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Show v EXHIBITS PIEGr Secretary Daniels Appears at Senate Commiitce Investigation In-vestigation of Disaster Aboard Mongolia. CHIEF CF ORDNANCE ALSO A WITNESS Accident Said to Be Unavoidable, Un-avoidable, Although There May Be More Hearings Next Week. -P- By International N'ews Service. WASHINGTON, D. C, June 2 Bloodstained and battered, a tiny bit of brass from the heart of a dead Red Cross nurse was a mute but dramatic witness before the senate committee on naval affairs today. The piece of brass was from a casing cap of one of the shells firefl on board the liner Mongolia, when the two nurses were killed two weeks ago. As a result of the accident it developed devel-oped in the investigation today that the United States navy, on the very edge of the war, has determined to make a change in the manufacture of its am-munition. am-munition. Ordnance experts have determined de-termined to substitute for the brass cap a wooden disc, which would be destroyed de-stroyed by the explosion when the shell is fired. The hearing today, brought about by the resolution of Senator Frelinghuysen, showed both Secretary Daniels and Admiral Ad-miral LTirle, chief of the ordnance bureau, are convinced that the accident was unavoidable. They both testified the accident came not from any neglect, but from an inexplicable rebound of the brass cap. Although other hearings will be held next week, it seemed eviaent today that ti'.e naval committee had been persuaded persuad-ed no blame should be attached for the accident. However, it is possible further fur-ther testimony may develop more facts. Premature explosions have occurred on board the St. Louis, St. Paul and Philadelphia Phila-delphia as well as on the Mongolia, it came out today. f MacDougall's Report. The report that of 45 shells, fired by the St. Louis, none of them proved efficient, effi-cient, created a stir in the committee. Captain MacDougall, the American naval attache at the embassy in London, Lon-don, submitted the report. " He said four of the shells burst within 100 feet of the ship, nine burst in the gun and none exploded when they struck the target. Admiral Karle contradicted the report, saying an inquiry when the St. Louis returned to an American port showed that all shots striking the target tar-get exploded, making a "perfect record.' rec-ord.' 5 It was Secretary Daniels who showed the piece of brass cap. He reached into nis vest pocket and drew it out. "That, gentlemen, was taken from the heart of one of the nurses," he said. The secretary read a report from Lieut. Philip Seymour, commanding the gun crew on board the Mongolia. Seymour Sey-mour said tlie accident was in no w;ay due to carelessness or neglect on the part ' of any one on board the Mongolia, Mon-golia, and Daniels said the board of inquiry in-quiry confirmed this statement as well as the ordnance experts and "everybody "every-body iu the navy." Difficult to Believe. "It would have "been very difficult to make any one irKthe navy believe such an accident could have occurred, wouldn't it?" asked Senator Swanson, ranking member of the committee. "Indeed it would. I don't under- snd now how it could have occurred," i j replied. the secretary. ? Henator Page asked why such an ac- ! cident never occurred before. , f Admiral Karle interrupted to explain 1 ( that during target practice the men were i f ordered below or were protected by the ; ship 's a rnior. j f Senator Penrose said the nurses might 1 1 have been ordered be tow. But to this i Admiral Karie said the accident was considered con-sidered impossible. He assured the com- j i mittee that such an accident could never ; happen again, because of the substitu- j tinn of the wooden disc for the brass , j casing cap. . j j While Karle was testifying, Freling-t huysen said: t j 'A tittle while ago you said the am- ! munition for the merchant ships was perfect aud now it has been shown that thirteen shells have prematurely ex- I ploded on those shps." ij Perfect as Possible. i itJ meant a? perfect as it is possible 1 1 to get ammunition," countered the ad- j mirnl. j ''It seems to have ben all right ex-M cept that it killed two "Red " Cross I j nurses. It must have been like the sue- ( eessful surgical operation that killed j the patient," put iu Senator Poin-jj dexter. - U ' Patient died of a weak constitu- j tion, ' ' added Senator Penrose. i Secretary Daniel:; denied a report that j two American destroyers had been lost U in British waters because of defective j ammunition. Admiral Earlc, in answer to Senator j Penrose, said it was impossible for any ; one to have tampered with the Mou- golia's ammunition, because it was care- fully guarded. During the hearing. Senator Poindex- f ter began to light a cigar. j At his elbow were several shells, cart- t ridges and a hottle of high power ex- f plosive. Senator Swanson restrained j Senator Poindexter just in time. It is probable P. A. S. Franklin of t the International Mercantile Marine, t which operates the Mongolia, St. Louis t and other ships, may be heard next f week by the committee. i The findings asked by the Freling- j huysen resolution must be in bv June 15. j 1 , |