Followed His Thumbs

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1921, Page 4

Followed His Thumbs

* MAN’S REMARK AIM K ESCAPE. MKLBOFKM;. July 3<l. Attributing to gymnastic training his escape from a violent death, Mr I'rank Green, a machinist, of Parkville, Mel-bourne,-related a story ol wonderful experience. Many moil have licen caught by machinery as ho was. hut few have escaped in tell the tale. Lying in his 1 :( .,| ot the Melbourne Hospital calmly leading a booh, Mr G roen looked none tin* worse for what ho hod boon through. A few clavs ago lie was workingGl the enarh factory of Keep Bros and %ood, in West Melbourne, and while standing near the shaft of the machinery portion of his clothing was caught on the coupling. It was spinning around at 30U revolutions to tln* minute, hut Mr Green maintained his presence ol mind. As a gymnast of long experience, he applied one of the first rules of the gymnasium when on the horizontal bar going through "the forward turn”lie gripped the shaft with both hands, and "followed hi-, thumbs around.” Over and over -lie was whirled, hut he Wils able—owing to his experience on tin' horizontal bar- to use his weight against the pull of the shall, and so tear his clothing. IL I was successful, ami every garment was wrenched off. Then he loosened his grip ol the shafting, and secured a hold of a piece ol quartering used as a hanger above the shaft, and clung until the machinery was stopped. Quietly hoisting himself to a plank running across the machinery, he rested. All that was left ol his clothes were a piece of his underpants around his knee, with an elastic hand, his hoots and socks. His injuries were merely bruises on the arms nd I*£*. Thotigh Mr Green did not lose his presence of mind, he cannot remember how lie managed to soif’.e the quartering, and how he climbed to the plank where his fellow-workmen found him. "The thought that pa.ssed through ia\- mind when ! was whirling around, lie said, "was that I would not see one of our men whose leg had been broken. I had arranged to pay him a visit, hut : 1 might. 'Boor old Jack, 1 won’t see o i tn night.’