New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-10
CRUSHED IN AN ELEVATOR.
HORRIBLE DEATH OF A WOMAN IN BROOK
LYN.
MISS SARAH JANE LESTER. ASSISTANT sEcRE-
TARY OF THE YOUNG wOMEN's CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION KILLED IN AN rNEX
PlA1NED WAY WHILE ALONE
IN AN ELEVATOR.

Miss Sarah Jane Lester. forty years old. assist
ant secretary OF and an instructor in the Brook
lyn Young Women's Christian Association. at
Schermerhorn-st. and FlatDush-ave. was IN
stantly killed yesterday afternoon at l2So o'clock
by the electric passenger elevator Of the Dulding'
The circumstances Of the killing were 50 horrlpIe
that the news of the unfortunate womans death
caused a gloom in Brooklyn yesterday Wherever
heard Miss Lester had just returned from
church and was on her way to her apartments on
the fourth floor Of the building. She entered 'he
basement and took the elevator which runs 10 'he
fifth noor on which the gymnasium Is located
Miss Lester the only occupant o' 'he pu'iuinS'
with the exception Of John Olain. the 1anl'or'
his family and the other servants. ON sundays
the engineer Frederick Reynolds. and the fire
men are not obliged to report for duty. ana oaih'
the janitor. who has been employed about the
premises for two months, was in charge OF the
electric light plant and the elevator.
When Miss Lester went to church In the
morning she was taken down from her apart
ments by Olam in the elevator. ON her re-
turn Olam answered her ring at the basement
door and admitted her Olam asked her t. wait
til he went downstairs II adjust the electric
switches and turn on the power to hoist the
elevator When he came back Miss Lester got
into the car. Olam looked at the lttr signal
Nght IN the car aud noted that ii was buininG
indicating that the power was on, and the rie-
vator ready to run. lie pulled ON the wire
rope running through the car. and was sur
prised that the elevator did not move.
Leaving Miss Lester in the car. h. went DOWN
stairs again to see what caused the hitch Nh'n
he reached the machinery he was startled -
see that thu hoistlng ropes Were moving. showing
that the elevator on lis way mp knowing
that Miss Lester would be frightened. h. threw
off both switches to stop it. and then darled FOR
the stairs agaia.
As he was running mp the stairs he heard
piercing shrlck followed hy grinding and creak-
ing If the elevator machinery Wacn ne reached
the basement floor and got In sight - the "lcVa-
for he saw that il had stopped about six feet
from the floor. and that Miss Lester was lying
motionless on the floor Of the car. n.r head was
janmed between the lattice work Il the elevator
car ana the iron girder If the nr-i Fl .or q the
building Olam wa So Mortified that he lost MS
wits anc without trying t. release tie d}l
woman he ran screaming through the ouill.nS
and into the street. whore he called for holp.
Patrolman Denley and number of men VINO
were attracted by Diam, hurried IN ana uleH 10
get the elevator down. so as to get MISS I."Si'r
free This they We're unable t. d., ana h"h'N
turned in a hurry call from the nearest alarm
box Sergeant Murphy and three officers r'sp'nn-
ed in a patrol wagon. They worked nearly igIiy
minutes before they exiricated the body. Two
siepladlers were brought. and the elevator pred
down hefora tho dead woWans head could De
freed and her body pulled out
Sergeant Murphy was going - arrest oiaW
but after hearing his staten Mt decided not to
do so II * believed that when the elevator
started without warning Miss Lester h"tam"
terrified and either started 10 get ont oi IN" car
or thrust her head out. To- go" u o.ain
was coming when her head was caught between
the girder and the metal work 81 IN" car
Her body removed 10 F"nHng uhd' p
taking establishment In Fulton-st. and II VIII
he taken 10 Woodstock Conn. FOR burinl
Miss Lester came t. Brooklyn u Hm W''dsi X
between two and three years ag' Shr became
assistant Il the secretary and has oyer Sine"
made herself generally useful d"vpiing a portion
Of her time 10 the gymnasium In which she wax
an instructor In Woodstock Miss Lester leaves
an invalid father and a brother. Her mother. Il
is said died several years asl