The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-28
1000 PERSONS
FALL INTO CELLAR
EIvin [. CoIIidgs Meets Death
While Witnessing Parade.
MANY SPECTATORS INJURED
SIGHT-SEERS DROPPED INTO AN
EXCAVATION.

NJ EW YORK, May 27.-Elvin L. Col
IN lidge, circulation. manager of the
New York Commercial, was al
most instantly killed and about 100
others injured this evening by the
breaking down of a temporary side
walk at Fifth avenue and Eighteenth
street. Some Of thise injured may die.
Those who fell were part of the
crowd gathered to watch the parade
of militia in honor Of the visit of the
french ROchambeau commission 10
this city. Two thousand persons were
on the sidewalk when it gave way.
They were precipitated twenty feet into
the excavation for a new building and
fell on piles of building material Con-
sidering the nature of the accident and
the number Of persons in il, the hos
pital surgeons are surprised at the few
who received serious hurts. Many were
able to go directly home after having
their injuries treated by the ambulance
surgeons. Those taken to the hospitals
and who sustained the worst injuries
are:
George Essing, patrolman; scalp
wound and shock.
James J. Kelly. detective sstgeant at
tached to Inspector Thomson's staff;
scalp wound and shock, and possible
internal injuries.
NJ. J. McManus, patrolman; three
ribs broken and Commissions.
Charles Werner, Commissions of body
and internal injuries.
+. L. Collidge, who was killed. re-
ceived a fracture Of the skull. Mr.. Col
lidge had served on the staff of the
Boston Journal and the Boston Globe
and also worked in several other cities.
Early in the afternoon the police be-
came suspicious Of the strength of the
sidewalk and detail for hours kept
the people from crOwding on ii. When
the time for the procession drew near
the crowds became Unmana geable, and
in spite of the force of police, crowded
onto the forbidden sidewalk and there
stayed until the breaking of the sup
port landed them in the excavation.
The coroner ordered the arrest of
Contractor COwan and of J. G. Miller,
the sub-contractOr. Mr.. COwan. how
ever, had heard of the accident and
went 10 the police station, where he
saw the coroner. COwan explained
that he was not responsible for the ac-
cident and promised to appear at the
inquest in case he was needed. He
was then allowed to go.
Detectives were sent to arrest Miller,
but they had not returned nm to a late
hour tonight James Lawton, foreman
of the work at the building, was ar
rested and later allowed to go under
bail Of $1,000, a charge of homicide hay
ing been placed against him.
The accident occurred just as the
head Of the parade had passed the
corner. The French visitors had gone
past, knowing nothing of the accident
until later. Troop c Of the Twenty
second regiment was passing when the
crash occurred, and the officer in COM
mand at once gave the order to break
ranks and fifty militiamen were de-
tailed to the work of rescue.
Hurry calls were sent for police re-
serves and ambulances, and in a very
short time those who fell were assisted
out of the excavation and the work OF
binding UP wounds and. conveying those
most injured to hospitals was in full
swing.
J. Coroner Scholier says the sidewalk
had not been built of material strong
enough 10 stand such a great weight as
burdened it this evening.