The Portland daily press., 1894-02-09
LOST BET and LIFE.
lie Laughed as He Wagered a Dollar
THAT No One Would Fall.
THE NEXT DAY HE PLUNGED 1876
FEET TO THE STREET BELOW.

A Roof Slater's Death-Others Shrank
from the Job on Account of the Dan.
ger, but Quackenboss Laughed at Them
His Staging Gave Way and He Slipped
Over the Edge of the Roof
New York, February 6.-W. H. Quack-
enboss a roof slater, employed on the
new post office building in Newark, Nj,
fell 1876 feet to the ground just before 10
o'clock yesterday morning, and was in
stantly killed. He had been working on
the building some time, being in the en-
ploy of George M. Huddlestone, Wash
ington, D. g., contractor.
He was ordered on Monday to 60 to
work on the roof of a high tower on the
southeast corner of the building. On
Tuesday he found it necessary to work
from scaffold in order to facilitate his
work, and Huddlestone permitted him to
build one for himself He worked there
until quitting time on Tuesday night, and
yesterday morning was at work as usual.
Just before 10 o'clock he stepped quickly
or sprang from beam to the scaffolding.
There was a creaking noise as the braces
pulled away from the roof and man and
scaffolding slid several feet to the edge
of the tower roof.
Apparently unable to grasp anything
and save himself, Quackenboss went over
the edge and shot downward, head for
ward. In his descent he struck sharp
projecting ornamental sill. This made
i L IL L. l,., al hiC
body to revolve several times in mida1r,
to the horror of persons in Broad and
Academy streets at the time, who saw
him fall Women ran into stores and
covered their faces with handkerchiefs
to avoid the awful sight. and strong men
turned away. The mans body struck
on the cobble stone pavement in
Academy street; just outside the curo'
landing on his head and back. Not a
muscle twitched after he reached the
ground, and those who hurried to his
side found he was dead. Over his eye
there was a deep hole. his head was split
open and his legs and arms were broken
and the handle of the roofer's hammer
which he had in his hand when ne fell
was driven into his stomach full length.
On a similar scaffold few feet above
the one from which Quackenboss fell
Contractor Huddlestone was at work. He
heard the breaking scaffold, looked
around and an instant later saw Queck-
enboss go shooting downward. He equiek-
ly closed his eyes and leaned against the
tower, and for minute feared that he
would faint.
"If I had" he said afterward,
would have quickly followed him. a
Quackenbos was about forty-ive years
old and lived in New Brunswick, N. j.,
where he had wife and two children.
It is said that he had several times been
cautioned about his recklessness on the
post office roof.
While he and two others, who had been
working together ON the tower, were
talking on Tuesday night, one of the
men said he would quit the job, AS 1T
was too dangerous. This led to much
talk, which ended in Quackenboss
uwitting the others about their timidity.
One of the men offered to bet that some
one would fall by the breaking of one of
the frail scaffolds before the job was
finished, and when Quackenboss laughed
at him backed his opinion by putting up
ST. This was quickly covered by Quack-
nboss and the wager was made, the
latter remarking as the money was
handed to a stakeholder
"Well, if the scaffolds break, I'll bet
the fellow working over me will reach
the ground first.
The man who bet with Quacken boss
did not go to work yesterday, and when
he refused to go out on the tower he was
given less dangerous work, and Contrac-
tor Huddlestone himself undertook
portion Of the work.