The evening times., 1898-03-05
The Rise and Fan of Murphy.
lFrnn the Chicagn RecnrLl

ttruIn the AHlCa-D htfrl4
The true story OF Nurphy's travels is told by tue
,mp,oye Of prominent accident ability IS rlr'e
company. whose duty il was to adjust claims.
One day he received a telephone message direct
ing him 10 call at an unfinished building in ,He
downtown region and investigate an accident
which threatened % result in lawsuit against the
company. lie went to The building and made in
qUiries, and the facts. a. nearly ss he could get
them. viii be hereafter submitted
II seemed that Murphy and CLANCY NrIsEJ and "a
third man named Schmelz mot lrishl had been
put 10 work to clear the rubbish and debris from
the top floors OF the building. They did not wish
to carry it own FIVE SIX floors, 50 in spirit ut
ingenuity they rugged block and tackle ln one
Of the elevator shafts, and prepared 70 lower tue
rubbish down IN barrels The pulley was t'St-
eued To a cT0sShead beam at the top OF the shaft,
and the rope trailed down through the shaft to the
first floor where Murphy stationed
His duty 20 let out the rope and lower the
barrel He gave tho rope a couple of turns around
pipe, and brought the first barrel down without
any trouble IIe emptied il. and sent II up again.
and made his tJrn around the pipe. and brought
down barrel No. with great success
After the second empty barrel had gone mp,
Murphy standing in the shaft holding 30 the
rope and waiting for the signal At the top of the
shaft Schmelz and CLANCY. satisfied that The
| system IN working order. and that no more
/ signaling would be Necessary hooked the rope 70
/ the loaded barrel. which was pushed Of into the
| shaft Ii was a heavy load. consisting mostly OF
brck-dust and fragments ot plaSterns. u started
1 down the shaft very rapidly Murphy, In accord
ance with the law Of nature. started up the shaft
at the same time. He started suddenly that he
had no time TO think of letting gO Of the rope
or giving IL a turn around the pipe.
The barrel gained speed, and So did Murphy.
Halfway UP the shaft they pa>e~d each other
just Murphy reached the top of the shaft. with
q slam and a swing. the barrel struck the cement
floor at the bottom of the shaft The force Of The
blow drove the bottom out Of the barrel. re-
leasing the loose contents.
As Murphy was heavier than the empty barrel.
he began to descend from the top Of the shaft.
and descend in n hurry al that. while the shell
of the barrel started upward. This time Murphy
/ met the barrel fairly. Il shot Ep and struck hHn
from underneath. lie kicked madly and Il -ent4 n
gled himself. and finished his descent at 4 speed
which would have dCied instantaneous ph0Jog-
raphv He came down in a sitting posture the
heap Of loose mortar, shavings and brick. AZ the
/ same moment the barrel iammed into the top Of
the shaft and further shattered. although still
/ held together by several turns CT rope
! Murphy terribly Jared that he let 20 of
| the rope. The rope. being free the wrecked bar
| rel descended OF its own weight and buried Muir
ply beneath pile Of loose slaves
Schmelz end Clancy came running from the top
| Of the building and dug him out. lie was in a
dazcd condition. and had only a cloudy recollec-
4 tion of what had happened. IL addition 10 three
wets on the head. he had received a Jolt in
/ the hack and bitten the end Of his tongTe.
They took him To the hospital. where he
mained for several days trying 10 piece to-
| did not blame Clancy and Schmelz bur he did
him in just as he arrived at the top Of the shaft.