The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-30
An Tnafangps5sa szsn faeiscta TO Death
an q paner-yzsll Vat.


| An Indianapolis szsn Boiled to Death
an q raper-szsll Vat.
fFrosn the Indianapolis Journal December 49,
One OF those accidents so horrible in their
details as TO sicken the seustbilities OF the
reader occurred at the Caledonia paser.mils,
at the foot of Mnrket street, late Saturday
afternoon. AT about O'Clock, Joshua Cum.
Minis, night watchman Of the works, came To
the building In an intoxicated condition, and
| the employees, fearful that he would meet
with a mislap Of some kind If allowed TO
remain in that state, put him out, and
| started him towards home, corner OF
Blackford and North streets. Nothing
more was seen of him until about twenty
minutes past O'Clock, when the
workmen in the clubhouse, four or five ne
| groes, were startled by cry that almost froZc
the blood in their veins. Well they knew
what it meant-some unfortunate had fallen
into one Of the watts used for steaming the
straw before reducing it to pulp. Proceed
ING in the direction of the cry, they Disco
| vered Cummins in vat 4, striving to obtain 4
hold upon the edge of the slaves and pull
himself out. The vat Is ten feet deep, and
at that time contained two feet of "mash"
| and two feet Of water, the whole mass being
boiling hot. One of the workmen grasped
the hand extended by Cummins, but the Gu
ticle peeled off in his hand and poor Cum
minis fell into the seething hell again, this
time flaton his back. The poor man strug-
gled to his feet again, and succeeded by
almost miraculous means in getting hold
Of the stave edges with his hand. This time
the workmen pulled 'him out by the coat
sleeves. He was at once removed TO his resi-
dence, and DR.. Prunk called to attend him.
The flesh was literally boiled upon his bones.
lie having been in the vat as much rs four
minutes, and when his clothing was removed
almost the entire cuticlc came with it.
Everything was done to alleviate his suffer-
ings that science and skill couls, suggest, but
nothing seemed able to quiet him. He lay
writing in the greatest agony for ten hours,
throwing his arms about his head in the de-
lirium Of pain, scattering shreds of flesh and
skin over the room,-a sight too horrible to
witness-when, at u yesterday morning.
death came to his relief and ended his SUI.
ferings.
1t is supposed that after Cummins left
the mill the first time he went across the
canal and went to sleep on the bank. Be.
coming chilled, he awoke, and returning to
the mill for the purpose of warming HIM
puG u'S CApulSluh
the front room, he went TO the north and
rear end of the building, where are situated
the vats, four in number. Mounting the
step leading to them, lie reached the board
walk alongside of and connecting them, upon
which the tender stands while at work The
workmen at the time being engaged at the
other end of the room were unable to sec
him, owing to the dense steam arising from
the watts, and were ignorant of his presence
until made aware of it by the terrible mall
her stated.
CulnInins is the third or fourth man who
has met his death at the Caledonia mills,
either by the falling into or the bursting Of
the tanks or vats. He was formerly saloon
keeper on south Delaware street, and has
been IL resident of the city for number Of
years. Since leaving the saloon be has been
working at GeiscndoriTs WooIlen factory,
and had been working at the paper-mill for
ten days oulv. The deceased was about
thirty.iiye years Of age, and leaves wife ard
two children.