People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1895 — A BURSTING CAISSON. [ARTICLE]

A BURSTING CAISSON.

FOUR MEN KILLED AT LOUISVILLE, KY. Sad Accident Mars the Festivities Attendant Epon the Gathering of the G. A. K. Veterans —Besides the Killed. Many Are Wounded. Louisville, Ky., Sept. 12. —A horrible accident resulting in the death of fourand the wounding of several members of the Louisville legion occurred shortly after 5:30 yesterday by the explosion of a caisson. The dead: CORPORAL AL ROBINSON. PRIVATE M’BRIDE. PRIVATE DRIVER WILLIAM ADAMS (colored). The wounded are: Fred Cohn, eyes and face badly burned. William Hobbs. As soon as the accident occurred the city ambulance was called and the wounded men were taken to the Northern infirmary, where their injuries were attended to. It is feared that Fred Cohn will die. The whole left side of his face was blown off. Even if he should recover he will be blind and horribly disfigured. Hobbs was badly burned about the face and bruised. The unfortunate miliatiamen who were in charge of the gun and caisson were literally torn to fragments. The mangled body of one man was found on the steps of a house 300 feet away. Limbs severed from the body, portions of human remains and blood-stained shreds of clothing w’ere scattered all over the neighborhood. Shattered, disjointed legs and arms were carried over three-story buildings. For the moment following the explosion there was an actual rain of human blood and mangled human flesh. So utterly were some of the bodies removed from the semblance of human shape that it was necessary to collect the bleeding fragments with shovels. The concussion was so great that the buildings even at that distance were shaken, and in several of the houses around windows were shattered. In a few minutes everyone in the neighborhood was out. Many of the women fainted as soon as they came out, the sight was so horrible. It is doubtful if anything ever before occurred in this region that has caused such widespread sorrow. The regiment to which the young men belonged is made up of the pick and flower of Louisville. Many of the members are society leaders and are of wealthy families. Governor John Young Brown, who was stopping with Major George B. Easton, was asleep in bed. The explosion stunned him and it was some time before he could realize what had happened. All the furniture in the hall was damaged by the explosion. The concussion shook all the leaves off a tree in the front yard. The cause of the explosion has not yet been ascertained. The battery was just starting from its encampment for Phoenix Hill, where it was intended to fire a salute of forty guns. The order to march had just been given by Captain Castleman. The men were all in their places, when suddenly a fearful roar and blinding flash told that something awful had happened. The soldiers with the gun never knew of the accident. To them death came in horrible form before their senses could realize what had befallen. It was said that just before the explosion one of the men was seen near the caisson smoking. Captain Castleman denies this, and says that the explosion is inexplicable. The unfortunate militia men who lost their lives by the explosion of the caisson will be buried with military honors to-morrow afternoon. Sergeant Cohn and Private Hobbs, the two men who were Injured, are doing well.