The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-06-03

George Newton, 1403 Fhfty-dtth
avenps. 1s-year-old victim Of N
elevator accident ct tho paint lac
tory q the Illinois on Company %
Fourth avenue and TWsnty-nfth
street ct noon yesterday. disd q
the result Of injuries sustained ct
81, Anthouy's hospital ct 3::3S
O'Clock yosterday afkarno0u. a corr
oner's Jury ct IN inquest held at
tho Hodgson funeral parlors this
morning returned 9 verdict that
death was due to shock and In
ternal injuries received when he
was accidentally crushed between
the elevator and the elevator shaft.
Although there were no, eye Wit
nesses to the accident, testimony
Of those who were present immed-
lately afterward developed the TACT
that the boy had attempted to
board the elevator ct the second
door while it was in motion. and In
10 doing was caught between the
shaft and the elevator, his body
forming an obstacle which caused
the elevator to stop midway be-
tween the second end third floors.
Paul Rooster, an empl0ye at the
plant, and one Of the first on the
scene Of the accident, was on. the
third floor, and hearing cries, ran
to the elevator shaft, where. ac-
cording to his testimony, he saw
the injured lad lying on the floor OF
the elevator with his legs dangling
over. The buzzing Of the elevator
indicated that the mechanism was
still running and that 1t was ar
tifically held by the boys body.
Injured Lad -InstTucts.
Rooster was obliged to move the
elevator q trifie to loosen the VIC
TINS limbs. Because of his excite
ment, he was unable to think how
to operate It, he said. and was
given instructions by the injured
boy himself, who Is said to have
given . remarkable show Of nerve
after his injury.
A second witness was e. Glib
bens, . delivery man for the COM
pany, who, on hearing distressing
cries, ran from a point on the first
floor of the shaft, and looking up
saw the elevator with the limbs Of
the boy extending over the side Of
its base. Running to the second
floor of the building by the stairs.
he pushed the lads body complete
ly into the elevator, which was low
cred, and boarding it with Rooster,
who had come down to the second
floor, ran to the main floor.
The ambulance was called and
the injured lad, who maintained
consciousness throughout, was
taken to st. Anthony's hospital. An
X-ray examination revealed that he
had sustained . fracture Of the
right thigh. fractures of both
bones of the lower right leg, and
severe Commissions and abrasions on
limb and body. according to DR.. C.
F.. Freytag, who attended him. His
death was due to shock and in
ternal injuries in the opinion Of the
physician.
Reports Elevator Safe.
The elevator was in good work
ing order, modern and equipped
with safety devices, according to q
statement Of ]. W. Armstrong,
factory manager. It was to be used
strictly for freight purposes, mo-
tices to this effect being posted
throughout the building. Other &C
cidents had never occurred there,
Mr.. Armstrong said.
Employees at the plant, where
young Newton had been working
only few days. could think Of NO
occasion which he might have had
for going to the upper floors of the
building, his work keeping him en-
ployed on the first floor. He had
learned how to use the elevator on
his first day there. they said, but
since that time had made few trips
to the upper floors. and on these
had used the stairway. He was on
noon hour leave at the time of the
accident. and the building was
practically deserted when 1t &C.
CURED.
George Newton, the son Of Mr..
and Mrs. Bert Newton. was born In
Rock Island. Aug. 2. Is years ago,
and spent q large part Of his life
In this city. He went with his
parents to Biloxi. Miss, to reside q