Evening star., 1932-06-23
Rockville Police Chief Deems
Accidental Certificate of
Hospital Sufficient.
YOUTH AND GAS COMPANY
EMPLOYE DIE OF BURNS
One of Injured Fighting for Life
as Result of Explosion Near
Potomac.
BY staff Correspondent of The Star.

BY staff Correspondent of The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, June 23.-Certif-
Gates of accidental death In the case
of Charles E. Dove, 18 years old, OF
Montrose and John Esputa, 27, OF
Avery, who were fatally burned in the
dual explosion at the Columbia Gas
Construction Co.'S main near Potomac
yesterday. were signed today by staff
physicians at Georgetown University
Hospital in Washington.
Police Chief A. A. Moxley announced
that police officials were satisfied as
to the circumstances surrounding the
deaths of Dove. a senior at Rockville
High School, and Esputa, an employe
OF the gas company, and that he die
not deem an inquest or any official
action other than the signing of the
death certificate necessary.
Burns Prove Fatal.
Dove and Esputa died early last
night at the Washington hospital
where third victim, William Slack
Nicholson, 18, of Rockville, also a
senior at Rockville High and the son
of Leonard L. Nicholson. jr, a Wash
ington real estate operator, is staging
game battle for his life. Attending
physicians reported this morning that
he may recover
The two explosions In which the trio
was burned occurred at a header" in
the natural gas trunk line Of the Co.
lumbla Gas Construction Co., running
from natural gas fields in Boldman,
KY, to Coatesville. Pa, at a point
where the pipes cross the Potomac
River at the mouth of Watts Branch.
several miles from the community of
Potomac
Employed Only Two Days
Esputa, who had been working for
the gas company only two days, had
been sent from Rockville to patrol the
line in search of leaks, and shortly
alterward discovered a slight opening
IN the 20-inch piping of the header"
he was about to leave when the line
tore open with terrific explosion and
opened an immense hole in the ground
Unhurt, ESputa asked Dove and
Nicholson. who were fishing in the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal nearby.
with Doves younger brother Elbert, Is,
and Brooke Edmonston, II, of Rock
vile. both students at the local high
school, to drive him back to Rockville
to report the leak
ISPuta ana the TWO youths entered
NlchoSons car and were preparing to
ieaVe When gases, apparently ignited
Dy tne engine or exhaust of the auto
mobile. exploded and set fire TO the
machlne and underground and trees
WITHIN radius of more than 200 feet.
Rushed to Hospital.
Elmer Frazier and Luther Foster
the scene and led the trio out of the
burning area. Meanwhile. the Rockville
Fire Rescue Squad was summoned and
llremen removed Dove and Nicholson
to the hospital, while an unidentified
Nebraska motorist carried Esputa.
The younger Dove boy and Edmon-
ston, who had walked over to their
boat about 100 yards away to obtain
some bait, escaped the blast and fire.
Employees at the local measuring sta
ton fcr the gas company said today
that there was 350-pound pressure on
the 2O-inch line when the first ex-
plos1on occurred, but that the line from
Rockville to the river was closed i'm
medlately when gauges in the station
showed tremendous drop at that
point.
Had Premonition.
Esputa. who lived on the farm of his
stepfather and stepmother, Mr.. and
Mrs. Samuel Welsh, at Avery, 4 miles
from here, started to work for the gas
company only the day before his tragic
death. Mrs. Welsh declared yesterday
that premonition of some impending
danger had caused her to beg him not
to accept the position.
Mrs. Nicholson said at her sons bed
side today that she had beseeched Will
liam not to go on the fishing trip with
the three other boys, having a similar
but that he had insisted
upon going rather than disappoint his
companions.
The Dove boy was the son of Mr..
and Mrs. Edward Dove. who live on
their farm, at Montrose. He is survived
by his parents and several brothers and
sisters.