The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-02
]. WELLS CHAxPNEY' KILLED.
ARTIST FALLS 90 FEET DOWN AN
ELEVATOR SHAFT.
Was Tryins 10 Drsp From Car Which was
stuck In the smart and Missed the
LADdins--A Noted Fainter o. Wsmen's
Portfalts In Pastel-WiSe On Author.

|
stuck In the smart and Missed the
LAndtns--A Noted Painter o. Wsmer's
Portraits in Pastel-WiSe On Author.
j. Wells Champney. an artist Of wide
| repute a. . worker In pastel, was killed
Just before noon yesterday In an attempt
to drop from a stalled elevator In tho nav
ofice building at West Thirty-hrst street.
His feet missed the landing at tho fo,irtl,
floor and after hanging by his hands from
the floor Of the car for several seconds
while an expressmen who had been his
fellow passenger In the elevator tried to
pull him back. he fell SIXTY feet TO TIE bottom
OF the shaft. He was instantly killed.
Mr.. Champney was on his way 70 the
ninth floor. whore the dark rooms Of tho
Camera Club. which has just moved into
the building. arc located.
A large draughtins table which was going
to the Offices Of Kenneth M. Murchison and
c. w. Morris, on ono Of the upper floors.
had been balanced on top Of the elevator
cage. and the elevator boy. James Kerr Of
40 West Seventeenth street, was running
the car up very slowly. The expressmsn
In charge Of the table and Mr.. Chsmpney
were the only passengers.
OF the fifth floor the legs Of the table caught
under the elevator balance weights, which
were descending "a the car went up. The
boy stopped his car at once and while he
and the expressman were arguing about
how to free the table Mr.. Champney, i'm
patient at the delay. announced that he was
going to jump to the fourth door landing and
walk up. According to the story Kerr told
in the Tenderloin police station last night.
the bottom Of the car was about six feet
above the fourth floor landing. leaving only
a four-foot space between the floor Of the
car and the fourth floor ceiling. he says
he warned Mr.. Champney to stay where
he was. but the artist stuck his leg down
below the car and kicked open the wire
door to the shaft
Il jumped and the expressn,an came
almost on top OF me- Kerr went on. I'VE
landed on the floor all right. but Mr.. Champ
ney tried to drop to the floor instead Of
jumping forward. He let himself down
with his feet dangling and. his chest and
elbows over the cage. gripping the aopr o.
the car. His toes were only = couple OF
made it easy with little push and let-go,
but, instead Of doing that, he just lets him.
self down slowly until he is hanging by his
hands over the hole.
.The shaft door opens outward and whom
eose Il and sHus a e che IN the ssr
was standing with the door ready to close
and the expreesman was just in front OF
me. When Mr.. Champney dropped hs
yelled Pull me ip, pull me m The ex.
hand and reached out for the door. With the
other. Mr.. Champney let 60 and the ex-
pressman tried to pull him In.
His feet missed the floor and he dropped
into the shaft. The e:xpreseman hung on
against the door, but couldn't hold It and
the expressn1an had to let CO."
An ambulance was sent for, but Mr..
Champney had been killed instantly. The
body was removed to an undertaking e.
tablishment In Seventh avenue.
The expreesn,an ran down stairs and drove
OF as soon az Mr.. Champney fell. Kerr
was allowed to 60 after leaving his nane
and address With the police. but Coroner
jackson ordered his arrest later and he was
lived with kis wife. Elizabeth Williams
Champney, and his unmarried son, II.
Frere Champney, at % Fifth avenue. Be-
sides his son. he leaves one other Child, Mrs.
John Sanford Humphreys, herself an artist
He got his first reputation a. painter OF
genre pictures, but OF late years con-
fined himself almost entirely to portraits
In pastel and copies OF the old masters in
the same medium.
The women OF fashionable society were
his usual subjects, but one OF his commits
sions was portrait OF the late President
Mckinley Mrs. Champney H. the author
of -The Romance Of the Feudal Chateaux.'
the @Vassar Girls Abroad" series and
number Of children's stories.
Mr.. Champney. was an associate member
OF the National Academy. member Of the
American Water Color Society and OF the
National Arts, Century and Playere' clubs.
At meeting last night OF the Salnna-
g,mdi Club, Of which Mr.. Champney wac q
a resolution of coincidence offered
by w, Lewis Fraser was unanimously