Little Falls herald., 1903-08-07
KILLED AT THE MILL
Peter, ZabaWa Loses Life
in a Horrible
Manner.

Peter Zabawa was instantly killed
about 10 O'Clock Wednesday evening
at the planning mill of the Pine Tree
Lumber Co.
zabawa was feeder at No. 4 of the
flooring machines. 1t is supposed that
in passing around the machine, the
man slipped and fell into the belt on
the speed pglley.
The workm{n ran to the spot
and witnessed horrible sight.
zabawa's body was wedged tightly
in the narroW space between the
pulley and tAe floor. Blood was
sprinkled ali arpund. The mans head
had been cut of above the lower jaw,
and part Of theIskull and brains were
on the floor un4er the machine. The
head was near bis left arm.
| The machinelis driven by a 14-irch
belt from An ove erhead shaft It WASH t
running at the time, though the
driving belt was running, az it al
way is when the mill is in operation.
There is space of about six inches
between the LOVER pulley and the box
under it. Int% this space the body
was wedged, Tie man lying on his
back, the uppeH half of the body in
the space aboves the box, about 20
inches. i
A swinging xpulley called a hell
tightener is Suspended from a beam
and is thrown 10 stop the MACHINE.
The main belt atill runs, but lightly,
after the tighteher is against it. It is
thought that wdaen Zabawa fell the
b Its frightened and started the machine.
The strain bro4e the belt and the
iron pulley and sprung the main shaft
Zabawa was seem shortly befo re
the accident by Pierre Woodwork. who
was sweeping shavings a short dis
tance away. The man was oiling a
roller then. The man must then have
started around the machine. Wood
worth heard thud, and looking
around saw the belt flapping. bat
couldn't zee the man. He went to the
machine, saw the body *on the floor
and at cn5e pu'lfasu the wi1isi 1e: supt.:
Warren came over, and went up town
for the undertaken. He helped Mr..
Simonet take out the remains which
were taken to the morgue.
Mr.. Zabawa was ~ years of age,
and had worked at the mill many
years. He was careful man around
machinery. Some years ago he had q
leg injured in Sever cave-in, and
the limb was stiff. This may have
had something to dc with the accident,
as if he slipped, the lame leg was
useless in holding him up.
Zabawa is the first man ever killed
in thirty years in crew under Mr..
Warren's management, and the third
killed at the mill. A nan named
Wood was killed when the mill was
under construction, and one named
Camp eight or nine years ago.
There doesn't seem to be any blame
attached to the accident. It was a
sad and unfo1 tunate occurrence which
befell sober. Industrious man.
Mr.. Zabawa was a member of the
Millworkers' union, which sent $50 to
the family yesterday morning to re-
lieve their i'm Mediate wants.
The deceased leaves a wife and one
child, daughter aged 10 years, who
is employed at John dans' home.
The dead man lived in Berg's ad-
lition. he was q member of the
Woodmen order some years ago but
dropped out three years ago. The
deceased had relatives in st. Paul.
Corner Chance impsnelled a jury
yesterday afternoon, and testimony
was taken, being about all to the
effect that the machine was In good
condition, and guarded as well az
could be. The jury returned q ver-
dict Of accidental death.
The funeral took place from st.
Albert's church this morning and the
remains were inferred in the Polish
cemetery.