Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-02
GROUND TO A PULP
The Head of Charles living
ston Literally Crushed,
KILLING HIM IN AN INSTANT
He Was Working on the Y. n. c. A.
Building When Truss Fell and
Caught Him Under II.

about 50 years, Was instantly killed
yesterday afternoon Al 4 O'Clock by =
falling truss ID the new Y. NJ. c. A.
building. Several laborers were work
ing on the third story and roof truss
had been raised, bat WAS not secured.
II was held IN position by the guy
ropes and the men were making pre-
partitions 10 stay il IN its position when
1t fell back, catching Livingston under
the south end of the monster weight.
He WAS standing on = scatfold on the
south side OF a partition wall that
passed through the building near the
end OF the truss. The scatfold was
few feet below the partition wall, SO
that when Livingston was standing
upon IL his head was loot or two
above the top of the wall. When the
truss fell 1t caught his head
and drew it onto the top of the
wall. His head above his eyes was
ground to pulp. and his brains were
crushed out upon the pie of masonry.
He neck was broken and his right leg
was snapped OFT just below the knee.
Nobody on the building saw him as the
weight WAS falling, and it Is supposed
that il came down so silently that the
unfortunate man was not warned of
the impending danger. He was heard
to utter q cry Of "Oh," but nothing
further indicated that he was i'll
trouble.
He Was an Unknown.
1t was nearly two minutes before he
was discovered under the fallen beam.
1t required the strength of ten men to
raise the weight from the dead man.
His body was removed TO the ground
floor and large crowd soon gathered
to learn the cause of the connection.
Police officers were detailed to keep the
crowd from filling the new build
ing, and Coroners Bradish and
Penwarden were notified of the acct
dent. Coroner Brsdish was first on the
scene and proceeded to make inquiries
concerning the particulars of the acct
dent. 1t was ascertalned that ne was q
new man on the job, having begun
work yesterday morning. Contractor
Davidson, who has the contract for
building the new UniversalIst church
and also the Y. NJ. c. A. building, SAID
that the dead man applied for = job on
the church two weeks ago and was
gwen employment. He worked faith
fully and was considered TO be 4 prof.
cient workman. Yesterday morning
he and q few fellow workmen were
transferred from the church building
TO the Y. NJ. c. A. structure. He was
known as "Charlle" by his associates,
but they knew nothing of his ante
cedents or of his home or boarding
place.
No Clue to His Identity.
Under Instructions from the coroner
the body WAS removed to p. Mccall
lum's undertaking rooms on the corner
Of Fountain and lonia streets. Moth
ing could be found in his pockets that
would furnish q clue to his identity be-
sides a key ring containing two keys.
The key ring was marked with the
name Of j. Livingston. Coroner Brad
nish thought an inquest necessary to
determine whether the accident was
the result of carelessness or otherwise,
and empaneled jury consisting of the
following named gentlemen: 4. A.
Naris, Ira Crane, H. l.. Brown, Isaac
Quick, William Hicock and Aonzo
Dakin. The jury was sworn and the
inquest was adjourned until this MORN
ing at 1890 at the coroner's Office.
No ~ = uiiy Idcntfned.
Last evening Ed Smith, foreman of
The job on the building, learned that
Fred Livingston, with Studley q Bar
clay, was brother of the dead man
and Informed him of the circum-
stances. He went to the undertaking
rooms to view the remains, where he
stated that his brother was married
man, living at No. II Madison street.
He has been a resident of the city for
the past elk years. His family consists
Of wife and little daughter IL years
old. His wife has been in poor health
for some time and was just recovering
from IN afilictson when she was IN
formed Of the sad accident.
She was nearly FRUSTRATED when she
heard of the sudden death of her hus.
band and her condition grew so alarm
ing that DR.. Miner was called to attend
her. The deceased was a member of
the A. o. U. W., in which society he
carried q life insurance policy of 81 900.
His father. William Livingston, is q
resident of Piainfield township. The
remains were left at the undertaking
rooms last night but will be removed to
his late residence this morning.
Logic lodge No. l6l, A. o. u.
w. will attend the funeral Of the late
Charles Livingston IN q body. All
members are requested TO meet at the
hall, corner of Turner and Leonard
streets, tomorrow afternoon at 2o'clock.
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