Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-07-30
SAFETY DEVICE ON
GUN WAS DEFECTIVE
Cause of Disaster at Fort Monroe
Explained by investigation.
DIRECT CAUSE AT LANYARD

tricate Mechanism Which He Found
Faulty in Another Gun-First Time
1t Has Ever Failed-Force Greater
Than Had Been Applied in Testing.
Washington, July 23-To the fall
ure of safety mechanism to operate
when a sudden and powerful pull was
given by an artilleryman in attachjp,
the lanyard is now laid the RESPONSE
bility Of the accident which cost the
lives of II men at Fort Monroe, Va,
during the battle practice Thursday.
Such is the conclusion of General Gro
Zier, chief OF ordinance, United States
Army, who attended the practice and
who has been in touch with the in
quiry 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 acct
dent by a test made of all the guns
which participated in the practice. In
another gun in the ill-fated De Russy
battery the device was found defec-
tive.
Just before the accident the gun
was pronounced by officers to be in
proper condition, and in April coast
artillery officer on inspection duty, re-
ported that its premature explosion
was beyond the range of pos slbility.
Steps will be taken at once to improve
tho device.
Mechanism Was Defective.
"The firing mechanism is somewhat
delicate" said General Crozier in dis
cussing the accident, because Of the
lack of sufficient space for the utili-
zation of larger and more robust parts
but it was supposed to be sufficient to
withstand an reasonable usage. The
operations of loading and firing are
conducted with extreme rapidity in
the praiseworthy effort to make
good time record, and it is neces-
sary consequence that the motions are
made with great force and violence
AS Gun Started to Rise.
"In this case it appears that the gun
started to rise to the firing position
before the breech block was pushed
home preparatory to rotating and
locking it, and before the lanyard was
hooked, 80 that the man whose duty
it was to hook on the lanyard had 10
do it while the gun was in motion.
Testimony is to the effect that he
had some difficulty in hooking, max
ing several passes in his attempt to DO
so, and that he finally succeeded in
getting it hooked just as the gun was
passing out Of his reach, when the ex-
plosion Immediately took place
First Time Device FaFed.
This particular model of firing me-
chanism has been used for several
years; in drill and at target practice
it has been operated thousands of
times and by hundreds of men under
the supervision of dozens of officers,
but no instnces of failure have been
reported.
"A1l the mechanisms were tested
for safety shortly before the firing
commenced, and all apparently were
i'm proper condition.
''Of course. it is entirely possible to
so change the mechanism as to pre-
vent the particular accident which oc-
Cured"
Injured Will Recover.
No additional deaths are expected
as result Of the accident, the sur
geons at the post hospital expressing
the opinion today that all six Of the
st,s,. IL hA tsf xxfiIl
recover. 1t was said that they had
passed a good night.
Awaiting word from relatives of the
II men who were killed, their bodies
are being neld at the morgue.
All flags on the reservation were
placed at half-staff as soon as the ac-
cident was known.
Horrible Sight.
Corporal John D. HUMPHREYS, a
member of the gun crew which was
nearly wiped out of existence in the
explosion gave a graphic story of the
explosion mo man ever saw more
horrible sight said the corporal. Il
was rangekeeper and was standing by
with the telephone to my ear receiv-
ing ranges. was not paying atten-
ton to the men behind the gun. The
trumpet sounded and the command
was given to fire three rounds.
heard the chief OF the breach say
close" I heard the command in bat
terry, but not the order to trip the
lever.
THE gun was fired. I saw the fash
and felt the heat. Then Rangesetter
Ford Sumner who was standing near
me, exclaimed, Great God, what has
happened? ! looked and it seemed to
be that everything behind the gun was
swept away. 1T was a sight that no
one could describe. cannot now com.
prehend it. 1t fairly paralyized my