El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-28
killed IN AN
ELEVATOR SHAFT
G. Reutlinger, Engineer at
Popular Store, Meets
Accidental Death.

Standing on the basement floor Of
the Popular dry goods store with his
head in the elevator shaft, looking
downward. Gerhard Reutlinger, chief
engineer for the Popular, was in
stantly killed by a downcoming pas
senger elevator at 9:15 Tuesday morn
ing. His body was knocked into the
shaft, falling upon the machinery
there. When extricated by Jesus Jazo
and z. Alvarez, his helpers. he was
dead, his e having been Droken
instantly by the impact Of the ele-
vator. This was the version Of the
accident as told by Alvarez
Reutlinger was engaged IN his reg
ular morning duty Of inspecting the
machinery of the four elevators which
traverse the POpular's six floors,
when the accident happened. He was
engaged in olinE the mechanism and
cables Of No. = when he called Tor
the elevator operator, Stanley Jean
nette. who was above him. TO come
down. The boy did so, and, accord
ing TO the evidence Of Reutlfusers
helpers. the engineer did not with
draw his head from the shaft In time.
and was knocked into the pit Il is
thought that b impact of b ele-
vator caused the fatal injury, al
though the man had a fail Of about
10 feet 10 the bottom OF the pit
says Elevator Not Open.
j.. Arthur Tobias. Advertising man
ager Of the Popular. was informed,
according to his statement. that Reut-
linger received his injuries Wheu he
fell into the pit Mr.. Tobias said the
accident occurred before the eleya-
tors were open TO the public Reut-
.linger jumped for h elevator after
the machine a started missed II
and feIl into the pit. according to Mr.
Tobias Information
Doctor Finds Man Dead.
Immediately after The accident Dr..
J.. Fl. MOrfOrd was called. and ar
rived on b scene within @ few min
utes- his examination showed that
death had been practically instan-
t~aneous, and that nothing could be
done to resuscitate the man. Dr..
MOrford stated that his Information
as to the manner Of the accident was
that ReutliuEer was in D elevator
when it started up. but lad his head
p-rotruding from the door. the sill Of
the doorway catching him across the
back Of the head as the machine went
Up, breaking his neck instantly and
throwing him 20 the floor.
Native Of Illinois.
Reutliuger's body was removed i'm
med1ately 60 the Mclean. Simmons a
Hartford morEue, pending funeral ar
rangements. EeurlinEer was q Wild
over, and had been an FL Paso resi-
dent for 10 years He was 81 years
Of age. and had 40 relatives in Ell
Paso- He was bOru in Effingham, Ill,
where his mother and two brothers
still reside They have been notified
or Mr. Reutllngers death, and the
disposition OF the body depends on
their reply. He formerly resided at
-OZ Chihuahua street. but at
the time Of his death lived at 1900 Tu-
larosa street. where he had purchased
a home. Deceased was president Of
Fl Paso local OF stationary engi-
neers. He had been employed by the
Popular for a year and a half.
Elevator Not Defective.
The elevator which caused Reut-
fingers death was in no way defec-
Tin at u time Of the accident. as
an examination afterward showed.
The mechanism is Of the latest type
Of hydraulic elevator. and is said to
be positively proof against accident.
Lack Of proper care for his own
safety is said to have been the direct
cause Of Feutlinger's fatal accident.