El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-02
TORPEDO BOAT
IS BLOWN Up
Three Are Dead and Six IN
jured as Result Of Ter
rifle Explosion.

Newport, R. L, Oct. Am explosion
on the torpedo boat destroyer Wake
near Newport, yesterday afternoon, re-
suited in a toll of three lives and the
serious injury of six others, all of whom
were literally boiled dive by escaping
steam. Great heTOism was shown by
the crew in rescuing their dead and dy-
ing comrades.
The explosion occurred in the for
ward end of the port turbine, off Bren-
tons reef lightship late yesterday.
Lieut.. Donald P. Morrison, the chief
engineer. was killed and eight others
were wounded, two of them, J. w.
Rumpf and II. L Wilder, both me
chanic mates of the first class, dying
later on the hospital ship SOlace.
Z. B. Crawford, gunner's mate of the
pires named to watch the speed tests
of the Wake, and John Delaney, a first
class fireman, of the Wake, are in
critical condition others injured are:
Lieut.. Robert L. Montgomery, of the
destroyer Tanning and umpire of the
speed tests
D. S. Kelley, chief machinists mate.
W. Z. Crause, oiler.
+. B. Conway. Oiler-
The explosion came just as the
Wake started on full speed test in
company with other destroyers OF the
third group.
board of inquiry found that the
Wakes port turbine was destroyed.
The Wake was driving ahead through
the heavy seas with the full power of
her engines, when Lieut. Charles r.
Train heard a muffled roar and felt the
destroyer CULVER. Her speed slackened
and she began to roll heavily, while
steam poured up the hatchways.
Heroic Rescues.
Somebody, without an order, turned
off the steam in both engine rooms.
while rescuers, with blankets soaked
with OIL went down into the Scalding
atmosphere. They located the explosion
Victims rolled them in blankets and
staggered back to the deck before the
room had been cleared of steam.
After a boat from the Perkins had
put hospital steward Charles McCul
Tough and four men with supply Of
banGages aboard, Lieut. Train, finding
his starooard engine working all right,
signaled the other ships that assistance
put back up Narragansett bay to the
hospital ship Solaee, where the wound
ed men were transferred.
Whether Lieut.. Morrison was killed
by the blow on the head when the head
casing of the turbine split, could not
be learned. His body was found near
the bulkhead pump. and it is believed
he died instantly.
Courageous officer.
Washington, ID. c, Oct. Lieut..
Donald P. Morrison, who was killed in
the explosion aboard the torpedo boat
destroyer Wake at Newport, met death
in the line of duty on the day a letter
was addressed TO him by the acting sec
rotary of the navy commencing his
courage Ia jumping overheard from the
Wake on the night Of September %
and rescuing from drowning an en-
listed man of his crew.
Lieut.. Morrison was the son OF the
late Maj. Jasper Morrison. of the judge
advocate generals department. Lieut.
Morrison is survived by bride of a
year. He was born in Missouri % years
ago and was appointed to the naval
academy in 1902. He was a midship-
man on the Colorado and was promoted
to ensign in 1908, serving on the Wis
consin From September, 1911. to May,
1912. he was in command of the U. S. S.
Stringham. He had been on the Wake
since last June.
Harry Lee Wilder, first class ma
chinist's mate, whose death also is re-
ported, was IS years old and a native
of Sparks, New. He had been in the
service five and one-half years. His
father, Robert L. Wilder, lives in Or
lando, Fla.
Admiral Osterhaus reported to the
navy department that the forward end
steamchest of the port turbine OF the
Wake blew out when she was starting
a full power trial. Naval experts say
a similar explosion is not on record
in naval annals