Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-08-18
A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.

GEORGE l.. Waterman Met Terrible Death
Monday-Caught on Shaft and Beaten to
Death on Brick WaIl-One Arm Torn off
and Both Knees Pulled Out-Died Almost
Instantly.
George L. Waterman, while painting
pipe in engine room No. 4, Edward
Barrett foreman, Monday afternoon had
his clothing caught in revolving shaft and
was almost instantly killed.
Charles Whitney, Henry Sumner and
Waterman were on platform painting the
ceiling and shafting in No. room. 1t
between 20 and $40 P. M, when Water
man was painting near revolving shaft,
and suddenly those in that part of the
room heard terrible shrek and saw
Waterman revolving with the shaft. One
shrek was all, for the shaft was only two
feet from heavy brick wall and with every
revolution the unfortunate man was dashed
against the bricks with killing velocity. As
soon as possible the power was turned off
and DR.. E. S. Allbee and Undertaken j..
E. Keefe were summoned and in the course
of eight or ten minutes the body was cut
from the shaft and dropped onto canvas
and removed to the door. There were
twitchings OF the muscles but all was quiet
as death by o'clock. The body was re-
moved to the undertaking rooms OF Clark
Chase and kept over night.
As before stated this shaft is about two
feet from a brick wall and four feet from
the ceiling. The painters were working
for the Fall Mountain Paper company
| under the direction Of Joseph Sylvester
The shaft is about two and one-half inches
| in diameter and makes between 80 and ion
revolutions minute. There is a difference
Of opinion as to how long the shaft revolve(
after Waterman was caught but Foreman
Barrett thinks it was about one minute
There are also different theories as to hov
he was caught. He was painting sprink
ling pipe which ran under the shaft an
connected with perpendicular pipe by a
elbow. One theory is that he reache
over the shaft to paint the upper part G
the elbow and his clothing caught. H
was dressed in pantaloons and overalls an
had on an undershirt, an outer shirt and
white jumper such as is usually worn b
painters the jumper was unbuttoned an
hung loose.
Mr.. Sumner, who was friend OF the az
ceased, thinks he was sitting on the pla
form and in attempting to arise threw h
arm over the shaft and that possibly bu
ton caught in the groove.
HORRIBLE CONDITION OF BODY.
The body was in horrible condition
The right arm was literally torn from tt
shoulder and was entirely severed from tt
: body. Both legs were pulled apart at tt
knees and hung only by pieces OF ski
, The left arm was pulverized above tt
elbow and the ribs on the left side smashe
in. The skin and flesh were peeled fro
the neck to the middle OF the back.
B fact the whole body was bruised al
S iammed and crushed almost beyond d
f scription. Some idea of the force OF tt
: revolving shaft can be gathered from tt
Q fact that the mans shoes were snapped
s and thrown at some distance across Il
room.
The deceased leaves wife and five ch
!, dren, the oldest being daughter Is yea
/, old. He came here about six weeks a!
land for the first week worked for +.
lSmith and since then had worked on
own account. He was Il years of ag
d and was insured for $4,000. The renal
, were taken to Lebanon, N. H., where t
d funeral will be held this afternoon at
" o'clock in the Methodist church. The fa
y lily live in Moses Miller's house on the @
q Terrace under the tenement occupied
ID Randolph Dodge.
/. This was one of the most shocking &C
ID dents which ever occurred in Bellows Fa
re- and created intense excitement. 7
scene of the accident was visited by seve
hundred people.