The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-01
CRUSHED IN AN ELEVATOR
Eugene Thimesen Caught in the Wild
mann Elevator Saturday Even
ing and Nearly Killed.

mann Elevator Saturday Even
ing and Nearly Killed.
Eugene Thimesen, who operates
the elevator at the Widmann hotel,
came within an ace of ending his life
Saturday evening through the instru-
ment of his employment. He was
caught between the elevator and the
floor and held there in a vice-like
grip until released by persons who
came to his assistance.
The young man has been working
at the hotel for some little time on
the elevator and was familiar with
the operations of it, but he took a
risk which nearly proved fatal.
Thimesen had gone up to the third
floor of the building to deliver some
lists and on returning and while
standing near the elevator talking to
one of the maids, he saw that the
elevator vas moving down very
slowly, being yer half way down
past the cage door when he discov-
cred it moving. He made a dash for
the door to jump in, but the young
lady cautioned him not to try it, but
he went ahead without needing her
words of warning. 1t was the nearly
fatal move. Grasping hold of the
support across the door, Thimesen
swung himself into the car, but not
Tar enough to release himself from
the trap into which he had fallen, and
he was caught over the breast be-
tween the floor and the opening of
the elevator. While he attempted to
wriggle out of his perilous position
the car descended that much lower
until finally his head was caught in
the narrow space, the iron bar
across the door finally resting on his
face just above the chin. The boy
then became unconscious and could
aid himself no further.
The maid attempted to release the
boy, and at that time commenced to
arouse the house by screaming at
the top of her voice. Immediately
doors to the rooms were flung open
and guests rushed out and from the
office below, but it was fully three
minutes before the boy was rescued
from his position. When he was
pulled out and laid on the floor the
breath had left his body, and he
seemed to be dead. Two travelling
men, with quick thought, grasped
the lad by the arms and commenced
raising them up and down. In a few
moments their eXertions was re-
warded by the appearance of his re-
%spiratory organs receiving the air.
Two or three physicians were imme-
dlately summoned and they went to
work on the lad h%eroically. They
stated that but for the action of the
travelling men the boy would have
died right there.
That the boy was not killed is
something of a miracle, and had his
head been drawn a few inches far
Their into the trap doubtless that
would have been his finish. He was
carried into an adjoining room, and
was unconscious throughout the
night. In the morning of Sunday
seemed to show much improve
ment and was able to converse to
extent. His face was badly
swollen, but the skin was not even
broken, although the marks of he.
bar are plainly in evidence
across his face. One Of the muscles
in his neck was cut and there is a.
possibility that his head may incline
slightly to one side of his body.
The boys father, Nick Thimesen,
who resides at Huron, was wired of
accident to his son, who is about
IL years of age, and he reached the
city Sunday morning, and will re-
main here until he can take the boy
home. 1t is thought this can be
lone the latter part of the week.
The elevator in the Widmann is
by water pressure, and
when having reached any floor it
Will pause at the landing moment
arily and will then commence to de-
'cend of its own weight, although it
is under control of the operator. 1t
was by a Of this descent that
he boy was injured when he at
tempted to prevent its sgeihg to the
fleofs empty, although little
no damage would have resulted
rom Its descent. Landlord John
'ton sincerely deplores the accident
md has always cautioned the 3
orator to. be- very careful. He is
giving the injured lad the best care
possible.