The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-27
As a Result Both Are Asphyxiated in
a ManhOle at Virginia Avenue and
Washington Street.
RESCUERS ALSO OVERCOME
TWO FIREMEN LOWERED INTO THE
MANHOLE WITH ROPES.
BENJAMIN Reverman, One of the Dead
Men, Was soon to Have Been
Reunited to His Wife.

William Lennam. general foreman for
the Merchants Heat and Light Company,
and Benjamin Reverman. an inspector for
the same company. were overcome by gas
in manhole at the corner of Virginia ave-
nue. and Washington street. where they
were at work, yesterday morning and died
before assistance could reach them. Rever-
man entered the manhole to take some
measurements of a conduit and a moment
later Lehman, who was standing close by,
heard a cry for help. Rushing to the open
ing he looked down and saw Reverman
living PROSTATE on the bottom Of the tun-
nei. Without thinking of any danger to
himself he threw aside his hat and coat and
jumped down to his fellow workman's side.
but before he could save Reverman or get
out himself he was overcome by the deadly
gas and fell exhausted at the feet of the
man whose life he had attempted to save.
The bodies of the two men were discov-
cred by a passer-by, who noticed the hats
and coats of the victims lying on the
street. and out of curiosity looked down
into the opening to see what the workmen
were doing. He at once notified the police
and turned in an alarm to the fire depart
ment, which was responded to by No.
chemical and No. l truck. On arriving at
the manhole Truckman Barrett, of the No.
/ truck, was lowered into the hole by means
of a rope, but he no more than reached
the bottom than he called to his compa-
MONS to pull him out, as he was being over
come by gas.
STEHLIN VOLUNTEERED.
After Barrett was taken from the man
hole, Fireman Oscar Stehlin, of the chem
ical company, who has reputation among
his fellows as being one of the most fear
less firemen in the city and a veritable
..smoke eater" in their vernacular, volun-
teerd to be lowered into the death trap and
fasten ropes around the bodies of the pros
trate men. A moment later he was dang
ling in the hole on the way to recover the
bodies of the unfortunate employees of the
Merchants Heat and Light Company. Steh-
lin reached the bottom and strapped belt
with a rope attached to the body of Rev
erman, but had no sooner buckled the belt
around the dead mans body than he fell
unconscious across the PROSTATE form of
Iennam The firemen on the street above
saw the condition their companion was in
ard with great difficulty, on account of
the narrowness of the opening, pulled him
out into the open air where. after several
moments. he recovered consciousness. BIZ
cyclemen Trimpe, Lowe, Askins and Dun
can made a fast run from the police sta
ton to the death hole in the city streets
and gave every assistance possible in aid
ing the fremen who were already there
The body of Reverman was lifted out by
the means of the belt and rope which
Fireman Stehlin had attached to it. but il
was necessary to draw the body of Len
nam up through the narrow opening with
nike poles, the hooks of which were fast
ened into his clothing. After the bodies
were recovered they were taken to the
morsue in the Dispensary ambulance at
tended by Drs. Cunningham and Sheek.
where they were later identified and taken
| charge of by friends
THE DEAD wORKMEN.
Ienuam was twenty-four years old and
vas considered one of the most competent