Evening star., 1931-12-31
BLAST HURTS KILL
LABORATORY AIDE
w. {. Carver Lives Only Few
Hours After Explosion in
Bellevue Magazine.

Two inquiries were in progress today
into the cause and circumstances OF
the explosion yesterday afternoon at the
Naval Research Laboratory at Bellevue,
which cost one life and injured another
man.
The dead man was William E. Car
ver 80, Of 1928 S street southeast, who
expired at 9.lO last night at Providence
Hospital Both legs, hand and his
thumb on the other hand were blown
away by the explosion and his jaw and
skull were fractured. The injured man
is James T. Lane, colored, 27, Of 1897
Hayes street northeast. His wrist was
fractured. a knee was sprained and he
was badly bruised. His condition is
thought not to be serious.
Admiral Names Board.
Immediately after report OF the eX-
pIosion reached Rear Admiral Henry V,
Butler. commandant of the Washington
Navy Yard, he appointed board OF in
veStigation, which today was inqulrlng
into the accident.
A civil inquest also got under way this
morning by order of Coroner Joseph D.
Rogers It was not expected, however,
to throw much light on the mystery OF
the explosion. since Lane, the only wit
ness was unable to appear
Comdr. Harry l.. Merring, presiding
Officer of the naval investigating body
said this morning that no report would
be ready for two or three days. Other
members Of the board are Lieut.. Comdr
Frank Beatty and Lieut.. Comdr. Thomas
J. Keliher.
Working in Dugout.
Comdr. Merring said that his inves-
tigatiOn so far corroborateS the eXplana-
lion given by Lane that the explosion
was the result of firing of quantity OF
illuminate of mercury mine detonatorS
"Mr. Carver and I were alone in a
magazine dugout that is built In the
middle Of a field" Lane related yester-
Gay from his bed in Providence Hos
pital, killing the detonatorS with q
chemical solution. Several lots OF them
had been soaked in this solution and
We were pouring some of the fluid In
which they had been soaked INTO other
cans when something exploded.
Il don't know what caused the eXplo-
sion. l was knocked unconscious anc
didn't wake up until l got to the hos.
pital." -, ,...
we're defective and we're being soaked
in the solution to render them harm
less. The solution, he said, is slmilal
to the "hypo" used in photography.
Carver's Legs Amputated.
The explosion was of such violence
| that the entire vicinity OF the labora'
! tories reverberated with the shock.
The injured men were taken TO ProN'
! 1ence Hospital in a Navy ambulance
| Carver's legs were amputated shortly
! after arrival and a blood TRANSMISSION
! made to counteract the great loss o
blood. His stepson, Thomas Nolan, l6
| gave the blood
| Mrs Wanda Carver, wife OF the in
| iured man, was summoned TO the hos
J pital.
Arriving there she was informed b.
DR., II. J. Bush of the Public Health
Service. that her husband Lad only
vsrv slight chance Of recovery" Til
| injured mans sister, Mrs. Mary Sa
botka, also come to the hospital ant
stood ready to give blood, but it was no
needed.
| Both Recently Hurt.
Both Carver and Lane figured il
| minor explosions at the laboratory with
in the last two months. Carver va
slightly injured November ls when
submarine signal exploded In his hand
It was Lanes third accident within tw,