Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-03-19
A GIRLS MISFORTUNE.
Iixzas wilkins Almost Crushed to Death
in Machinery.

In Machinery.
CINCINNATI, March I9-Lizzie wilkins, Q
nineteen -year-old German girl employed in
the laundry of Gerdes Hotel, at Fifth and
Home streets, was caught and almost in-
stantly killed about one o'clock Saturday
afternoon As it is, the poor girls right
arm i. horribly crushed and mangled, and
it is doubtful if she will ever recover the
use of it.
The unfortunate girl is German, and
speaks little or no English. She has been
employed about the hotel for several years,
and is steady, Woodworking girl. Her
widowed mother, quite an old lady, Is also
employed rs chambermaid at the hotel and
is prostrsted with grief at her daughters 5
misfortune. A new ironing-mschine was
put in the establishment, and Lizzie and
another girl were given charge OF il. The
machine consists of a series of cog wheels
and steel rollers, four of which are covered
with linen. The fifth roller or cylinder
the largest of the LOTS in the center Of
the other rollers and is not covered. A
line Of steam pipe connects with this roller
and keeps it hot, which serves to polish the
linen as it passes through the rollers. On
either side of the machine is design of
table or resting board used for holding the
pile of clothing.
Miss wilkins and her companion are
totally unacquainted with the dangerous
character of the machine and TO this cause
the accident is attributed. About noon
Saturday, when the girls were At dinner,
the steam was turned on and the machinery
was started, preparatory to doing an after
moons ironing. After finishing their din
ner, both girls went up into the laundry,
and were waiting for the center roller to
become sufficiently heated, when the acci-
dent occurred Liszie Wilkins was sitting
sidewise on the extension board, with her
right arm near the rollers of the machine,
talking and laughing with her assistant.
Unconsciously she attempted TO rest her
arm on one of the revolving rollers, and in
q twinkling the sleeve of her dress was
caught and wrapped around the rollers.
She was unable TO pull it out, and her arm
was pulled between the rollers. She was
dragged closer to the machine, and her
arm was pulled between the rollers until
her shoulder prevented its going any fur
ther.
The hot roller IN the center of the ma
chine was literally roasting the flesh on the
poor girls arm, and she stood there unable
to move, suffering intense pain and crying
FOR help. Her companion, who witnessed
the horrible sight, was struck dumb with
terror, and was unable to offer any assist
ance.
Meanwhile the unfortunate girls cries
attracted the attention of the guests of the
house, among whom was Hackman Jim
Trsynor He ran up TO the laundry, and
seeing the cause of the trouble ran down
stairs for wrench. His fortunate practi-
cal knowledge of machinery probably saved
! the poor girls life. In less time than it
takes TO tell il Traynor had the nuts and
bolts of the machine out, and taking out
the roller, the girl fell TO the floor in faint.
Her arm was a bleeding mass of pulp, and
the sleeves of her dress were torn away at
the shoulder. The girl was carried to y
room close by. while DIR. L. NJ. Denman
was sent for. When he arrived he exam
ined the girls arm, and expressed the
opinion that no bones were broken. The
arm is horribly crushed and burned, how
ever, the flesh peeling off from the burned
parts in strips.
The aged mother was seized with nervous
prostration over the affair and was COM
PEELED TO take 10 her bed. When seen by .
reporter the girl was suffering great pain.