minutes in such a fire
as was poured into the towed targets.
Funeral of Seven Victims
NEWPORT NEWS. Va, July 22.-i
Impressive military services were con-
Quoted This evening over the bodies OF
seven OF the eleven victims of yester-
dav's accident at Fort Monroe. Captain
J. *. II. Scott, post chaplain, conducted
the services.
colonel Clarence P. TownsIey, com
mandant of the fort, rode at the head
OF his command, directly behind the
caissons and hearses in the funeral
procession. Brigadier General Arthur
Murray. chief of artillery. and Mrs |
Murray were present
The seven for whom services were !
held were:
Privates Give w. Jung, John w. |
Chadwick. ]. II. Turner, Roy Duffey, |
Andy J. Sullivan, ]. n. Aedy and Jud- |
son Hogan.
The bodies of Sergeant Harry c. |
Hess and Corporal Charles C. Atkins
were removed from the fort to their |
homes in Phoebus, Va, and Will be |
buried tomorrow.
Services viii be conducted at the |
fort tomorrow over the bodies of Cor
poraI Albert Bradford and Private Al |
fred w. Smith. and they will be buried |
in the national cemetery near the fort |