The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-30
HER SKULL CRUSHED
EMMA STEWART IN A CON-
MERCIAL CLUB ELEVATOR.
Three COIOred Women Attempted to
Run the Freight Lift to Top
Floor of Building.

Wis LltilAA v - NOdhS "
woman living with her husband at No. 259
South Capitol avenue, attempted to jump
from a freight elevator in the Commercial
Club Building, yesterday evening, and was
instantly killed. The accident happened be-
tween 5 and 6 o'clock, while there were few
people in the building. The only witnesses
to the distressing affair were the woman's
mother and a younger sister, but both were
SO Frustrated by the sight that they were
unable to give an ineligible account of the
accident. The woman was crushed TO death
while riding upon the freight elevator, an
apparatus which is only used by the en-
ployes of the building. Mrs. Stewart, with
her mother and sister, was ascending to
the restaurant, on the eighth floor of the
building, and the three were operating the
elevator alone.
From the statement of the mother it ap-
pears that they were instructed to take
passage upon the freight elevator, which
IS really little more than IN ordinary lift"
constructed solely for the purpose of trans
ferring freight to the upper floors. Yester-
day afternoon Mrs. Stewart, with her moth
er and sister, set out to look for employ
ment, but at 8 O'Clock had met with no sue
cess. knowing of the large restaurant in
the Commercial Club Building, they decided
10 make one more effort before going home.
They passed in at the Meridian-street en-
trance to the building and inquired for the
restaurant. Instead of taking one Of the
two passenger elevators that ply regularly
between the ground and top floors of the
building, the women walked 10 the rear of
the corridor and stepped on to the freight
elevator. They waited a moment. and. see
ing no one who could take charge of the
apparatus, one of the women pulled the
rope that releases the machinery, and the
elevator started upward.
The movement of the machinery was
gradual and smooth enough and the women
felt no alarm until the elevator had passed
the sixth floor. As 1t approached the sew
enth Mrs. Stewart cried out to her mother,
Mama. we are too high" and made an
attempt to jump from the platform. She
was prevented from this by the drop-gate
or iron bar that extends across the lift.
Her head struck the bar and she was
knocked down. At the same moment her
younger sister prepared to jump, but was
caught by her mother and held back. Then,
dnnerved and frightened by the actions
of her daughters. the mother lost her wits.
She only remembers hearing a cry OF
agony from the elder girl and of the ele-
vator coming to a standstill at the eighth
floor. She saw the mangied and crushed
head of Mrs. Stewart orotruding from
between the elevator and wall of the
shaftway, but could not realize how the ac-
cident had happened.
In wiId frenzy the poor woman attempted
position and was screaming with terio:
when II. Il. Heine. manager of the restau-
amt, appeared. Mr.. Heine was in his office
on the eighth floor when he heard the
elevator ascending. but paid no attention
20 IL. He caught the sound or a woman's
laugh, and almost the next instant the
death cry. He ran from his Office. but was
100 late TO render service. The head of the
unfortunate woman jammed into five
lncheS of space presented a shocking sight.
The restaurant manager hastily m
assistance and lowered the elevator a suffi-
Client distance tO remove the hO6V of the
dead woman. DR.. Hoskins, of the City
Dispensary. came and examined the body
before i was yet cold; The head was bad;
crushed. The physician said that death
had been instantaneous.
The employees of the building were puZ-
zled as to the manner in which the woman
met her death. An examination of the wall
lust below the seventh floor disclosed one
or two places where the plastering had
been broken. 1t is the theory of those in
the building at the time of the accident
that the woman was stunned by the blow
on the head. when she attempted to jump,
and in falling was caugh between the
elevator and. the wall of the shaft. The
mother of Mrs. Stewart claims that she
was instructed to take the freight eleva-
tor by an employe of the building. She
SAYS that when she and her daughter en-
passenger elevator. but a young man who
appeared to be in charge informed them
Test on,g the mIFaen5sserter elevator ae3Pe reached bsaTd the the
woman's story and attempted to find the
man who had directed her to the freight
last night that he did not believe the un-
known person was an employe Of the build
iRE: T remd SSdy t S5 f Ffan Tafors Z Rscb woman
morgue. where il was examined by Cor
oner Beck. The dead woman was but nine
Commercial Club saws that none but en-
ployes are permitted TO use the freight
elevator, and they cannot understand how
wrongly directed.