The Detroit times., 1911-06-13
DESCRIBES FALL
OF SIX STORIES
Man Who Is Catapulted Into Shaft
Gets Up From Floor Laughing
At His Escape.


Lef "A. knutson. laborer, Is about
again, sound and hearty and able TO
tell OF his experiences and sensations
while In flight.
knutson then shattered the theory
that he should be picked up dead by
getting up laughing and now skaters
another theory. He AYERS that he did
not think OF all his sins on the way
from the fifth floor TO the basement
floor. Knutson says he is aware that
that Is the thing he was expected to
do. and admits that he has some sins
to think about He says he did not
have time TO think about them during
his memorable flight he was too busy,
he says, trying to save himself
IL seems that before Knutson went
down, he went up. He was pass
Ing one OF the open elevator shafts
In the new building, trundling wheel
barrow, when the elevator whizzed
down, the cage striking the front end
OF his barrow. He sailed into the air.
He Remarked "Whoopi"
Before | realized what had hap
pened." says Knutson, Il was half way
across the adjoining elevator shaft,
looking fair and square at one OF the
elevator guides. | don't think | yelled
or made much noise about It. can
only remember saying 'Whoop!' as
usually do when something wrong
happens.
las | was on my way upward and
over into the shaft IL didn't occur to
me that there was any danger; In fact.
! did not realize what was going on
and It seemed to me that 1t was the
way IL should go. was getting out OF
tha watn Ila,t Aferh
upward and over ceased and I COM
menced to go down, thought, Well, I
suppose had better get hold of some
thing, anyway, or I may get hurt. I
made a sweep with my right arm and
caught the guide. BY this time could
see the concrete floors go by.
Il was going faster. had lost my
hold on the guide--faster, faster went
everything seemed like blur before
my eyes by this time. 1t seemed like
/ was passing floors all the time. | had
no sense of pain whatever, only felt
rather dizzy and what was going on
seemed like dream.
IL had the sensation OF being
thumped here and there as II some one
were gently striking me with sand
bag or the like. bit my teeth; my
muscles were set II seemed to me
that had suddenly stopped falling.
but only for second for | was just
as suddenly on my way again | sup
pose had struck one OF the scaffolds,
Down-down-down went.
"'Am | never going to landY !
thought II seemed that had been
falling a dreadfully long while. Then
everything became suddenly dark.
could see no more; | was In the base
~ - n tnH &C
\ were unaccustomed to- Still | kept
falling Then | could remember no
more until I came to a sudden stop.
I had landed at last on the basement
floor.
How His Breath Cams Back.
cit seemed that had more time. I
began to think Where am L? What
has happened? Have | really fallen
that far? But, oh, what pain in my
chest!
II had forgotten that 1t was neces-
sary to breathe and now couldn't--ha
--hea-h-no use; | just simply could
not breathe and gave up that idea,
thinking must first get up on my feet.
my struggle for a breath seemed
the most painful part OF the whole per-
Torrance; the pain in my chest seem
ed indescribable. But as | fumbled
around down there in my effort to get
UP forgot about being shy breath
or two and presently found myself
breathing quite easily.
After getting my breath / tried to
scramble to my feet, but made poor
success of II on account OF very
dizzy feeling. BY this time, however, |
had full realization OF what had hap
pened, and as the thought OF 1t en-
tered my mind couldn't help but
laugh, | felt so tickled over my es-
cape.
"Of course after coming TO my right
senses began 10 feel soreness mere
and there, though principally at my
right hip, on which / must have land
ed, and my right arm, which had been
badly bruised by coming In contact
with the concrete beams. After fumbl-
ing around for while became SO
tired that when the men came to pick
me up wanted to lie down. which was
also the way felt after they brought
me out onto the street-weak and
tired.
1T seemed a long while from the
time the cage struck my barrow until
landed on the basement floor, and II
takes a long time to tell about IL, but
suppose IL actually took but q few sec
onds.
Some think all my past sins would
come to me like a flash, that my
thoughts would be OF the wrongs OF
my past life and Of a repenting ma
ture. while others think must have
been too frightened to think of any
thing.
mo, my sins did not bother me In
the least during that fall, and, al
though | don't consider myself very
big sinner, will say that had | at the
moment fell repented for my pas
sins doubt that I would have hac
time TO ask the Lords forgiveness be
fore I was crushed TO death on tn,
many beams or on the floors below.
"As soon as | became aware OF the
fact that was falling, my mind wai
concentrated on the sole thought o.
saving myself, and ! am inclined t6
think that had my mind wandered t6
other thoughts the result would have
proved rather disastrous"
Foolish Questions.
When you go TO pay visit
To a friend, you sit and chat,
And when the hour groweth late
You ask her for your hat.