The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-09
man PLUNCES
TO DEATH FROM OFFICE
WINDOW IN BEST BUILDING
Skull Fractured and Hips
Split in Crash to
Sidewalk.


Seventh avenue, city manager OF
the Illinois Life Insurance COM
pany, was killed by a fall from
fifth story window of the Best
building at 7:35 o'clock this morn
ing. He plunged from the insur-
ance company office window, fac
ing Second avenue, and landed on
the sidewalk in a mutilated heap
Death followed in a few minutes,
according to DR.. Joseph De Silva,
who was soon on the scene.
The insurance mans body turned
over several times in the air and
he dropped on his left side. His
neck was broken, the right Jaw
broken, base of skull fractured, the
hips split apart at the peIvis bone
and his left leg was shattered
above the knee. His left elbow was
fractured and ribs on the left side
cayed in.
No one saw him toppIe out Of
the window, but several got a
glimpse of the falling body, after
their attention had been called by
cries as the man soInersaulted
downward.
Frank Nickel, a former police
man, and James Stewart. negro
porter at the Sugar Bowl candy
store across the street, were the
first to reach him. The insurance
man moaned, but expired in a mo-
ment-
In his hand was grasped a small
rag, with which, it is believed he
had been busting furniture in the
insurance company office just prior
to dropping from the window
H. A. Davidson, manager Of tho
northwestern Illinois district OF
the Illinois Life Insurance com
pany, in charge of the office, sol
Best building, said he believed MIR.
Meader had been dusting off the
desks and had probably gone to
the window TO shake out the dust
cloth.
Mr.. Davidson said that 1t had
been Mr. Meader's custom to arrive
at the office at 1880 o'clock every
weekday morning and TO dust off
the desks and use mop on the
floors of the two office rooms. He
also set the two office clocks.
Mr.. Davidson, advancing a sec
ond opinion of the cause of Mr.
Meader's fall. said that at times in
the mornings, the offices are too
warm, and Mr.. Meader may have
gone to the window to gain fresh
air, and, for some reason became
dizzy, and toppled over the ledge.
The window is five feet wide and
the sill comes a few inches above
the average mans knees. Tho
ledge is about Is inches wide. Only
by leaning far out would anyone
fall.
Talks With JanitOr.
Philip Bruchmann, janitor, was
the first one to see Mr.. Meader at
the building this morning Tho
janitor took the assurance man up
to his office in the elevator. Mead
er said Good morning" as he en-
tered the elevator, and talked cas-
ually. This was at 7:25 O'Clock. Al
1880 O'Clock the elevator man,
Henry Muhs, went on duty, and on
his first trip up Mr. Meader came
out of the office and asked the cor
rect time. Mr. Muhs gave the time
as 1872 O'Clock. Mr. Meader step
ped back into the Office and closed
the door.
Shortly aftarwaTd when the eIe-
vatoT man had his car at the bottom.
floor he heard loud cries, ana fol-
lowing these, a thud on the SIDE
walk in front. He rushed out and
saw Mr Meaher's body lying limp
Iy, face downward. A physician
and the police were soon on the
scene and the elevator man and the
ianttor went 10 the fifth floor ana
f entering the insurance office th ~
/ found the window open. Everything
| was in order in both rooms. They
closed the window and locked the
door. Hundreds of persons had
/ gathered and It was d half hour be-
! fore the body was removed TO Moel-
ler's undertaking parlCr.
! Mr.. Davidson, in charge of the
/ offices. stepped OF street car up
the avenue and was entering a cafe
when he noticed the crowd. He
asked a pedestrian what had hap
pened and was told that "a man
named Meader had fallen 70 his
death from the Best building" Mr.
Davidson hurried 10 the scene and
then UP ID his office where he TOOK
charge of affairs. He found Mead