New-York tribune., 1906-07-20
TUNNEL VICTIM DIES.
BENDS" CASE MYSTERY.
Bellevue Doctor Says Tube Men
Tried to Keep Patient.

After being taken from the shaft of the Belmont
tunnel at 42d street and First avenue 20 Bellevue
Hospital, in a seni-conscious state, from caisson
disease early yesterday morning, later removed
from Bellevue TO tho hospital of the tunnel con-
struction company at the request of doctor or
the company and later returned 10 Bellevue nearly
dead, again at the request OF the tunnel doctors,
John Kelly 'sandhog" employed in the tahe.
died in the city institution at o'clock last even
ing.
authorities that they informed the coroner's office
before his death. and investigation OF the cir
cumstances will be made. Kelly was nrty-one
years old and lived at No 244 First avenue, where
he leaves wife and two children.
Bellevue first heard of the about o'clock
yesterday morning, when DR.. Rogers was sum-
moned TO the tunnel shaft with an ambulance to
attend the patient He decided at once that Kelly
was suffering from extreme case of the "bends
He hurried the man to Bellevue, where 1t was de-
cided to put him in medical ward There ap-
peared then to be a chance TO save his life.
Kelly came to his senses long enough TO tell his
identity and then became senseless again. He was
being taken from the reception ward on stretcher
to a medical ward when a telephone message came
from the tunnel hospital. It one of the doctors
who spoke.
You have man named Kelly he said. Just
taken there from hospital. Send MIN oach 10
us We can take care Of him in our own hOspltal.
DR. Rogers unvilngly put Kelly into the anlOu-
mel hospital. One of the doctors received him. and
said that he would be cared for there
At o'clock last evening Bellevue Hospital re-
ceived it's second summons in the case. Dr. Lindsay
answered this time. He found Kelly, completely
nude on a cot in the hospital at the top OF the
shaft surrounded by the three doctors and two
nurses who form it's staff. Kelly was in a coma
tose condition, and the physicians and nurses, Dr.
Lindsay says were trying to revive him by arti-
fetal respiration.
Dr. Lindsay had seen Kelly brought in in the
morning. but before looking closely at the man ne
asked what allied him.
"Oh, it's only case OF alcoholism one Of the
doctors replied. according to DR.. Lindsay we
found him outside the shaft. and took him in for
charity's sake. We don't know who he is
DR.. Lindsay looked closer and saw that the man
was Kelly.
Why" he exclaimed this is John Kelly. who
was brought to Bellevue this morning and taken
back here. He's got the bends -
"Oh. no." the doctor replied, according to the
Bellevue surgeon. He's not Kelly. We don't
know him.
DR.. Lindsay declared that he was sure 1t was
Kelly. He says he asked two other "sandhogs"
who near by and they said il was Kelly. and
that he had been taken with the bends early in
the morning. He smelled the mans breath and de-
clares that it bore no traces of liquor He wanted
to take Kelly Immediately back TO the hospital but
the tunnel physicians demurred They asked the
If he would do that they would keep the mar and
Il am going to take him to the hospital now
declared the surgeon. "He Is in a dangerous con-
dtion. will can policeman. II necessary, II you
Dr. Lindsay took Kelly to Bellevue for the second
time. The doctors there decided that he showed no
a clear and aggravated case OF the bends" Kelly
died three hours later. His body was taken TO the
morgue, where an autopsy Will be performed on ir