Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-10-21
SHOCKED OUT OF PROPERTY.
How Stray Electric Current Caused
Some odd Doings in Front of n
Newark Church.

Fenced off by neat iron railing from
the most crowded portion of Market
street stands the Central Methodist
furniture store Between the railing
and the furniture store the casual OBJ
server would not be likely to perceive
any particular connection, but on Sat
urday evening there was q decided con.
nection which, although not visible to
the material eye, made itself manifest in
the most startling and unmistakable
manner. The furniture man had an
electric light hung over the door OF his
store. The wires conveying electricity
to the lamp hang down the side of the
building and run through several iron
rings behind the signboard. These
rings are fastened to an iron beam.
which rests on iron posts, and the latter
join the fence in front of the quiet look
ing Methodist church. 1t appears that
the covering Of the wires 10y some means
was worn of OF the iron rings through
which they pass and the electric fluid
passed into the iron beams and thence
to the fence. A few minutes after the
current WIS turned on on Saturday
evening this innocent looking fence was
converted into first class galvanic bat
terry. Then an old gentleman came
along. He was venerable looking man
and one of Newark's most reputable
citizens. For moment he stopped in
front of the sacred edifice and leaned
against the inviting railing. The next
instant he uttered a wild whoop and
danced around the pavement while his
hat rolled into the gutter.
"It's disgracetul for an old man like
that to be drunk" said a passer by.
And IN front of church, too, add
ed another.
I'll go and get policeman, said a
butchers boy in white apron, as a
crowd began to collect. The boy started
of and the old man tried to explain.
Several men seized the railing to test
the truth OF his statement, and thew.
too, commenced to Jump and cavort
around the pavement, while the air be-
came suggestive of sulphur. Just then
the policeman arrived.
"Ah, what's this ?" he exclaimed. IA
fight? And in the public street. Who
commenced this -
at vos the old gent" said the butch
er's boy.
ut was the fence, explained the old
gentleman, Indignantly.
You've been drinking, sir, said the
guardian OF the peace, sternly. "Why
don't you keep sober ? You ought to
be at home in the bosom of your family
instead of galIivantin' around the streets
as tight as tom cat.
AT this point number of men whose
character could not be doubted inter
fered and vouched for the truth of the
aged party's statement. The policeman
glngeriy touched the fence with his club.
and that self-same moment the club
went whirling around at the end of his
electrified arm, while the crowd scattered
on all sides to avoid contact with it.
Eureka.
An operator of the Mutual Union
Telegraph Company, attracted by the
crowd, came forward and proved in a
few words that the cause of all the trou-
bic was the electricity which had been
grounded IN the fence. The crowd of
n least two hundred persons patiently
waited and enjoyed the fun as each new
arrival touched the charmed railing.
There was loud laugh as each member
OF the church choir passed through the
gate, and then executed a pas seal on
the sward inside. The current of cleo
trlcity was turned off at ten o'clock.
The grounding of the same wire with
a wire of the Mutual Union telegraph
Company few moments before caused
telegraph instrument in the office of
the company to partially melt and set
lire to keyboard. -NeU York Herold.