After seeing images of the old Citadel Building on the Marion Square in a January 2007 issue of Marion Living Magazine, Ms. Sharon DuPont of Johnston City wrote the magazine. She recounted the story about her uncle, Guy D. Hogan, who as a lad of three in 1919, fell down the elevator shaft located in the then active Marion State and Savings Bank building. The incident caused quite a stir in Marion.
Guy was born April 1, 1916 and passed away on September 20, 2004. He was 88 years old and assuredly always had his story to tell about his brush with death.
The following series of articles captures the story.
Child fails down elevator shaft, Three year old Guy D. Hogan drops from fourth floor of Marion State Bank Building, February 27, 1919
Three year old Guy D. Hogan stepped down the elevator shaft from the fourth floor of the Marion State Bank Building shortly after four o’clock Wednesday, and fell to the basement below. The little fellow was badly cut on the forehead and had a broken rib, but is where he will probably recover within a short time.
The boy is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hogan of Marion, and was in the elevator with his mother who were going to the office of Dr. M.W. Ballance on the fifth floor. There were two other ladies on the elevator, and one of these left on the fourth floor. The child saw her leave and followed her out of the car, after which the elevator conductor, Herbert Mosely, started on to the next floor. Before he had the door closed, the boy saw his mistake and ran back, but the car had already gone up and the boy stepped under the car and fell down the shaft.
That his fall was broken by striking power and light cables which hang under the car is shown by the fact that but one of his ribs was broken and that he received but a few scratches. The fall from the fourth floor to the concrete floor of the basement is one of 49 feet. William Walker, the janitor of the building was on the first floor when the incident happened and heard the little fellow cry when he struck the basement floor. He rushed down and carried him up with him and as he reached the first floor was met by the frightened mother and E. B. Jackson who was on the fourth floor at the time and called Dr. Norris and took him down with him.
All expected to find a mangled body but were surprised to find the child alive and had not lost consciousness. Further medical aid was called and also a nurse and the boy was taken home where on Thursday morning he was getting along in fine shape. Sam Hogan, father of little Guy, was a Coal Belt Electric Line conductor on the miner’s train until a few months ago when he gave up his place on account of sickness.
Babe falls five stories in elevator likely to recover
Marion, Illinois, February 27, 1919 —The three year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hogan of Marion, fell five stories down an elevator shaft yesterday evening at the Marion State and Savings Bank. The child sustained two gashes on the forehead and a broken rib, yet has every chance of recovery.
It is supposed that a gate to the shaft did not catch and that the baby opened it and fell down while his mother was in an office. The boy was found at the bottom of the shaft by the janitor.
Child who fell down shaft calls for his clothes
Guy, the three year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hogan of Marion, who took the sensation at tumbling down the elevator shaft at the Marion State and Savings Bank Wednesday afternoon, when he descended through space for a distance of 49 feet to the concrete basement below, apparently is none the worse for the accident, barring the cut head and broken rib. The child called for his clothing Friday morning and demanded plenty to eat.
R.S. Earl of Chicago, representing the Ocean Accident Guarantee Corporation, in which the Bank carried liability insurance, covering such accidents, was in Marion Friday investigating the accident.
Accident Company pays the damages
The Ocean Accident Guarantee Corporation, last Saturday, handed Mrs. Mae Hogan $1,750.00 as damages to her son, Guy Hogan, who was injured last February by falling down the elevator shaft in the Marion State and Savings Bank building.
The Bank carries insurance on all passengers, operators and others who have anything to do with the elevator or its machinery.
So while the suit had to be brought in the names of the Bank, the damages and all expenses were paid entirely by the accident insurance company.
Sam’s Notes: Earl B. Jackson was a cashier at the Marion State and Savings Bank and an extremely active Marion citizen who was then living at 407 S. Madison. Dr. M.W. Balance was a dentist who occupied room 53 in the bank building on the fifth floor. When the bank failed in 1930 and the building was converted to the Hotel State he moved his office over the F.W. Woolworth store in the 600 block of the square.
(Article extracted from Marion Living Magazine, March 2007)