New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-13
CRUSHED BY a GAZING BANK.
THE SON OF A WEALTHY CONTRACTOR KILLED
IN AN EXCAVATION.


An avalanche of dirt, bricks and stones swept INTO
The big excavation on the east side Of Churchst De-
tueon Dey and Cortlandt ss early yesterday morning
and overwhelmed young John KehOe son OF the wealthy
contractor of that NAME crushing him to death III an
instant. The shocking accident was fonoweu qucMS
by an outpour of water from broken pipe' which
partly flooded the excavation before the young man
body could be found
Iaborers with horses and carts, have been Kept Mt
work in the excavation day and night recently the large
spsce being umin ated by electric lights at night
huge Office building will be erected on the site by lheo
dorc Havemcyer the owner. 3lr Kehoe mas coHorao0
for the excavation. Ills son, who was an energeuc
and steady man, twenty two years old, had charge Vi
+he work at night Most of the laborers were ltahas
Tie excavation had reached a depth OF about twenty
feet below the sidewalk in Churchst and part OF the
,t n,,oment east Of the elevated railroad columns
In the block was covered by piles Of brick from the
demolished buildings which had occupied the ste'
Front foundation walls Of the old buildings remained
as barriers against the earth under tho Sidewalk.
day or two ago the wOrkmen noticed water trlchhh9
through tile wall in front Of the middle part OF inc
excavation close to the end OF sX-ihch pipe VIII"
had been plugged II plain that the pipe was
leading several feet back from the wall, the ground
under the Sidewalk became wet. The foundations Oh
two elevated railroad columns were close to the wall
u+ boecn te columns the wet earth pressed so hard
AGAINST the 18-inch wall that 1t bulgcd perccptby.
The Earring OF the ground by tie HoNhS c'cNa'e"
probably helped to weaken the wall NO etorts 10
strengthen the wall or to stop the leak In the water
pine were made by The workmen, or the accluent
might have been averted
At2a M Yesterday young Kehoe set ladoer agaiiis'
the bulgng wall and examined tho pipe where IL SUCK
through tho wall doubtless thinking it was time TO STOP
the water from running into the excavation lie haa
ms, bcgln the examination when the wall gave way
nuder the pressure and about forty feet OF It caVcd III
Kehoe and the ladder buried under the falling wall
The landslide carried down the sidewalk ana part OF te
payement In Church-st, together with several pies OF
brick sraet lamp was swept along WIN the Drics
one hydrant was knocked and the pipe connecting
with the Croton main was broken. Water poured III
torrent from the pipe Parts of the foundations VI te
elevated railroad columns were exposed
As soon as the workmcn In the excavation recovered
from the fright which possessed them wheu
Keboe was buried they began hasty search
for his body Several policemen Joined In tho search
Pckaxcs and shovels were pied vigorously while the
men stood In q shower Of water from the broken pipe
and SINK kneedeep In mud. In was twenty minutes
before they found Kehocs body and dragged to the
iIght Ills skull had been crushed aod his body cut
and bruised by the falling wall. one foot had been
smashed into a sbapecss mass and one arm had been
torn nearly from the shoulder. Policemen carried
The corpse 10 the Church-st station and summoned
he Young mans father from his home at No. 40
East Elghteentlst., Mr. KehOe obtained permit Tor
The removal OF the body 10 his home. Young Rehoe
was married recently and lived ut No. 222 East Nine
Elevated trains ran slowly past the excavation In
Churchst yesterday. although the foundations OF the
iron columns had not been made Unsafe by the aoci
dent The street left dangerous for traffic, rs
the wet ground was likely TO cave in again. Men
were at work repairing the damage to the street. the
flow of water from the broken pipe having been
stopped