Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-31
MASHED TO A PULP.
Frighttul Death in a Chicag .
Engine Room.
SAD END TO A FRIENDLY wREsTLls

A Slip of the Foot Sends One OF the
by the Engine Crank and His Body
Beaten to Shreds-Boiier Explosion a.
Altoona, Pa, with Four Fatally ScaId-
ed Victims - Railway Wrecks and
Other Disasters.
CHICAGO, Oct. Sl-Noah ]. Sweuson
was literally ground to pieces shortly
after noon yesterday under the flying
crank of the big engine in the plant of
the Western Paving Supp company. at
"a West Chicago avenue. Shortly after
noon Henry Lundstadt went into the en-
CINE room on an errand There had been
for some time u friendly rivalry rs to which
was the best wrestler, and as soon as they
saw each other they began to banter for
wrestle. In a moment the two men were
struggling over the slippery floor, trying
their strength and skill. So intent were
both men on the outcome of the match
that neither saw the big engine as they
staggered across the slippery floor toward
1t, locked in each Others embrace. Sud
denly Swenson placed both hands on Lun-
stadt's shoulders, and by hercnleau
effort of strength freed himself from
the crushing embrace of his opponents
arms.
Fatal Slip of the Foot.
Lundstadt rallied in moment and
jumped at his antagonist to renew the at
tack. Swenson wheeled. as il to get away
from the engine, which was dangerously
near. His foot slippel in the oil and
grease and he pitched forward toward
the swiftly revolving crank. The huge
piece of iron hit him crushing blow in
the head and he WAS thrown violently
into the pit beneath the machinery. Sven
son screamed with agony and fear as he
saw the deadly crank shooting down
with terrific momentum to tear him to
pieces He made one feeble effort to es-
cape, but quicker than a fash it was on
him, crushing his bones like glass.
Horrible Work of the Crank.
Mortified at the fearful predicament of
his friend. Lunstadt jumped to his side
and tried to pull him out Of the pit. but
the crank came down again and again,
tearing and grinding poor Swenson's vi
tails at every revolution. In moment the
body was shapeless. unrecogniZable
mass OF torn flesh and broken bones
Lunstadt cried for assistance, and the en-
gipeer, who was in he boiler room, ran in
and stopped the bloody work OF the en-
CINE by shutting off steam. la few min.
utes the room was filled by curious work
ingmen, who crowded around the death
pit TO look at the mangled body OF SVEN
son.
Too Sickening for Strong Men.
The sight was so shocking that several
OF the men tainted and had to be carried
out into the yard The wal: just beyond
the pit WIS bespattered with Svenson's
life blood which the crank threw out in
u crimson spray. On the floor were shreds
of flesh which had been torn from the
body. When the patrol crew at the West
Chicago Avenue Police station arrived in
response TO n telephone message the Off
GERS In lifting the remaius out OF the pit
and placing them on stretcher witnessed
horrible sight. The intesJines had been
forced through the dead mans back, the
brains were scattered al over the pit, and
his skull was crushed 10 a thousand
pieces.
CHASTITY Mass
Every shred of flesh and every piece of
bone was carefully picked up and placed
beside the bloody mass that reposed on
the stretcher. Then the whole WAS car
ried out TO the wagon and taken to the
Milwaukee avenue morgue. Lundstadt
was placed under arrest and locked up in
the Chicago avenue police station, where
be will be held pending an investigation
by coroner's jury. He frankly told the
police the entire story of the horrible af-
fair, and Capt. Ripley, vino conducted
his examination. is of the opinion that he
Is telling the truth