The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-31
The Shocking Dealh Of
Thomas Sullivan.
IN LAUDERDALE BUILDING
His Body Was Pinned Between th.
Floor and the Car.
NO ONE WITNESSED ACCIDENT.

Thomas Sullivan net with sudden
and violent death In tie freight elevator
of the LauderdaIe building on Westfnin-
ster street at 1880 O'Clock shis morning.
He was crushed between the fourth floor
of the building and the bottom Of the
elevator, and when the elevator was start
ed the body fell to the bottom Of the sle.
vator we'll.
The victim uf the accidens was the son
of Michael Sullivan, who lives at %
Powdermill street and is employed rs "A
teamer at tie Corliss Steam Engine
works. Young sullivan, who was IL
years Of age, was employed by Livermore
& Kniaht about week ago as AN errand
boy.
Livermore g. knight occupy the two
upper floors of the Lauderdale building
as printing Office, and this morning
Sullivan began work at his usual time,
o'clock. A few other employees begin tns
day's work at the same hour. but the
larger part CT the working force begin at
5 O'Clock, consequently there were not
many persons In the office when the Ia
tally happened.
The LauderdaIe building is equipped
with two elevators. The one for passsn-
gers is at the main entrances on Westmin-
sser street and the one for freight Is locat-
ed at the back or the building, access TO
which Is gained through an alley way
running on the west side OF the Arcade.
1t opens on to each floor and every en-
trance is protected by sheet iron COW
cred door, which is reised emu lowered
Dy the std Of rUuntsr-wetRht These
counter weighted doors ara about five feet
square, and to get at the freight eleva-
tor they must be pulled up from the bot
tom. Ihsy are, therefore, barriers to
CARELESS persons on each floor and are
something OF protection in case of fire
1he openings on the fourth and fifth
floors are directly into the space led
Nv Livermore & Knight All tho other
openings are from the Railways of tho
builuing.
are printed SIGNS fcrbidding employees TO
ride on the elevator on penalty OF being
discharged. =
Sullivan was last seen alive by Bernard
Scanlan. a boy employed In the printing
Office. 1t was then 7:l0 o'clock. De was
in the counting room part OF the prem
ises in the front of the building.
AT 7. 7.35 o'clock Freddie Gross. another
boy employed in the printing oftca
pressed tie elevator button on the fftb
floor, bot the elevator would not WORK.
lie called to Day Fireman Walter W. Cary.
who was on the ground floor, that the
elevator was not in working order. Cary
took hold Of tnecontrolling wire rope and
found tnat the power was on the elevator.
he pulled the rope and released the power
and was horrified to see o body drop to
the bottom of the well.
He jumped down and found the re.
mains Of young Sullivan.
No one knows how the accident hap
peuei or how long Sullivanw as penned
between the floor of the building and the
elevator. 1t might have been five min
utes or 20.
Ii is presumed that the 10y lifted the
sheet iron covered door on the fourth
floor and teinQ unfamiliar with the ele-
vator pulled the controlling wire the
wrong way and STOPPING down TO get on
the platform WIS caught and crushed to
d,ath without making a sound. 1t Is en-
tirely matter of conjecture whether the
boy was attempting to go up or down the
shaft. From the condition OF the body IL
appears as though the luckless lad wss
caught in the descent face down for his
back was broken just below the shoulders
ard his chest was crushed in almost 10
the waist line. Death must have been nl
most instantaneous. When the day fire.
man released the power from the elevator
the car lifted sLort distance releasing
the body and it fell To the pit
Medical Examiner Perkins viewed the
remains and then gave permission for the
removal OF the body. It was taken to un-
dertaker McCarthy's rooms on Charles
street, where it will be prepared for
burial
Young Sullivan was bright, active
toy and his sudden taking of was fear
IN affliction to his parents. There was
20 contributory nes ligence as every pre-
cution had been taken toiprevent accident
and to get at the elevator eliterate ply
steal energy had to be applied TO the coun-
ter-weignted door.