ELLIOTT, Fred W.
Source: Indianapolis Times, 25 April 1934 p 1
Slowly rotting steel beams in the roof of the Richard Lieber Brewing Company, 1242 South West Street which collapsed yesterday killing one man and injuring 8 were given as the cause of the tragedy by JM Henry, city engineer who inspected the wrecked structure today. Examining pieces of the roof, Mr. Henry stated that sulphuric acid formed by the decomposition of cinders spread over the beams had caused the beams to sag and finally give way completely late yesterday. Mr. Henry stated that he had examined the building thoroughly and pronounced the undamaged part fit for workmen to continue the job of renovation. The part of the structure which collapsed, according to Mr. Henry was built in 1906.
The man who was killed when tons of debris buried him was Fred Elliott, 57, of 2203 North Harding Street, a carpenter. He was working on the second story of the building which was being remodeled when the roof buckled and crashed. His body was recovered in the basement after rescue squads had worked desperately for two hours in the hopes that Elliott might be alive.
The building trembled and shook before the collapse. Workmen fled toward exists. The injured men are:
John Winney, 56, Sunshine Gardens; Charles Milholland, 44 of 833 Lincoln Street; Thomas Fitzgerald, 48, Eastgate Hotel; Arthur Mitchell, 37 of 1531 Shepard Street; Charles Ebersole, 42 of 12 North Delaware Street; William Moody, 39, 713 West 13th Street and James Rooney, 48 of 1250 South Talbot Street. All except Moody and Ebersole were sent to city hospital. Dr. William E. Arbuckle, coroner, and William F. Hurd, city building commissioner, launched the investigations.
The Freyn Engineering Corporation of Chicago had complete charge of the remodeling, Richard Lieber, president of the brewery and former state conservation department director said: Elliott was born in Fillmore and came to this city as a boy. He is survived by the widow, Mrs. Claudy Elliott; a daughter, Mrs. Maxine Liebtag; a son, Byron Elliott; his mother; five brothers, a sister and a grandchild. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Mr. Lieber said that the collapse of the structure will delay production of beer at the brewery an addition month. - kbz
Source: Roachdale Times newspaper, Roachdale, Putnam County, Indiana 4/26/1934
Fred W. Elliott, 57, died Tuesday afternoon as a result of the collapse of the Richard Lieber Cold Storage building at the brewing plant in Indianpolis. He was a native of Fillmore and his wife was Miss. Claudia Heady. She survives along with a daughter Mrs. Maxine Liebtag and a son Byron. His mother, Mrs. Mary Elliott, as sister, Miss Iva Elliott and a brother Jesse Elliott, now live in Fillmore --- thanks so very much to Marilyn W. for sharing her Roachdale Times obituary collection - greatly appreciated !.