New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-27
SLIM MAN SLIDES ROPE
TO FREE EIGHT IN LIFT
Runner SqueezeS Between
Stalled Elevator and Shaft
and Gets Aid.
PENNED IN FOR AN HOUR
Three Women Among Prisoners
-Firemen Smash Locks
with Axe to Re-
lease Them.

Tecause he is thin, Alexander Newman,
twenty-three years old, OF No. SOB West
23d street. was able to save eight persons
from staying an indefinite period in IN
elevator in the eight story loft building at
No. % East 10Th street last night,
Newman. who is the elevator runner
squeezed himself between the elevator
and the wall when the lift got stuck pc
tween the fifth and sixth floors, got hold
of the greasy cable under the car ana
slid down the cable, bracing his feet
against the wall OF the narrow shaft.
lie reached the door TO the elevator on
the street level floor. kicked II OPEN
walked to the street and brought help 10
those In the elevator But 1t was nearly
an hour before they were rescued.
Philip Sontag. OF No. 2i3 East 18th street
and Morris Scherer, Of No. l4 Rutledge
street. Brooklyn. comprise the superior
Waist Company and occupy the top lott
of tho building. They with six OF their
employees. including three women worked
later than the other firms in the building
and IT was nearly : o'clock before they
rung for Newman.
After passing the sixth floor the ele-
vator suddenly stopped with jerk. New
man tried to move the car. but failed. lie
thought experimenting would be danger
ous. so he stopped making further at
tempts to move the car.
The other passengers were Celia Smith
No 223 East 10th street. Anna Richmond
| No 1913 9Th street. Antonio Dudazcky' NO
| 33s East 18th street. Elizabeth Josephs'
! No % East 9th street, Isaac kosofsKy'
No 232 Metropolitan avenue, Brooklyn
and Coleman Doubler, No 2l2 East 10Th
street. At first they took the matter as
joke: when no help came in response TO
their calls they became uneasy.
Half an hour had passed before New
man, who had been studying the situa-
ton. suggested that he could squeeze be-
/ tween the car and the wall and slide down
the cable. His passengers realized that
! il would be a hazardous task and FOR q
/ time they would not allow him 70 make
/ the attempt lie assured them. however
/ that he was strong enough 10 cling 10
! the cable and finally prevailed on them.
! Divesting himself Of his coat, vest and
/ hat he squeezed through the small space.
/ He had provided himself with pair VI
| gloves, but even at that it was no easy
! task 10 cling 10 the greasy cable.
! once out Of the shaft. Newman swunG
himself TO the hall First he telephoned
| 10 the Mercer street station. ParOlman
/ Eckstadt WAS sent around. but by the
| time he arrived Patrolman Duffy hhd
| been found by Newman.
The construction OF the building pre-
| sented difficulties I'm rescue. The stairs
do not run along the elevator shaft. and
! the doors 10 the shaft are locked by the
persons occupying the respective floors
/ Newman thought the passengers could be
/ rescued II the door OF the fifth floor was
opened lie offered TO climb up the shaft
( with an axe 10 break open the door, but
/ the policemen would not allow him &c
! do so.
Finally the Fire Department was called
and Lieutenant Comlsky and Fireman
! Kopslater. Of Engine -. were sent around
They went up the rear stairway, broke
| into the loft OF the Feldbeffen Cap Com
pany. on the nth floor. and got to the
door OF the elevator. but they smashed
four locks before they opened H. There
was then about an eighteen-Inch space
through which the imprisoned passenger
We're dragged.