The herald., 1894-07-10
CRUSHED TO DEATH
Leroy Cooley Meets a Frightful
Accident.
Annie Butler, Little Girl, Drowned
in the Zanja.
Ed Emerson Found Dead In q Saloon,
Presumably From Alcoholism.
Tho Details of the
Fatalities.

VINO could not get TO him and Almos
within the presence of those who coult
not see him, poor Leroy Cooley wa
crushed to an almoat unrecognizablt
mass yesterday afternoon. OF the many
hundreds OF passengers who walked
along Spring street in front OF the Bry-
son block between the hours OF and 6
O'Clock, not single ons knew that un-
| derneath them was bruised and bleed
| ing mass, all that remained cl what was
a bright, happy boy before 5 O'Clock.
Cooley met his death as the result OF
his own indiscretion or rather ignorance
| in using one OF the pavement lifts or
elevators on which the goods are lowered
into the cellars.
He had been employed as errand and
general utility boy by Mr.. Kahn in the
lace house since week ago last Mon
day. All OF his duties were performed
satisfactorily to his employer.
Yesterday afternoon shortly after 5
O'Clock, one of the young ladies en-
ployed at the store asked Mr.. Kahn if
ehe could send young Cooley upon an
errand before he began to sweep the
store out for the evening. She was an
swered in the affirmative and went to
the cellar stairs and called to the boy.
NO response WAS received and after call
ing several times returned and told Mr..
Kahn the boy had probably gone out.
Mr.. Kahn replied he might be taking a
nap and in q lew minutes told another
one OF his employees. MIR. V. Simond,
to 20 below and wake Cooley if he Was
there.
Mr.. Simond went down to the cellar
and after glanclng around at the sides,
proceeded towards the front. The cellar
extends clear to the edge OF the sidewalk,
that part under the pavement bsing
lighted by means of the glass plates.
Over in the left hand corner is the
freight elevator, over it being two iron
doors which open on the sidewalk.
As he stepped from the cellar to the
lighted place under the pavement Mr..
Simond glanced at the elevator and al
most fell, overcame with the siCkening
sight that met his gaze.
Wedged between the edge OF the ele-
vator and the iron joist on which rests
the sidewalk, was the missing boy. His
body WAS already limp, the limbs hang
ing down over the bottom of the ele-
vator. The skull was caught fast and
the iron pressing across the right check,
and while almost from the tip of the
nose, the upper part OF the dead boys
face was turned horrible black from
wound in the side of the skull oozed the
blood.
Mr.. Simond rushed upstairs and re-
ported the horrible accident to Mr.,
When Mr.. Smono returned 10 tne
cellar, the body OF young Cooley waG no
longer wedged between the elevator and
the iron joiss, but had dropped out and
lay on the floor. a.-,-
Coroner Gates arrived shortly, being
notified, and, in company with q HERALD
representative, WAS taken into the cel-
lar by Mr.. Kahn. A brief examination
revealed that the left leg OF young
Cooley had been broken near the hip
He had been caught across his lett
thigh and across his body to the right
side OF the face and the life pressed out
of him.
Mir. Kahn said the boy had no occasion
to use the elevator, and waa probably
amusing hipself riding upon it. The
distance from the floor TO the iron door
in the aidewalk ia about II feet, and the
elevator ID only iron framework snd the
floor wooden. 1t is run by steam power,
which is furnished until 5 80 p. IL. from
the boiler which runs the engine for the
passenger elevator in the Bryson block,
and is operated by means of chains,
similar to other elevators. AS rule
these freight elevators are run very
slowly. Mr. Kahn gave it as his opinion
that young Cooley had jumped on the
elevator and pulled tho chain too hard,
causing the elevator to run up too rap
idly. Cooley, knowing that the iron
doors in the sidewalk were locked and
bolted, and not thinking to reverse
the chain, tried to jump from
the elevator, but when at the
edge was caught against the iron joist.
| The force thrown on caused the elevator
10 move upwards, gradually crushing
| the life out OF the boy. Whether
the elevator was going faat or not, poor
Cooley met mont horrible end, and his
suffering was frightful while it lasted.
When the steam was shut off at 5 80
O'Clock the elevator began to recede, and
when the pressure was Withdrawn the
body dropped down on to the floor. The
remains were not examined, but it ia
| thought that the framework is entirely
crushed to pulp.
Kregelo & Bresee. the Broadway un-
! dertakers, took charge OF the body and
removed it to their parlors, where an in
quest will be held this morning about 0
! O'Clock.
Young Cooley was about Is years DID,
and his mother is employ ed as cook at
the Newsboys' home. She has another
! child, little girl, about years of age.
| The mother WAS notified shortly alter &
o'clock and visited the remains at the
undertaking parlors. She was nearly
distracted and her moans were pitiful.
| The little girl accompanied the aAonlzed
woman to view the remains.
DROWNED IN A zANJA.
Last evening Annie Butler, daughter
OF JEFF Butler, fell into tho zanj, on
Busns Vista street, near Solano etreet,
back OF the Southern Pacific shopg, and
was drowned. The child WAS between
5 and 6 years OF age, and was playing by
| the ditch, and in some unaccountable
! manner lost her balance and fell in.
| The water runs very swiftly at this
point and che was carried along. The
| body was found against the wire grating
which covers where the ditch goes un-
derpround. The child was taken to the
undertaking parlors and an inquest will
be held sometime today.
DRoPPED DEAD.
Ed Emerson, a man between 25 ano
| on uaoxa ~ aga waa fouDd dead lxs