The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-16
KILLS BOTH OF THEM
e. j. MUMM, TRAVELLING SALESMAN,
AND WILLIAM SCHUYLER, A
YOUTH OF II,
CRUSHED In AN ELEVATOR.
THE CAR DROPS FIVE STORIES
AND IS SMASHED TO SPLIN-
TIERS.
HAD PASSED TWO INSPECTIONS.
Only Few Days Ago Was Examined
by Experts and Pronounced
Safe.
HAD PASSED TWO INSPECTIONS

employ of the firm. was instantly kill
ed, and William Schiller, the elevator
boy, so badly injured that he died at
st. Joseph's hospital an hour later.
The elevator, with its living freight,
dropped five stories, from the top Of
the building to the basement, a dis
tance Of nearly 100 feet. With crash
it struck the bottom of the shaft,
shattering the car to splfnters and
mangling the unfortunate passengers.
The crash and grinding of timbers was
heard throughout the building, and
when the employees rushed to the base
ment a sickening sight met their gaze.
Gables and ropes were entangled about
the demolished elevator, and in the
wreckage lay the crushed bodies Of the
accidents victims. Mumm was lying
just off of the car, and hurried eX-
animation showed that he had been
instantly killed. His head was crush
ed
In turning toward the elevator to
learn Schuler's fate, the horror Of the
accident appalled, those who had rush
ed to the scene. PrOtruding from a
crossbeam at the side of the shaft was
the dead boys dismembered arm, torn
off about two inches below the Shout
der. Beneath the broken boards Schu-
Ter was found crushed and torn, but
still breathing and conscious. He was
carried to a sofa, where in terrible
agony he awaited the arrival of ply
sicians who had been hurriedly sum-
moned. Drs. Whitcomb, Hoyt and
O'Brien soon reached the store, but a
glance at Schuler's mutilated body
told that the boy had not long to live.
His father, Carl Schuler, an insurance
agent with offices in the Washburn
building, was notified of the accident
and hurried to the side Of his dying
boy. While the physicians staunched
the flow of blood, the suffering youth
spoke feebly to his agonized father
several times and then lapsed into mer-
ciful Inconsistencies. He was remoV-
ed to ST. Joseph's hospital, where an
examination showed that, in addition
to the severed arm, young Schuler's
neck was broken and the right side
crushed. He died at $3.50 o'clock. Cor
oner Nelson visited the scene Of the
accident, and will today hold an in
quest over the remains of the dead
unknown, but it is thought that the
car was detached from the cable by
striking against the top Of the shaft,
the theory being that Schiller lost con-
troll of the elevator at the fifth floor
and that it crashed against the upper
cross beams jerking the cable from it's
fastenings or breaking 1t off flush with
the iron socket into which it was
soldered. No break could be found in
the cable showing, it is believed, that
the trouble must have been at the end
however, is said to have been in safe
condition and was but last Monday in
spected by an agent of the Casualty
Insurance company, Of st. Louis, from
which Robinson & Straus only yester-
day received $4,000 policy. Some
minor defects were remarked upon it
in the report of the inspection, but i'll
general the elevator was pronounced
without danger, and its carrying ca
pacity placed at 1000 pounds. The re-
pairs found to be necessary as append
ed to the policy were as follows:
Center weight strikes in basement. Ropes
shortened. Stop on hand rope on change
cable on low side must be raised so that
when rope is pulled the break will set. One
nut off bolt on break strap. The lever on
dogs under car broken. Must have new
must be kept on gear.
Robinson & Stratus have been in their
present quarters but a short time and
yesterday afternoon carpenters were at
work on the elevator in the basement,
constructing the sides Of a new car.
When the elevator was needed the car
penters stopped work and it came back
to the bottom of the shaft. Mr.. Mumm
was to go out on a trip through the
southern part Of the state tonight,
and shortly after 2 o'clock, while con-
versing with several other travelins
men in the basement, expressed a de-
sire to go up to the fifth floor where
the sample trunks are kept. He and
Schiller got on the elevator and the
boy started the machinery. The ele-
vator evidently worked all right 60
ing up, as 1t was seen to pass the Sec
ond floor, but within, perhaps, two
minutes shot back through space with
a fearful velocity gathered from a drop
presumably down the entire length of
the shaft. Men at work on the dir
ferent floors saw it descend, but be-
fore realizing the horror were startled
by the thunderous crash in the base
ment. Not a word or cry was heard
from the Inflated passengers. Doubt
less they, too, failed to comprehend the
awfulness Of their position before death
came, though from the fact that
Schuler's arm was torn off on the side
where the stop rope Of the elevator
runs, it is thought likely that he was
reaching for the rope in a wild effort
to stop the car.
G. w. Flanagan, the firms shipping
clerk, has desk within fifteen feet Of
the elevator shaft and was at his place
when the car fell He says that know
ing that Murnm and Schiller had short
ly before gone up on the elevator, the
noise Of the terrific impact and sight
OF the shattered car, almost stunned
him. Boards and splinters flew in every
and on running to the shaft,
Flanagan was Mortified to find Mumm's
body quivering in the throes CT death,
with the back Of the head crushed. The
dead man lay upon his back with is
feet away from the elevator His
was not in any way disarrang-
ed or torn, nor any part of the trunk
apparently mutilated. He probably
stood close to the front Of the car in
the awful descent, and when the chash
came was doubtless thrown with ter
rifle force on the spot where his body
lay. Young Schuler's condition was
pitiable. Instant death had been more
merciful fate. He was tenderly carried
from the wreckage and placed on the
sofa. Tears filed the eyes of the
youths associates, by all Of whom he
was well liked, and when his father,
with b1anched face, stopped over the
dying boy with words Of endearment,
the scene was such that those who wit
messed 1t say will never be forgotten.
Mr.. Mumm came to st. Paul from
Keokuk, To-, to enter the employ of
Robinson & Straus, five years ago. He
stood high in the estimation of his en-
ployers and has many friends through
out the southern part Of the state,
where he Travelled for the firm. He
was thirty-six years old and leaves
wife and one child, a girl of eight years,