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EISENSTEIN, Hyman

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/genealogy92996
Collection
Saint John Jewish Historical Museum Synagogue Records
Material Type
textual record
Archival / Genealogical
Genealogy Records
Collection
Saint John Jewish Historical Museum Synagogue Records
Material Type
textual record
Name of Father
father in Warsaw
Additional Family
1 sister
Date of Death
May 9, 1906
Place Where Deceased
New Brunswick, Canada
Cemetery
Shaarei Zedek Cemetery
Age at Time of Death
17 years
Notes
OBITUARIES: Saint John Globe, May 11, 1906 Minor Local Matters The inquest into the death of Himan Eisenstein will be held Tuesday night next. Saint John Globe Wednesday, May 16, 1906, page 5 Investigating the Elevator Accident Official Inquiry Into the Death of Hyman Eisenstein The inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Hyman Eisenstein last Wednesday was begun by Coroner D.E. Berryman on Tuesday. Eisenstein, it will be remembered lost his life by being crushed in the elevator shaft in Messrs. D. Ashkins and Company's establishment on Dock Street. Michael McMinniman, an employee of Messrs. R. Sullivan and Company, told of finding the deceased's body. He described the elevator in the building, that by which Eisenstein was killed was, he said of the hand purchase variety. It had no railing around it and he did not think the approaches to the shafts were guarded. William Muskkat explained what the duties of Eisenstein had been. The deceased, he said, had told him a day or so after beginning work that he had seen electric elevators in Russia and the witness believed Eisenstein had some knowledge of elevators. Muskkat stated further that the Ashkins elevator had been in good working order so far as he knew. Two sides of the shaft were guarded on each floor, one by means of a chain, the other by a permanent railing. The other sides were not guarded. Rev. Dr. Rabinowitz testified that he knew deceased and that the young man had been buried with Jewish rites. The inquest was then adjourned until Friday, June 1st when Abraham Bernstein and a man named Dunker will give evidence. The Daily Telegraph Thursday, May 10, 1906 Neck Caught By Elevator, Jew Lad Meets Awful Death Shocking Accident in D. Ashkin's Clothing Establishment in Dock Street Young Man, in the Country Only a Few Weeks, Found Hanging by His Neck, Life Crushed Out By Platform of Elevator - Leaves Sister and Blind Father at Home - Co-Religionists Keep Vigil Over Body in Morgue His neck pinched between the edges of the elevator and floor, a young Russian Jew strangled to death within the course of a very few minutes in a Dock Street clothing establishment, a little after 6 o'clock last evening. Nobody saw the fatality and when discovery was made, the sight was harrowing. Limp and motionless beneath the elevator floor was the body. Above, and pressed sharply back was the head. The eyes were open. The fatality occurred in the clothing manufacturing house of David Ashkins, No. 36 Dock Street. The dead youth is so far as could be learned had no relatives in the city. He was known as Himan or Hyman Eisenstein and arrived about three weeks ago from Warsaw, Russia. Soon after landing he obtained employment with Mr. Ashkins and bore the reputation of being industrious and ambitious. The Discovery The clothing manufacturing rooms are on the two upper stories of the brick building, unheated, about mid-way along Dock Street. In the rear is the elevator which is used for freight and worked by hand. Himan was seen about the rooms until six o'clock. About ten minutes later, one of the workmen who was busy upstairs heard a shout from the direction of the yard, and hurrying down to investigate got a glimpse of a face in the elevator shaft. It was Himan's face and distorted with agony. The alarm had been given by Michael McMinniman, an employee of a neighbouring commercial house. He had entered the yard in the rear of Ashkin's premises and through the doorway of the shaft saw a man's body hanging eight or nine feet from the ground. With some difficulty the victim was extricated, placed on the elevator and lowered to the bottom. The lad was lifeless. Collar and tie had been crushed against his throat and under the chin were livid bruises showing where he had been caught in such a deadly grip. Dr. E.J. Broderick and Coroner D.E. Berryman were summoned and after a cursory inquiry, permission was given to remove the body, which was conveyed to the morgue. The coroner said that he would in all probability hold an inquest. Just how the young man came to be caught can only be conjectured. It is thought, however, that he was standing by the edge of the elevator shaft on the first floor above : that he had started to pull the elevator up by means of the ropes, and that when it came flush with the floor on which he was standing he tried to stop it and that as it continued to steadily ascend, he leaned across endeavouring to pull it down, and not releasing his hold, was drawn up. Was Rejoicing in British Freedom The deceased, who was about twenty years old, leaves a sister and blind father in Russia. He boarded with M. Cohen in Acadia Street. His departure from Russia, it is said was fraught with many dangers and frequently since his arrival in this city he was heard to say that he hardly knew how to be sufficiently thankful for living in a free land. The accident, particularly its ghastly features, was a painful shock to the Jewish community in the North, most of whom had become acquainted with the young fellow. The relatives in Russia will be notified at once. There were two watchers beside the body in the morgue all last night. An aged Hebrew, the janitor of the synagogue and a co-religionist shared this vigil. A lantern was hung on the wall near the head of the corpse and on the slab at the right two wax candles were kept burning. It is a dreary place at any time and the unusual brightness seemed to accentuate the gloom of the surroundings. All night, the janitor was bent over the candles for the benefit of the light reading a religious work in the Hebrew tongue while the other paced backwards and forwards near the closed door. The Daily Sun Thursday, May 10, 1906, page 10 Young Hebrew met Horrible Death Here Hyman Eisensteil was Caught Between Elevator Platform and a Beam and His Life Crushed Out last Night - Came From Russia a Few Weeks Ago and Was Employed by David Ashkins & Co. Hyman Eisensteil early last evening was killed in an elevator shaft in D. Ashkins & Co.'s clothing store on Dock Street. The accident which caused the young man's death happened a few minutes after six o'clock. No one was near at the time and the first to discover the body was Michael McMennimon, an employee of R. Sullivan & co. McMennimon was driving his team into the alley which leads to the rear of both Ashkin's and Sullivan's establishments when he made the discovery. The elevator shaft can be seen through a door leading from the alley and as McMennimon looked through the door he saw a body dangling in the air. He was horrified at the sight and immediately shouted for help. A man came out from Nugent's saloon on hearing the shout and the two, with the aid of Officer Sullivan, lowered the elevator and took the body from its perilous position, thinking that possibly life might not be entirely extinct, but it was of no avail, as the man was quite dead. The body was hanging about 8 or 10 feet above the first floor with the head and arms pinned between the platform of the elevator and the beam of the second floor. Dr. Addy and Dr. Broderick were immediately telephoned for, as well as Coroner Berryman. When the latter arrived the body was still warm, but there was no sign of life. By order of Coroner Berryman the body was removed to the dead house. An hour or more passed before a team could be found to convey the body there. In answer to the call for an ambulance, word came back that the ambulance was not used for the conveyance of dead people. Finally a passing express wagon was hailed and the body conveyed to the morgue. This is another case which well illustrates the need for a patrol wagon. Just how the accident happened will never be known as there were not witnesses to the tragedy. His employer in answer to questions from Dr. Berryman said that the deceased was not in the habit of working after six o'clock, and did not know what he would be doing unless he was taking up some wood with which to kindle the fire in the morning. On examination it was found that he had brought in some wood and placed it near the hatchway on the first floor. The elevator is of the ordinary freight type, and is worked by hand by means of a rope and a heavy drop weight. The rope with which the elevator is worked is on the left and the hatchway is on the right. It is supposed that Eisensteil unfastened the rope and then walked around to the right, intending to throw the wood on the elevator and take it up. On coming around to the right it is thought that the elevator was ascending and Eisensteil, anxious to stop it, caught it with his hands and instead of letting go, clung on and when the elevator reached the second floor he was pinned between the floor and the platform. This is the only plausible theory that can be advanced. To prove that the elevator would ascend with a man's weight on it, Coroner Berryman placed the body on it, and when started went right to the top. According to the rites of the Jewish church [sic] when any one dies some one must remain with the body until buried. The Coroner not wishing to interfere with any of their ceremonies, allowed two men to remain with the body. The two, Hyman Jacobson and J. Komiensky, provided themselves with candles and commenced their vigil. About ten o'clock they were relieved by Oloben Zultzman and Mr. Bedodie, who will remain until morning when they in their turn will be relieved, as the body must be watched both day and night. Eisensteil, who is about seventeen or eighteen years of age, came to the city about four weeks ago from Warsaw and like all other Hebrews experienced some difficulty in leaving Russia. He leaves a father in Warsaw and a little sister. These are the only near relatives who are living. He was greatly pleased with the freedom of this country and only a few days ago expressed himself to this effect. He intended in the near future to bring his father, who is blind, and his sister to this city out of reach of the oppression of the Russians. He boarded at M. Cohen's, 28 Acadia Street and shortly after reaching the city went to work with D. Ashkin's and Co., where he came to his untimely death. Coroner Berryman did not decide last evening whether or not an inquest would be held, but will decide this morning. The Daily Sun Friday, May 11, 1906. page 10 Coroner Decides to Hold Inquest Jury yesterday Viewed the Remains of the Young Hebrew Killed on Wednesday Night Coroner Berryman decided yesterday morning that an inquest should be held into the case of the young Hebrew, Hyman Eisensteil, who was crushed Wednesday afternoon. Accordingly the following jury were summoned : Chas A. Clark, William Hatfield, Harry Ervin, Oxley Merritt, LeB. Wilson, Charles Damery (foreman), and Geo. C. Hunter and were swoen in at four o'clock yesterday afternoon. Afterwards, under charge of Marshal Coughlan, the jury viewed the body and decided that an inquest should be held on Tuesday evening in the Court House at eight o'clock, when two or three witnesses will be summoned. Immediately after the jurymen had viewed the body, the coroner gave permission to a number of deceased's compatriots to remove the body. A burial permit was at once obtained and the body removed from the morgue where it had remained ever since Wednesday afternoon. The body of the dead man was zealously guarded from the time it was first placed in the morgue until it was removed, two of his co-religionists being always on guard. The two whom remained throughout the night had a lonely vigil and not altogether a comfortable one. No fire was lit in the building and the wind blew outside with a wintry fierceness. In the morning the two guards were found, sitting by a bottle of water and a piece of bread from which they were making a frugal meal. The Daily Sun Wednesday, May 16, 1906, page 5 Jury Not Satisfied Inquiry Concerning Young Jew's Death Begun And Adjourned for Further Evidence - Dead Boy's Employer Testified Last Night Coroner Barryman and the jury empanelled a few days to enquire into the cause of the death of Hyman Eisenstein, a young Hebrew, who was killed in an elevator shaft at the rear of D. Ashkin's & Co.'s clothing store on Dock Street met in the court house last evening. Three witnesses were examined and the hearing was further postponed until Friday, the first day of June next at 3:30 p.m. Michael McMinnimon Michael McMinnimon was the first witness. McMinnimon called and sworn said 'I am a teamster in the employ of R. Sullivan & Co., Dock Street. I did not know the deceased. I use the alleyway. Sullivan occupies the basement and three stories. Goods go up on elevators. One is run by electricity, and one by hand. The one at the rear in the yard is run by electricity. The hand elevator is situated in the centre of the building. Both are used exclusively by R. Sullivan & Co. 'You get to the rear of Sullivan's store by passing through an alleyway. I was in that alleyway on the night in question about 6:15 to put my horse in the stable for the night. There is another elevator at the end of the building. I could see the elevator if the door was open. It was fastened on the inside. I shoved the door open about an inch and a half. I heard a voice on the street say there was a man caught in the elevator. I looked in and saw a man's body hanging from the elevator. I then ran upstairs. Another man was ahead of me. We both stepped onto the elevator. Someone lowered it and we pulled the body of the boy onto the elevator. 'It is a hand purchase elevator. It would go up if there was no weight on it, if started. It is a square platform floor with no railings around the platform. I don't know whether or not there is any railing to prevent anyone from stepping into the elevator shaft. I don't know who runs the elevator. I don't know when the elevator was built. The Sullivans do not use this elevator. The young man was hanging with his head and hands on the elevator and his body hanging down.' To the jury witness said : 'I could not say whether or not the elevator was locked. The boy was dead when I go there.' William Mushkat William Mushkat, called and sworn said : 'I am a clothier manufacturer and do business on Dock Street. I have been there for ten months. 'Hyman was in my employ. He had been with me about two weeks and a half. He was running a sewing machine. He was in good health as far as I know,' continued the witness. 'He had been here about 3 or 4 weeks. He could not talk English at all. I remember the day he was found dead. He was supposed to be through work at 6 o'clock. I could not say whether he knocked off on the night in question at his usual time. He was supposed to sweep the shop either in the morning or at night. He may have remained for that purpose that evening. 'I don’t know that there are elevators in Russia. I presume the deceased had seen an elevator in Russia. I have reasons to believe the boy had seen an elevator before he was employed by me. I took him with me the first or second day to help hoist some goods on the elevator and I asked him if he had ever seen an elevator before and he said he had in Russia. He had seen them working by electricity. The one I have is a hand elevator. It works all right and has since I remember. There is a check rope to stop it at each landing. If not checked it will go right up. It would not pull me up. The boy is lighter than I am. I should think he would weigh about 110 pounds. There is no railing around the floor of the elevator, no protection. On the first floor there is a chain rope on one side about 2½ feet from the floor. It hooks into the wall. In not hooked in it would not be any protection. On the east side there is a permanent railing. The north and south sides are open , no protection. It is guarded above as on the first floor.' Asked as to his theory of how the boy came to his death, witness said he could not understand it, and could not come to any conclusion. It was not deceased's duty to get kindling wood. It was the duty of the pressman. There was not reason that he should be about the elevator at that time of the evening. 'I have no reason to think anyone in my employ knew he was hanging there before he was discovered. On the night in question I had at first no idea what brought him there. Afterwards a young man drew my attention to his going without his coat and hat on and noticing a few sticks of wood on the platform of the elevator and also some on the ground floor. I thought he must have gone for kindling wood. I have had no reason to change my mind since. Three have the use of the elevator. Flood, another party and myself. The last to use it at night locks the door.' Samuel Rabinowitz Samuel Rabinowitz called and sworn said : 'I am a Jewish Rabbi, residing in St. John. I knew the young man who was killed. He was buried in this city under Jewish rites.' William Mushkat, recalled, said : 'I saw the body after death. I recognized the body as Hyman's.' Coroner Berryman, at this stage informed the jury gad had no other witnesses to call but expected to have Mr. McMulkin, the factory inspector present and give evidence as to whether or not the elevator was a modern one, but through illness Mr. McMulkin was unable to attend. The coroner then left it with the jury to say whether they wished to hear any further evidence in the case. After a few minutes deliberation on the part of the jury they decided that under the circumstances they would like to hear more evidence. It was their wish to hear what the pressman might have to say and others who were in the vicinity at the time of the accident. The hearing was then adjourned as above stated. Gravestone reference note: no stone.
Record Source
SJJHM Cemetery and Obituary Records
Fonds No.
SJJHM-S
File No.
233
Archival / Genealogical
Genealogy Records
Repository
Saint John Jewish Historical Museum
Less detail