New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
DROP TO DEATH WITH SAFE
TWO MEN KILLED By FALL FROM
TENTH STORY.
ROPE BREAKS WHILE THEY SIT ON STEEL
BOX-FOREMAN CHARGED WITH
HOMICIDE.

A steel safe which was being moved from
the ninth to the fifteenth floor of the Queen
Building, at the northwest corner of Cedar and
William SITS, yesterday, T:15 p. m, fell from
the tenth floor 10 the street instantly killing
Paul Weisenberger. thirty-fve years old. of No.
169 First-ave. and Frank Drumm, twenty-seven
years old of No. Prince-st.. who were on top
of it, The foreman in charge of the job was
locked up in the Old Slip police station on a
charge of homicide. He is Leonard Fisher. Of
No. 312 East Thrteenth-st.
The safe struck the pavement with a crash
that could be heard for blocks and the crowd
attracted by the sounded assisted the safe work
ers and the police in removing the dead men
to the sidewalk The street was dented. and the
safe in its descent broke off great pieces Of stone
cornices and sills from the building. On line
from where the safe fell at the tenth floor TO
the street its course is plainly marked. the
stonework being broken off even with the build
ing
II was being moved from the office Of L. NJ.
Sonnenberg. a lawyer. The work in charge
of Fisher assisted by five men, They arrived at
the building early in the afternoon and proceed
ed 70 rig the tackle and get ready for the NOV
ing. They came one Of the Hall Safe Com
pany's big electric trucks. which contained the
windlass. 1t was fortunate that the accident did
lot happen until after o'clock for many of those
passing the building paid no attention to the
danger signs which were placed each side of
the building.
Soon after o'clock the safe. which was about
six feet in height and did not appear to be of a
modern pattern. swung slowly out Of the win
dow. The man at the windlass slowly and Ia
bOriOusly wound the rope in until the safe was
we'll out of the opening. and then Wesenberger
and Drumm climbed out and got on top Of IT,
| They sat down. and with their hands and feet
| guided the four Ton box Of steel past window
sills and projecting stone trimmings.
| 1t had reached the tenth floor. when those
l who had gathered distance and were
watching it slowly moving upward. heard a
swapping sound and then whir of ropes run
ming out Of pulleys. Then the safe fell 1t was
all done in an instant. The mass of steel
struck out in the street and partly fell across
the curb. There a report that could be
heard for blocks and cloud Of dust covered
the scene. Policeman Thomas A Conlan and
the workmen rushed to where il lay. Weisen-
berger lay some distance off. and nearer the
building. His head was crushed and nearly
all of his bones were broken. He was dead.
Nearer the safe. and sprawled out his face
lay Drumm. He was at first thought to be
alive.
His brother John. who had been working with
him. was standing near and he rushed To his
brother and. with tears begged him To speak to
him. Many OF those in the crowd shed tears
In response to a call sent in by Policeman
COnlan. an ambulance from Hudson Street Hos
pital arrived. and the surgeon pronounced
Drumm dead. His death probably caused
by fracture Of the skull
The safe tore UP the street and broke a hole
in the glass and iron sidewalk over the base
ment of the building. The bottom of the safe
struck the ground first. and the force of the
blow caused the sides 10 bulge, and threw one
of the doors further out into the street. The in
terror wrecked. and the filled with
the cement with which the sides had been
filled.
An official Of the Hall Safe Company. which
was moving the safe. said that while the COM
pany could not he quite certain just what
caused the rope TO break, he was of the opinion
that il caused by the stone cutting the
rope.