New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-16
PANIC AS LIFT KILLS BOY
Reserves Make Way for Ambu-
lance in Great Crowd.
WOMAN FAINTS AT SHRlEKS
Elevator Operator and Two
Other Negroes Held on
Homicide Charge.

4 call for the reserves from the West
18th street police station was sent in yes
terday evening. when Joseph Sedwitz.
sixteen-year-old boy. was killed while at
tempting to step on an elevator on the
basement floor OF the twelve story lott
building at No. 1j2 to 1js West 25th street.
great crowd gathered about the building
so quickly following the rumor that many
women and children had been killed when
the elevator fell that the police had hard
time restoring order.
In addition to the reserves two ambu-
onces from the New York Hospital were
called to the scene, but Sedwit>, whose
body had been badly mangled by being
caught between the wall of tho elevator
shaft and the floor OF the car. died as Or.
Ward. the ambulance surgeon, was trying
to revive him. Israel Warren. the negro
operator OF the car, had his arm broken
while trying to stop the cage by grasping
the steel cables. He was taken to the hos
r.tal a prisoner on the charge OF homicide.
Sedwtz was a clerk. employed by his
uncle Morris Bloch, who owns the build
Ing I'm which the accident occurred, ana
when Mrs Bloch, who was in her hus-
bands office. heard tho shrieks OF her
nephew. she became hystercal and had to
be ATTENDED by Dr. Ward.
Mr.. Bloch, besides owning the building Is
head OF the firm of Morris Bloch e Co..
manufacturers or waists and suits, on the
third floor. Young Sedwitz had only recent
~ entered his uncle's employ with view
to learning the business and eventually en-
tcrng into partnership in the firm.
Just how the elevator started ia unknown
to the police. but they held Warner and
Alfred Levin. another negro elevator op-
orator and a friend Of Warmers. on charges
OF homicide. The boys made contradictory
statements.
Sedwitz. who had descended TO the base
ment floor on office business. stepped on
10 the floor Of tho car as It rested AT the
bottom Of the elevator shaft Instantly
the car shot upward and Sedwitz's body
was caught between the front wall or the
shaft and the floor OF the car.
Warner. who * said TO have been mop
ping up the floor Of the hallway at the
something was wrong, and he ran to the
time. was warned by the boys shrieks that
open door Of tho shaft and grabbed at the
cables twisted about his arm and snapped
the bone. the car continuing 10 ascend.
According To tho police. Sedwitz was the
only passenger in the car. aud with no
guiding hand on the mechanism. the ele-
vator did not stop even when the BODY OF
ScdWitz was jammed against tho narrow
brick wall. Instead. the momentum OF the
ear was so great that many OF the brlchs
were dlslodged by tho impact OF the BOY
body. thus releasing Sedwitz, who crashed
downward to the bottom Of the SHAFT me
car shot upward until automatically
brought 10 a stop AT point midway be-
tween the third and fourth floors
Mrs Bloch had run out OF her husband's
Office when she heard her nephe" CRIES
although she did not then know IT was
Sedwitz who had been hurt. When the
ambulance surgeon said the boy was dedd
and Mrs. Bloch learned II was her nephe"
she tainted Later she was taken to her
home. No 80 West l35th street.
As soon az the accident happened war
ner Levin and Roland Harris, another ne
gro elevator operator I'm the building. ran
ia the street and called Patrolman Conley.
The ambulance had hard work reaching
the entrance Of the building. owing to the
crowds that had collected when the rumor
went forth that many had been killed. 1t
was not until the arrival Of the reserves
that n way could be cleared.
Upon Warmers statement that levin had
started the elevator the latter was also
held. although ne denied having been near
the car AT the time.