FOLLOWED HIS THUMBS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17221, 11 August 1921, Page 8

FOLLOWED HIS THUMBS.

MAN'S REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

! Attributing to gymnastic training-to j escape from a violent death, Mr ftanl I Green, a machinist, of Parkville,'Meli bourne, related a story of wonderful experience. <\|li T ''' Many men have been caughe'if'eiaachinefy as he was, but few" hare eecaped to tell the tale. Lying to bis i bed at the Melbourne Hospital calmly reading a book, Mr Green looked none the worse for what he bad been through. A few days ago be was working at the coach factory of Keep Bros. and Wood; in West Melbourne, and while standing near the shaft of tie machinery portion of his clothing wan caught on the coupling. It was spinning around at about 300 revoluttone to the minute, but Mr Green maintained his pre erico of 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"—be grip; ped the shaft with both hands, and "followed his thumbs around.'/. I Over arid over he was whirled, bat he was able—owing to hj» experience on the horizontal bar—to use his weight against the pull of .the shaft, awTsp tear his clothing. He was successful, and every garment was wrenched" o»« j Then he loosened his grip of thesbafV . ing, and secured a hold of ft piece? el quartering used as a hanger above tM shaft, and clung until the machinery was stopped. Quietly hoisting himaut to a plank running across the mechh* ery, he rested. All .that was leftr of hij clothes were a piece of his underpants around his knee, with an elastic band, his boots and.socks. His nv j pries were merely bruises on tbe anna and legj. , ! Though Mr, Green did not lose to j presence of mind, he cannot remember bow he managed to seise tbe .quarter- [ ing, and how lie climbed to tbe plank i where his* fellow-workmen found him. 1 "The thought that passed through my mind when I was whirling around," he said, "was that I would net fee one of our men whose leg had been broken. I had arranged to pay him a, viwt, but thought. 'Poor old Jack, I won't see j you to-night.'" -