New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-16
.JT,ST ESCAPED DEATH.
An ELEVATED RAILROAD GATEMAN HELD
TO TIE TRACK BEFORE TRAIN.
mr. CAUGHT HIS FOOT IN TIE GUARD RAIL AND
STRUGGLED FRANTlCALLY, WITH DE
sTEu.TIoN SLOWLY APPROACHING
Ills LEG WAS CUT OFF, nUT

srprccrED FR\NTlCALLY. WITH De
srru.r1oN SLOWLY APPROACHING
HIS LEG WAS CUT OFF, nCT
HE WILL RECOVER
Gustavc Lehman. gatcman on 'h' r'e
ra ilroad had a narrow escape from "o'i'
dca-h Yesterday Lehman is twcnty-'wo s''''
old and lives at No. 81 Avenue II. ic - VI
dutv at the downtown station OF Tue o'coh'
rood AZ Grand and Allen sts. ABOUT nan P"''
Yesterday afternoon he had occasion 10 croS' w
to the uptoNn station, where h' reNlaiic" ~
minutes northbound train was coming along
when hr Jumped down on the track from n,'' pa,
s,,, % ,o hack 70 the downtown station. The tram
was about 80 feet away In HIS h"I'' - -.
j., ,rort Of thc t,ain he got his right foot caugh'
between the track and the guard ran oi ."c "p
,o,yr tracks Lehman tried to jerk his io''
out bu. could not. His back was turhe" !" ''''
train which was now close upon him.
There were a number of persons on the plat
fr,,s ON h,.h SIDES Of N" track. 1hey screafheu
and halloccd 10 the engineer Of the approaehp's
train Lehman made frantic efforts TO pun ou'
his foot but il was too tightly wedged ln' ana HIS
dreadful fate -ecmed certain. In his despera"
struege. he fell forward on his face lenSth"lH' o.
rho track, A. he fell the engineer OF the approach
inc train. John p Higgins saw him ana ihiheui-
ot.y mt on the brakes and reversed 'he c"-
,drn H.. did everything in his power 10 stop
,h, troin He succeclcd in Sticking mp, Duo
c..uld mot bring tho train 10 Il full stop
The sirht was thrilling one to the paSaen gers
.,..,,ior Tho uufortunatr man the track,
Win almost sure death crawling upon him. cN-
or,,d o.r,. rnuscle 70 loosen his foot. His wrth-
;ros ,yore of no avail. Slowly the locomotive
.,ovylod nearer TO him until it was only ~"
i,cbo. away. Engineer Higgins had IN, nra'o"
t,rrod nm hard. hut it, momentum caffed
,h, rond.rons locomotive along. At TINS point
,L n,orI. IN the station turned their heads 10
voiJ thc horrible sight. The engine went ABOUT
Ton fe.t further and then stopped, as the cil@ oi
,b. u,fortunate gateman were heard. As soon a.
clio ,r,ip came TO a standstu, the engineer
,or,,d his engine back, leaving the gate'nan III
cnu view II was thought he had been cruShea
>, Io,tb hut TO the surprise Of all he was alive
Tho front step Of the engine had passed over
him hut there was enough space between 'he
ho,tom of the track, where he was lying, ana the
L;,tP Ono of the wheels ran over his leg, when
wos wcdgcd in between the two guard rails anu
iii but cut il of below the knee. Only Tor tne
timely stopping of the train the wheels would
Lnyc crushed the whole side Of his body. Lehman
was lifted up and laid on the platform His leg
Erlow the knee was hanging on only by lew
shrcos of skin. and he would have Died TO death
cXcept for the foresight of some one who TIED
handkerchief tightly around his leg. An ambu-
Lance was called and Lehman was taken To me
t;ouvcrncur Hospital Engineer higgins sald he
did his best to prevent the accident. but couldn't
sion his train any sooner than h. did. The ele-
yotcd railway employees regard IeEmans escape
from death AZ marvellous