A  61-year old furniture salesman was  pushed down the shaft
of a  freight elevator yesterday  in his  downtown Brooklyn store  by
two robbers  while a third attempted  to crush him  with the elevator
car because they were  dissatisfied with the  $1200 they had  forced
him to give them

The buffer springs at  the bottom of the shaft  prevented the
car from  crushing the salesman   John J Hug   after he was pushed
from the  first floor  to the  basement   The car  stopped about  12
inches above him as he flattened himself at the bottom of the pit

Mr Hug was pinned in the shaft for about  half an hour until
his  cries attracted  the attention  of a  porter   The store at 340
Livingston Street is part of the Seaman's Quality Furniture chain

Mr Hug was removed by members of the  Police Emergency Squad
and taken to Long Island  College Hospital  He was badly shaken but
after being treated  for scrapes  of his left  arm and  for a  spinal
injury was  released and  went home   He lives  at 62-01 69th  Lane
Maspeth Queens

He has worked  for seven years at the store on the corner of
Nevins Street and this  was the fourth time he  had been held up  in
the store  The last time was  about one year ago when his right arm
was slashed by a knife-wielding robber
 Who was in the store when the events  began
 Who was in the store during the attempt to kill Mr   Hug
 Who had the money at the end
 Is Mr Hug  alive today
   How did  Mr Hug  get hurt
   Where  is Mr   Hug's  home  
Does Mr Hug live in Brooklyn
 What  are the  names and addresses  of the robbers
 Was  Mr Hug conscious  after the robbers  left
   What would have  happened if Mr   Hug had not flattened
himself at the bottom of the pit  What would have happened  if there
 no buffer springs

Did Mr Hug want to be crushed

Did the robbers tell Mr Hug their names  Did the robbers
threaten Mr Hug
 Were the robbers present when the porter came

Did Mr Hug like the robbers and did they like him

  Why did  the robbers  leave without  killing Mr   Hug

What would  have happened  if Mr  Hug had  tried to  run
away
 What  can Mr Hug  do to  avoid this in  the future

Did Mr Hug know he was going to be robbed  Does he know
that he was robbed  Does he know whether he will be robbed again
 Was Mr Hug's right arm slashed before his left arm was
scratched
 How did the robber try to crush him with the car

Why did Mr Hug yell from the bottom of the elevator
shaft
 How long did the events take

What crimes were committed