The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-21
KILLED IN ELEVATOR.
ID. F. Cobb. Texas Land Operator,
Meets Death in Fidelity Building.

Meets Death in Fidelity Building.
Kansas City. Aug. 21.-Danie1 F.
Cobb, president of the Dan F. Cobb
Land company, 401 Fidelity Trust
building. fell from the fourth floor of
i the building at 1920 o'clock last night
and was instantly killed.
Cobb's death was caused by an in
experienced elevator conductor, Tom
| Avery, janitor of the building. who
| failed to stop the car at its proper
| position, catching Cobb's foot between
| the bottom of the elevator and the
| floor. In order to extricate the mans
foot, Avery quickly started the car up
ward again and in some manner Cobb
became unbalanced falling into the
shaft. He plunged to the bottom and
when found by Avery and Henry c..
| Brent, vice president of the Fidelity
Trust company, was dead.
The head was fractured, left leg
broken and the ribs mangled. Internal
bruises were also found.
Cobb purchased thirty tickets for
Springlake, Tex, at the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fe office, Ninth and
Main streets, at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Then he returned to his
| office where he expected to meet two
men who were to go with him as
members of the party to inspect his
land in Texas. Their train from Roth
vile. Mo-, was due to arrive in Kan
sas City at 6:15 o'clock
I'll wait in my office for them, =
Mr.. Cobb told Jay F. Jackson. an
other real estate man who was with
trance of the building.
About o'clock Mr.. Cobb went to
the elevator several times as If he
were impatient that the men he was
i'm ho I'll
o'clock he rang the elevator bell sew
eral times Avery, who was working
on the first hoor took the elevator
to the fourth floor, where Mr.. Cobb
was standing. III
The Car Caught His Foot.
Mr.. Cobb appeared to be impa-
tient and scolded when the elevator
passed a foot above the landing. -
Avery told Henry G. Brent, vice presi-
dent of the Fidelity Trust company.
into the car his left foot caught as !,
lowered it to a level with the floor. lie
cried that his foot was caught. In
trying to release him 1 ran the car
about four feet above the doorway
1t left a space below the car. The
next instant L saw Mr.. Cobb far;
through the door into the shaft and
heard him strike, at the bottom. I
don't know what i did next 1t was
awfulI'
The brown low cut shoe that Mr..
Cobb had worn on his left foot was
caught by the elevator cage when ii
struck his foot. 1t was carried up by
the cage and was found fastened to
the steel guards above the door.
Mr.. Cobb was dead when assistance
arrived. He struck on his head, frac-
turing the skull and death probably
resulted instantly. The thumb nail on
the left hand was torn loose, pre-
sumably when he attempted to grab
at the elevator gate as he started to
fall.
The building was practically desert
ed at the time of the accident. Henry
c. Brent of the Fidelity Trust COM
pany notified George B. Thompson,
coroner. who sent the body to Freeman
& Marshalls undertaking rooms. Mr..
trolmen. locked the doors of the build
ing and the news of the accident was
not known on Walnut street until an
ambulance arrived.
Before the body had been taken
from the shaft pit Jay F. Jackson and
Luther Cobb. a brother of the dead
man. went to the building. They had
not heard that he was dead. and went
Jackson's buggy The brother was
Frustrated when told of the sudden
death of Mr.. Cobb.
Daughter of Ten Tried Suicide.
Mr.. Jackson and Luther Cobb then
drove to the Cobb home at 3411 Troost
three daughters, the Oldest 10 years
old. AS soon as she heard 1t, Cecil, the
oldest, tainted in her uncle's arms.
When she was revived, the child ran
for the stairway. crying:
"Papa's dead. and I'm going to be
dead. too
Her uncle rushed after her and was
just in time to catch her dress as she
jumped through an open. window at
the first landing of the stairway. For
the rest of the night she was closely
watched to prevent other attempts to
end her life. The little girls and the
widow prayed that the news was not
true.
Was From Kansas.
Daniel Forest Cobb was born in
owen county. Kentucky, April 1, 1854
His father, ]. W. Cobb, still lives on
the homestead. He was notified of his
sons death last night. Mr.. Cobb at
tended the country school and about
fifteen years ago went to Philadelphia
and later to New York city, where he
engaged in the brokerage business. In
1896 he went to Topeka as state man
ager of the Equitable Life Assurance
society. Two years later he moved
1905, he resigned. At the time of his
death he was associated with his
brother. S. P. Cobb of Wellington,
KAN. under the firm name of Dan f.
Cobb & Co. Texas Panhandle Lands.
The office of the company was room
401 Fidelity Trust building.
Mr.. Cobb was a Royal Arch Mason.
He did not belong to any of the in
surance lodges. but carried $47500 in
old line companies. He also had sew
s2.5OO
No arrangements have been made
Tor the funeral.