New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-08
SLOWLY DIES
IN WELL, BURIED
ALIVE In SAND
Flatbush Man Trapped Is
Feet Below Surface by
Shifting Earth.
EFFORTS TO AID HIM
ONLY HASTEN DOOM
Police and Firemen Work Dr.
perately, Spurred On by Fran
tic Wife of Victim.

ptIdtely, opiTTeu OH ny TIdH"
tic Wife of Victim.
The shallow well near the home OF
William Esser, Of East Fortieth Street
between Lenox Road and Clarksor
Street, Flatbush, ran dry few weeks
ago.
Esser worried over it. for it was his
main source Of diversion and interest
Many Of the last of his ffty-three years
had been spent in thought and work or
it, and because it was only few fee,
from his queer old shack, one and g
half stories high. he found plenty OF
opportunity to busy himself around it
Yesterday morning, deciding to re-
new operations to get down to the re-
ceding water, he engaged Louis Sturz
of 10 Downing Street, Woodhaven, Long
Island, to deepen the hole. Sturz. la
boring until about | o'clock yesterday
afternoon, had increased the depth to
twenty-five feet. when shifting sand
convinced him that further work was
dangerous.
ppm going to quit this" he said
This thing'n cave in"
Esser protested, but Sturz came to
the surface and repeated that he was
through with the job.
Helpless in Rising Sand.
az know this we'll thoroughly said
Esser. land I'll show you that you're
all wrong. You stay up here and work
around and I'll go down and finish the
job"
Esser descended. Lacking young
mans strength, he made slight pro-
gress, but he persisted, and at the end
of two hours had penetrated an addi-
tional five feet Then the walls weak
ened. and so great a quantity of sand
rolled in on him that when, in response
to a cry, Sturz looked down, he saw
that the sand had mounted 10 Esser's
waist.
Sturz tried to dig Esser out, but his
efforts only loosened the soil further
He then summoned Mrs. Esser. As with
Sturz, her anxious endeavors piled the
sard still higher about her husband
BY that time it was over his nose.
Sturz and Mrs. Esser, frightened, ran
to the Snyder Avenue police station. A
hurried explanation convinced the lieu
tenant that his full squad Of reserves
would De necessary. They made speed
in getting to the well, where they tried
by the use Of shovels and picks and by
cttempting a human chain to release
the imprisoned man. But the ground
was so soft and sandy that every move
ment they made sent more earth down
on the unfortunate Esser.
His eyes were visible. and their ex-
pression betokened his hopeless de-
spar. Slight, almost imperceptible
movement of the sand about him
showed the struggle he was making
with his elbows and shoulders to force
himself free His forehead was dull,
dark red from his eXertions and wet
with an increasing flow of perspira-
tion. ,,
The policemen spent fifteen futile
minutes before they decided that they
could accomplish nothing. Ladders had
been borrowed from neighboring
houses, but it was impossible TO use
them.
Firemen Unable to Save Him.
Realizing that this sort Of delay was
drawing Esser's life to close
Sturz ran to the headquarters OF HOOK
and Ladder Company 63, on Rogers
Avenue. near Wildwood Street. The APP
paratus responded quickly and all the
life saving stunts that the trained
squad could apply in such case were
brought into play, but the hole had
widened at the top TO diameter OF ten
feet, and the weight of man stepping
within two feet of the rim was sum
cient TO bury Esser still deeper IN the
we'll
at is useless" the fremen at length
announced, but Mrs. Esser, frantic,
begged them to continue. She could
see no hope elsewhere. From the be
ginning she had been dashing of seek
ing aid and bringing to the hole every
thing she could find which she thought
cOulQ De eUplogtu III NhV WV"
cue.
When the firemen finally gave 1t up
an ambulance was called from the
Kings County Hospital. The surgeon
was quickly told Of the efforts already
made. and il was soon clear to MN
that he could be Of no assistance: Con
vinccd that the time Of saving Esser S
life had passed, the police sent for
Coroner Senior, who. after learning OF
the situation, said:
81 pronounce the man dead.
Screaming, Mrs. Esser ran into the
shack and collapsed.
The unsuccessful work had taken
until after o'clock. Then word was
sent to the Department of Buildings
and SQUAD of men was hurried TO the
scene. Working by the light of many
lanterns and surrounded by several
hundred persons, they dug all through
the night, but did not get far. .,
The men in charge of the squad sald
that fully two days will be consumed
before Essor's body is reached.