The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-12
A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND WONDERFUL ES-
M CAPE. ..
From tho New Orleans True Delta, Nov. 7th.I

From tho New Orleans True Delta, Nov. 7thl
An affair occurred last evening at Odd Fellows Hall
which horrible than many casualty attended
with much greater loss of life and thrilling than
any accident of the kind have heard of for time
The victim young painter named James Naylon,
and his comrade whose escape from similar fate
truly wonderful was also painter, named Dick Steele
Nayon fell from within few feet OF the topof Odd Fellows
Hail. the stone pavement beneath, distance Of some
eighty ninety feet The right side of his head touched
the ground first and of the concrsson stant
neousy fatal The skull was terribly fractured the jaw
bone and vertebr9 of the neck broken and the thigh
bone forced from the socket The engaged at
tho time painting the cornice of the upper window and
sitting of those small scaifoldings used by
painters in carrying on their business in front of build
ings The PLATFORM scafoldng, is formed by u short
ladera board laid on it to sit uponheld in horizontal
position and suspended from above by of ropes
believe, running through pullies thus allowing the
painter to raise lower the scaoing to suit his
nience The ropes ac fastened to the scaodng by hooks
attached TO either end of the opss the end of the tongue
the hook being bound by cong to the main part of it
that each hook when thus secured could not slip from
the ring it casped, and by which it held the plat
form 1t would appear that this cord fastening became
loosened defective in way and that in moving
the hook got uncasped and consequence, that end
at which Naylon sitting went down. Just at that
instant Steele reaching to get paint pot from the
cornicehad one hand on the cornice, and holding
the rope by the other He fortunately had grip of the
rope firm enough to hold by when he felt the scat 90
rom under him. and this grasp and hold of the edge
the coTnce with his left hand, which not effect
i've account of hurt he received lately that
what disabled it, all that saved him from following
his comrade to eternity His desperate situation thus
suspended, may be readily conceived and his feeling
as he heard the cry Of Naylon he FELL looked down
the lfecs body and blood bespattered pavement
could not be adequately described He told us that the
sight unnerved him that he expected every instant
would be the last he could sustain himself and strong
hearted fellow he must have been to keep in such per-
ous position under such desperately shocking cir
cumstances The then-a blood stained corpse
below, and above n man almost in the Jaws of
death--was sufficiently agonizing to those who wit
messed it, and quite number about, it was
early in the evening. On seeing his situation, some
thoughtful person hurried to No rs Hook and Ladder
house. and the 'boys there had ladder at the Hall
and about rearing it, when Steele found himself
strong enough to descend by the broken rope. When
he reached the ground he was well he might be-
pale his fellow-workman He subsequently related an
incident illustrative of the idea doctrine PRESENT.
ments AS they going to their work after break
fast Nayon told him very seriously that he had had
bad dream the previous night and said he felt
accident about to happen and there one indeed
The deceased about tweny-one years of age,
native Of Limerick Ireland, was unmarried, and was
working for Mr. VIM. Towel, of Magazine street, who
had the contract at Odd Fellows Hall.
An inquest was held at the residence Of the deceased
ON Camp street between Basin and Edward and verdict
of accidentally killed rendered .