Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1882 — DREADFUL ACCIDENT. [ARTICLE]

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

Ex plosion of a Bomb-Mortar During a Pyrotechnic Exhibition at Philadelphia. Six Persons Instantly Killed and a Number More or Less Seriously Injured. A mortar heavily charged with bombs and other fireworks, which were being used in the celebration of the Penn centennial at Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, exploded, mowing down the surrounding spectators like the discharge of cannister into a regiment, and carrying death and destruction in its course. A dispatch from that city gives the foUowing particulars of the sickening affair: The shouts of the collected thousands which had rent the air a few minutes before because of the magnificent display suddenly ceased, and above the noise made by the stamping spectators could be heard the shrieks and moans of the dying. When the excitement follow ng the explosion had. somewhat abated ambulances .were summoned and the injured removed to a neighboring hospital Mrs. Davis Cookley, ag-d 26 years, who was nearest the mortar, was struck on the right side of the head and instantly killed, a piece of the iron carrying away part of her jaw. A colored infant was torn from the arms of its mother and killed. John Cannon, aged 35 years, had his skull crushed in, and died in ten minutes. A Gerhart and Edward Pierson, two young men, were standing together. Just as the crash came, Mr. Gerhart heard a woman’s voice cry: “Great God, my child is killed.” He felt a dead weight strike against his shoulders. Turning, he saw an elderly colored woman boldine the limp form of a child in her arms. It had almost d' opped from her grasp, but she had clutched it again. Sbe had Held the child in front of her, and in receiving the blow it had saved her life. The womi.n was Mrs. Charlotte Collins, of No. 514 North Nineteenth street, and the little boy was Howard, the 3-year-old son of her daughter, Mrs. Isabel a Scudder, 27 years old, residing on Bainbridge street. He died in a few minutes. Mrs. Scudder had been standing by her mother's side, laughing and admiring” the fire works. Her shoulder had almost touched that of Mr. Pierson. After the explosion she lay life!' ss at his feet. A flying fragment of the shell had struck her in the ffice, nearly severing the lower portion from the upper. Two men who had been standing by were struck by the flying pieces of the bomb ana were instantly killed. The face of the one was beaten into such a shapeless mass that not even his age could be ascertained. The other was a young man about 25 years old. Across his face, about the middle of the nose, was a transverse cut nearly two inches deejx Park Guard Thomas W. Harrison, who was standing nearest to the building, was picked up sensekss about 39 feet from his station. His injuries, although severe, did notappe ir to be dangerous, and he was immedi <tely removed, to his boarding place, No 2,343 Fairmount avenue. Mr. Harrison was a soldier under Maj. Reno in the Indian battle of she Big Horn river, in which Gen. Custer was slain. The bodies of the two unknown men and of Mrs. 8 -udder were removed to the art building at the Green street entrance. John M. Canning, one of the wounded, who was taken to the German Hospital, died a few minutes after his arrival. It is estimated that there were twenty-five persons injured seriously if not fatally.