Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-29
n, F, HAMACHER FATALLY IN
JURED WHEN ELEVATOR
PLATFORM FALLS.
DIES IN OPERATING ROOM
At ST. THOMAS HOSPITAL
Scalp Virtually Torn From Head and
Skull Fractured - Edward Vickery
Loses Arm in Hunting Accident
+, Richard Wells Loses Leg Under
Cars-Other Accidents.

A chapter OF accidents, Saturday
night and Sunday, resulting in one fatal
IT. ard in loss OF limbs by two vict!!as.
brought sorrow to three Marshalltown
homes. The most serious OF the trio
of accidents was that at the Palace
laundry, shortly after o'clock Sunday
morning, which cost the life Of Howard
F. Hamacher, proprietor OF the laundry.
The first of the series of accidents oc-
CURED Saturday evening, when Swear
old Richard Wells lost a leg under
freight train, and the last, at l:SO
o'clock Sunday afternoon, resulted IN
the loss OF an arm by Edward Vickery'
aged Is, while hunting.
The death OF H. +. Hamacher re-
suited from the fall of an elevator plat
form in the Palace laundry, while MI.
Hamacher and two helpers were en-
gagged in making repairs. The victim
was crusher under the heavy platform
when it fell from the top floor to the
pit. He survived about an hour ana
a half, dying at st. Thomas hospital
while in the operating room
Crushed by Heavy Elevator.
Mr.. Hamacher and Harvey A.
Shafer, an employe Of the laundry
with a helper, were engasd in max
ing repairs on the elevator Sunday
morning Hamacher directing the work.
The platform weighing about one and
one half tons had been raised TO the
top floor and Mr.. Hamacher had gone
to the pit in the basement preparatory
to changing the shaft. Mr.. Shaffer had
warned his employer Of the danger ana
said that II the proposed change were
to be made It should be done on MI
Hamachers responsibility. The latter
however, assured his aids that the re-
pairs could be made without accident.
In attempting to make the intended
shift the worm was released and the
platform crashed from the second floor
to the basement pit, crushing Mr..
Hamacher under the elevator. The in
minutes and hurried to St Thomas
hospital.
Conscious to the Eend.
Atho the scalp virtually was torn
from the head and the injured man
had suffered . fracture Of the skull he
retained consciousness until shortly
before his death at 1880. DR.. G. Z.
Hermance was called and had Mr..
Hamacher removed to the operating
room at once It was apparent that
there was little hope for the injured
man surviving the accident. He lapsed
into unconsciousness shortly before his
death.
Was Native Of Iowa.
Howard +. Hamacher was born
April 8. 1877, at York, Montgomery
county. Before coming to this city he
was engaged In the laundry business
at SPIRIT Lake. Idaho. He was united
in marriage with Ethel Louise Hutchi-
son, Sept. %, 1914, at Guthrie Center,
and came to this city soon after. Be
sides his wife he is survived by son,
Howard Franklin, Jr., aged ?, his
mother, Mrs. NJ. ]. Hamacher, OF Kan
sas City, Mo-. four brothers, Edward
of Spirit Lake, Idaho: Edwin, Of Dali
kena, Wash; Ernest, Of Piedmont, Mo-,
and Loren, Of Houston, Tex, and four
sisters, Mesdames J. T. Long and En-
NETT Gamble, Of Kansas City, Mo-;
Mrs. William Tawny, Of Salt Lake
City, Utah, and Mrs. ames Kingsley.
of Houston, Tex.
Mr.. Hamacher finished his educa-
ton at the Armour Polytechnic Insti-
tute. OF Chicago. He was a member
Of the Presbyterian church Of this city,
and also Of the local camp of the w.
o. W.