Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-09
sualh Ael,nrbef yonrnal,
THE MOST TERRIBLE DEATH ON REC.
ORD,

AT about fpast ten O'Clock yesterday,
young man named Edward Cloutier, en-
gagged in vanishing furniture on the third
floor of No. "a Atwater street, met with a
horrible death. The young man has had
a great passion for gymnastics, expecting
ia attach himself TO a circus as soon as he
became proficient. While working around
the building he has used all his spare mo-
ments in swinging from beams. turning
hand-springs. and performing other feats
calling for suppleness and activity. He
was seen clingng to the main shaft OF
the two hundred horsepower engine a
few days ago. and was warned by his
employer never to attempt the feat again.
This shaft runs along within thirty inches
of the floor, and makes about one hundred
and fifty revolutions per minute. In the
morning, Yesterday. after finishing up
table. Clouter went to the north end OF
the building. and pr pared himself to per-
form some feat which he had studied up.
Taking the tackle rope. which is used to
hoist articles from the alley below. he
passed the free end over the shaft. This
much was ascertained alter his death. but
his further proceedings will never be
known. 4 boy was working forty feet
away, and was first alarmed by hearing
Cloutier call out, "Stop the engine
quick y Running around, the boy saw
that he was caught in the folds of the rope
and wound over lhe shaft. The boy ran,
as did others. but ii was two or three min
utes before the engine could be stopped,
and then the victim was past help. As
soon as the rope dashed him close TO the
shaft the Young man had to turn with it,
One of his arms was caught around the
shaft so that ii drew his face and shoulder
close down, but left his limbs free to
pound on the floor. The noise Of his feet
striking the boards was heard half block
away above the hum of the machinery.
His boot heels tore u strip off one OF the
boards and We're then flung from his feet
clear across the room. His hat went the
other way, and his pants were stripped of
and thrown fifteen feet away. Alter the
boots flew off. the young man s bare fee'
whipped the floor 800 or 400 times. The
feet were mashed up to the ankles SO tina
they spread out like brooms, and looked
like pieces of bloody beef The bones o
the ankles struck the floor until dents hal
an inch deep were made in the boards
After the tackle rope had been wound uE
its full length it had to snap, but this die
not let the victim loose. After the engine
stopped, Cloutier had to be cut loose from
the shaft. He gave gasp as they re-
leased him, but died as they laid min
down. One of his arms was broken hal
a dozen times, and, indeed. there was
hardly whole bone in his body. Hi'
legs were mere pnlps, his breast crushed
in, his ribs broken, fingers broken, bacl
and neck broken, and worse sight neve
was seen. The floor was covered wit
blood and flesh, and the strongest me
shuddered as they looked. Coroner Ora
was called. and jury was empaneled
and verdict rendered on the spot. Th
verdict was TO the effect that the decease
came to his death while trying an exper
ment with rope around shaft maxim
1875 revolutions per minute. The verde
was thus worded to make palmer the ia,
that the young man. S recklessness brougl
about the accident. --Detr0a Free Press.