The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-06
lWO men KILLED;
one BADLY INJURED
In An Accident AT The Bridge Works
On Tuesday Morning

was unmarried, aged 30 years, and
had been working at the bridge works
for some time engaged as painter.
Lafever had also been working there
for some time. He was removed to
his home In South Vernon In McCor-
mick's ambulance after the accident.
The accident carried with 1t many
piuful, sad features aside from the
greatest, the death of two men, and
injury of another. All three were work
ing near together and had been chat
ting harmoniously nearly all morning,
according TO the other workmen who
were engaged nearby, and were get
ting well along with the side of the
girder They were STOPPING rather
low to get at the bottom of the large
piece of steel work and Magill and
Sims probably never knew what
struck them. Their backs near the
shoulders were caught by the fiange
OF the falling girder and they were
hurled to the ground under 1t. Anoth-
er sad feature is that Magill was
husband and also the father of six
children, the Oldest being aged y,
and the youngest about two months.
There are three boys and three girls.
Work OF painting the girder was be-
gun by the men early Tuesday morn
;vo nrnUrnddin0 ranthlV
and another girder was brought out
for a coat of paint as quickly as the
first one was finished The second
was wheeled from the shop on trucks
and was then lifted from the trucks
by means of one of the north yard
derricks. II was swung around and
was deposited slowly upon skids
placed in position for that purpose.
II was set level and was resting solid
ly upon the skids and then the hooks
we're released by two men who oper-
ated the chains. Realizing that the
hooks might catch upon the girder,
the two workmen grasped the chains
and pulled them aside to prevent an
accident. In spite of this precaution,
one of the hooks caught upon the top
of a flange at the end of the girder
which was three feet high, exactly the
size OF the one which the men were
painting.
When the two men pulled aside
]
the chains that had been used in shift
| ing the piece of work, a signal was
given the engineer who operates the
! derrick machinery. He Immediately
began to hoist the derrick arm and
the hooks began to raise. 1t was then
that they caught and upset the girder
/ upon the backs and shoulders OF the
I unsuspecting victims. Lafeyer, un-
like his companions, was hurled for
ward by a somewhat glancing blow
and struck against the steel work
which he had been painting Had he
been only n few inches nearer, he
also would have been crushed to
death.
The bodies of Magill and Sims
were removed from the scene of the
accident and were later removed tc
the Mccormick undertaking rooms on
South Main street where they were
prepared for burial. Neither OF the
bodies were mangled, but an examina
ton revealed the fact that the bones
in their back and shoulders were
broken. Dr. b. C. Deeley and DR.. G. d
Arndt were called Immediately afte
the accident occurred. Coroner V. l.
Fisher was also called and pronouncel
death in each case to have been acci
dental
According 10 statements made afte
the accident by persons in authorit,
Mt the Bridge Works, the painter
have repeatedly been warned agalns
working in close proximity to spot
where heavy pieces OF work are bein
shifted. Much danger could be aver
ed. according to statements made,
these warnings and instructions wer
! needed carefully,
Rev. Sims was notified immed
ately of the accidental death of hi
son and arrived in Mt. Vernon on tn
l. 1875 train,
This is the first accident to occu
In Mt Vernon since the 'workmen
compensation law went into effect o
Jan. lst. Under the law liberal pr,
c vision will be made for the relief {
, Mrs. Magill and her six children.
is probable that an award will /
S made within 30 days, as 1t is the pc
icy OF the state LIABILITY board ,
awards 10 adiudioate ell claims ,
speedily as possible