This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: PULTE, SCHMIDT Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kFB.2ACE/4226 Message Board Post: THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Fri., Oct. 15, 1909, Pg. 10, Col. 1, Art. 1 PLUNGES TO DEATH John SCHMIDT Falls Down Elevator Shaft at City Hall SKULL IS CRUSHED Nightwatchman Uses Lift Contrary to Orders Dead Man Leaves Widow and Eight Children Who Are in Straightened Circumstances. Lying in a pool of blood on the top of the elevator at the city hall the lifeless body of John SCHMIDT, night watchman of the building, was found at an early hour this morning. Schmidt had committed the old mistake of walking into an open elevator shaft at the third floor and had plunged to the basement striking the car on his head and meeting instant death. He had made his last call over the A.D.T., service at 4 o'clock this morning and the big key with which he rang the boxes had fallen from his hand through into the car, showing that SCHMIDT met death in the faithful performance of his duty. SCHMIDT had been using the elevator during the night in going to the different floors to make calls. He left the elevator at the third floor and walked to the top floor to make his last call. Not being accustomed to the operation of the lift, it is believed that he failed to lock the lever. As a result the elevator gradually settled to the basement floor after SCHMIDT left it. This gave him [the] chance to walk into the dark open shaft when he returned. It was in disobedience of strict orders from both Ald. F.C. Steinmann, chairman of the building committee, and Supt. Joseph Hermann that he used the elevator to make his rounds. It has been a rule to allow no one to use the elevator except Leonard Semeyn, the regular conductor, but it seems that SCHMIDT disobeyed this injunction. Turned Water on Again. Mr. Semeyn declared this morning that he turned off the water pressure at 9 o'clock when he left the building after the committee meetings last night. This morning both valves were found to be turned on, showing that SCHMIDT had brought the elevator into service to save walking up and down the stairs. The elevator shaft at the basement floor was not padlocked and it is said that employees have not been in the habit of locking it recently. The discovery of the body of the unfortunate man was made at 6:45 this morning by H. Klassen, one of the janitors and he at once notified Coroner LeRoy and Mr. Steinmann. The body was lying with the feet and legs extended upward and against the side of the shaft and head down. The whole top of the skull was crushed in, indicating that SCHMIDT had fallen squarely on his head. Coroner LeRoy ordered the body removed to the morgue of Stein & Alt on West Bridge street. Only last June Mr. SCHMIDT received the appointment as night watchman of the city hall. He was put in to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of Mr. Herrmann to the superintendency of the building. He broke down completely when notified of his appointment being overjoyed at securing the place. He declared at the time that he was much in need of the position on account of his large family. Had Lost Everything. At one time he was well-to-do, having bought out the department store formerly owned by Ald. Fred R. Dodge on Plainfield avenue. He met with financial reverses, however, and his fortune had been lost before he secured a place as an employee of the city. SCHMIDT was fifty-four years of age. Coroner LeRoy made a thorough investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the case and decided an inquest is unnecessary as SCHMIDT plainly met death accidentally. Ald. Steinmann notified Matthew SCHMIDT, a brother of the dead man, and he in turn broke the news to the widow. Besides the widow there are eight children at the little home, 71 Page street, the oldest of whom is a daughter, twenty-two years old. Four of the children are now holding responsible positions with different firms in the city. SCHMIDT also left three brothers in this city, August P., Matthew and Anthony S. [F.], and a sister, Mrs. August PULTE, of Gainesville, Tex. THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sat., Oct. 16, 1909, Pg. 7, Columns 4&5, Article 1 WALKED INTO OPEN ELEVATOR SHAFT John SCHMIDT, Night Watchman At City Hall, Found Dead On Top Of The Car. With the skull crushed, the dead body of John SCHMIDT, night watchman at city hall was found on top of the elevator in the building yesterday morning. SCHMIDT had evidently used the lift to reach the third floor where he was obliged to pull some night watch service boxes and left the elevator door open. During his absence the water in the hydraulic cylinder had receded allowing the car to descend. When the watchman returned he walked off into the shaft and alighted on his head on top of the car, dashing out his brains and killing him instantly. Although Smith [SCHMIDT] had received strict orders to climb the stairs while at work, it is evident he disobeyed this instruction and used the machine to avoid the walk. Smith [SCHMIDT] had several boxes on the different floors of the building to pull. The office of the night watch service say that the last pull was made from the top floor at 4 o'clock yesterday morning. The body was found by H. Klassen, a janitor, when he came to work at 6:45. Coroner LeRoy was notified and concluded no inquest was necessary. It was explained the elevator will descend if the starting lever is not placed in exactly the correct position, as to leave this lever to one side or the other causes the valves to remain open far enough to destroy the compression of the water which escapes through a waste pipe leaving the car to fall from its own weight. SCHMIDT was 54 years of age. He is survived by a widow and eight children. The residence is at 71 Page street. Besides the immediate family, three brothers and one sister also survive. Funeral arrangements have not been announced. THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sun., Oct. 17, 1909, Pg. 5, Column 4, Obit. 4 John SCHMIDT The funeral of John SCHMIDT, the city hall night watchman who Friday met his death by falling down the elevator shaft, will be held at St. Alphonsus church Monday morning at 9 o'clock. Interment is to be in Mt. Calvary cemetery.