The Leavenworth weekly times., 1875-07-22
THE FATAL ROPE.
An Elevator at 'sThe Tines
Cfii:e Falls aud Kills a
Workman.
The Slipping Of q Rope the Cause
of the Disaster.

a lamentable and fatal s.'cident occurred
at this Office, caused by tkc slipping Of a
rope. The elevator, which runs from the
composing room OF The T. MES Office to the
press room, four stories, has two sets OF
ropes, SO that in case any accident
should occur to one set, the other one could
be used in the emergency. One OF the
ropes is run by steam pove-, and the other
by means Of a wind,ass s;tuated in the
press room. Day before yesterday the
boiler pumps in the press room got out of
order, necessitating the lowering Of the ele-
va,or by means Of the windlass.
Yesterday, Mr.. McFadden, the pressman,
procured the services Of Mr.. Ru-
dolph Mauch, an employe at the brass
foundry Of Mr.. George Kaufman, TO fix
the pumps. Mauch came to the Office
shortly before noon and began the task Of
repairing the pumps. This work kept him
constantly employed until about three
o'clock, when he announced to the press
man that it was finished, and that the en-
CINE would run ali right. Steam was ac-
cordingly raised in the boiler, and the
gauge gradually rose until it marked forty
pounds. Just then the pressman went TO
the elevator platform, previous to no.
tifying those above, and turning around
asked Mauch if there was forty pounds of
steam on. Mauch replied in the afiirma-
tive, and McFadden then shouted up the
gangway for some one to pull away the
l.. L., ,I al
Accordingly one Of the men in the COM
posing room attached the rope run by
steam to the large iron hook on the top Of
the elevator, and then proceeded down
stairs 10 procure some twine in order to fast
en- The rope more securely. In the mean
time the pressman shouted again up the
gangway to let the elevator come down.
At this juncture Mauch, who had been
standing at the engine in the meantime,
came over and stood on the elevator
platform with the pressman. Immediately
upon hearing the last order Of the press
man to let the elevator down, two OF the
other hands employed in the composing
room stepped up and removed the cross
bar. As soon as the support was removed
the heavy mass of wood and iron, weighing
about one hundred pounds, broke away
from the slight hold OF the rope attached,
and went crashing, unobstructed, down the
shaft McFadden saw the elevator coming,
and getting off of the lower platform him
self, shouted to Mauch TO do 80, at the same
lime tying to shove the latter of.
Mauch, however, startled at the
sharp outcry of his compaa aaion, made no at
Tempt to get out of the wy OF the engine OF
but looked up to SEE what was
he matter. 1t was fatal pause. In less
struck him square on the top of the head,
breaking and MASKING the skull, ant. crush
ing him beleath its heavy weigi.. By
his time the man who had tied the rope
was Oh the floor OF the room Just above the
press-room, and saw the elevator fall. He
hurriedly descended the stairs and assisted
he pressman to lift the elevator from off the
body OF Mauch, who was lying insensible
Life was not yet extinct,
the pallid features, the
hort, quick breathing, and moreover, the
errible wound on the head, all betokened
hat his death was question of but few
ihort MON nts. Drs. Brock and McCor-
nick were hastily summoned, who, upon
cooking at the wounded man, pronounced
MS recovery impossible. At precisely half
nasL .hree, thirty minute after he was irst
,truck, he nreathed his Il, having nei -ler
-ecoy cred sensibility nor ttered a void in
he meant ne. Just befo. he died his sife
,rrived, but TO her most pit;ful ap-
,eals for recognition no answer
vas vouchsafed. About five o'clock
he Coroner arrived and jury was inpan-
,eled. After hearing the statements OF the
witnesses present at the time OF the acci-
lent, the verdict ''that the deceased came
o his death from the falling of the eleva-
or" was returned. No blame was attached
" the jury to anyone. The body was then
-emoved to Mauch's former residence on
Ottawa street, between Seventh street and
Mr.. Mauch was I.ative Of Switzerland
vas about twenty-five years of age, and ..ld
,een resident of this country about five
,ears, four OF which were spent in
his city in the emp ,oy of Mr.. Geo.
K Kaufimann, brass found, The deceased
vas hard-working, Industrious mechanic,
we'll skilled in his art, ard kindly, gentle
manly and courteous to III with whom he
lad dealings. He had been married but
.bout one year and a half, and the sad and
rushing blow will have terri
DE effect upon the new-made bride and
sidow and the orphaned child. THE
TINES tenders to the be-eaved lady its
heartfelt sorrow. with ne accompany.
ng wish that sne ..Iay receive sufficient
strength to bear up under her great load OF