The Saint Paul globe., 1902-06-03

between life and death, the vault OF his
skull so badly fractured that little hope
is entertained for his recovery.
J. 0. Davis 2509 Chicago avenue, Junior
member of the Miller Davis Printing
company, of that city, is also patient at
the city hospital, his injuries less serious,
but very painful.
Mr.. Davis is a member of the Elks
lodge, and was doing all he could to help
out around the Ferris wheel The wheel
had just started, when Davis, thinking
to encourage business, took the first trip
Inc one of the carriages of the wheel. The
attendant helped another couple into one
of the carriages, and the wheel was
started on its journey around the circle.
The journey was about three-fourths
completed when some hitch in the mech
anism of the wheel threw Davis out Of
the seat of the carriage to the ground,
a distance of fifteen feet
Luckily he struck upon the sawdust
paving. which partially Iessened the
chances of more serious injury He was
picked UP bleeding and unconscious.
When taken to the temporary hospital
on the grounds ne was found to have sus-
tanned severe bruises about the left side
of his head and face, a badly lacerated
finger of the right hand, and a severe
confusion of the left leg. He was other
wise badly shaken UP and shocked by the
rall, but soon regained consciousness
after being given medical attention.
The crowd and showmen had-but barely
recovered from this accident when the
second and most serious one of the day
occurred.
Fully 5000 people had gathered in the
main circus grounds to witness the SEN
sational "fight-for-Iife' act which a dar-
Ing young woman was about to give upon
long taut wire.
The young woman was waiting for the
word to make the flying descent down
the long wire that stretched on an incline
for more than 200 feet. Everybody want
ed to see her start. She was perched
upon a sort of iron frame work, sup
work and pillar was held in place by
strong wire guy lines stretched in all
directions from it to securely fastened
stakes driven in the ground some dis
tance away.
Crushed Beneath IRON Pillars.
The crowd pressed forward, uncon-
sciously leaning their weight upon the
guy lines AS the young woman, with an
imprOviSed harness about the upper part
Of her body. began her flight down the
guy lines. grcaning under the weight of
the crowd pushing and pulling upon it,
gave way. The iron frame work fell with
a crash. The crowd N the path of the
Sweeney, the unfortunate conductor was
pinred beneath the heavv mass Of iron
Detective otto W1rtenSohn, who was
standing under and away from the
frame work, rushed to Sweeney's side
and pulled him from under the load that
held him fast. Sweeney was carried to
the city hospital on the grounds, where
Drs. Nelson and Anderson made a hur-
ried examination Of his injuries. He
was later sent in the patrol wagon to
the city hospital and an operation per
formed upon him. At midnight he was
still unconscious and little hope is en-
tertained for his recovery. Sweeney is
a widower, forty-one years of age.
E. j. fitzpatrick, the wheelman, who
does the loop the-lop act was the third
to meet with mishap yesterday after
noon in doing his act. He had nearly
reached the top of the ascent in the loop
when something went wrong with his
bicycle. There are several versions of
the cause of the mishap. but no one
seems to have a clear conception of just
how it occurred. Some said a coat that
he wore caught in the wheel; others be-
lieved that the impact Of the wheel
against the loop caused the wheel TO
buckle while others thought kilpat-
rick lost control Of his machine. But
leaving out the real cause of the acci-
dent. Fitzpatrick was thrown to the
ground his wheel badly damaged. but
he escaped with only some minor in
juries. He will be seen today in his
sensational act.