KILLED IN A LIFT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1913, Page 7

KILLED IN A LIFT

SHOCKING DEATH, A fatal accident occurred in Messrs. E. W. Mills and Co.'s machinery store in Victoria-street, shortly before 11 o'clock this morning, the victim being a married man nanted James Hanratty, who had been in the firm's employ for over twenty years. The deceased had been working on tho heavy goods lift, which is operated by electricity, for come time before he met his death. Barrels of cement were being brought down from the top story and placed on a cart backed up to the lift well, and the deceased was assisting in that wotk when the lift, on which he was standing, started to move upward. No one seems to know how the machinery came to be put in motion. The lift went up a few feet, and Hanratty was caught in a stooping position between its outer edge and the orickwork above the ground floor entrance to the lift well, sustaining such fearful injuries about the stomach and abdomen that he died almost instantly. The drlvor of • the cart heard him call out, "I'm. done !" ' Mr. Charles Perry, an employee of Messrs. Mills, finding that someone was jammed in the lift, slid down the liffc cable in the hope that he would be able to release him, but found that he <!ould not 'do so, and it was only after ■most strenuous efforts on the part of Mr. Archibald Forbes, manager of the department, and others that the lift, which weighs over two tons, could bft lowered sufficiently to allow of the body being taken out, Mr. W. T. Bray, secretary for Messrs. 'Arthur Cocks and Company, wholesale, opticians, was in hia office on the first floor of Mills's building when he heard a thud, and found a man's legs sticking out of the liffc well below him. Believing that something serious had occurred, he summoned Messrs. Mißs'fl employees in the upper otoriefl, and rushed down to the bottom of the well, where he fdtind Hanratty jammod in the lift. Leaving others to do what they could to free the man, he drove off for medical assistance, and Drs. Begg, Fyffe, and Ewarb were soon in, attendance, bub unfortunately their services were not required. / The- body has been removed to the Morgue, and an inquest will be held tomorrow, The deceased was about 45 yearn of age, and had lived in tho Wadestownroad for upwards of twenty years. For some years he was chairman of the local School Committee, and he was also an active member of tho Municipal Electors' Association. He has lefb a widow and several children.

The Sb, Patrick's Day celebrations in Wellington, which are usually held on the nearest Saturday to St. Patrick's Day. have been set down for this year for Saturday, 15th March. A special meeting of tne joint committees was convened for last evening to consider an alteration in the date. It Was pointed out bhftfc the life-saving and aquatic carnival which is to be hdld on 15th March would act as 'a counter-attraction, and might militate against the success of both functions. The- St. Patrick's Day Celebration Committee unanimously decided that, &a a considerable- portion of ihe commftnity interested in the day's celebrations is desirous pi wholeheartedly supporting the object of the saraival, ifc alter its date from Saturday, UMt, to- Monday, 17th March.