New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-12
THE DEADLY ELECTRIC WIRE.
IT KILLS A LINEMAN IN BROADWAY.
HE CUTS THE ISsULAToE IN SOME WAY AND
FATAL CIRCUIT is MADE.

HE CUTS THE INsULAroE IN SOME WAY AND
FATAL CIRCUIT is MADE.
One more name was added yesterday to the list OF
victims OF the electric light wires Thomas II. Mur-
ray, lineman In the employ Of the Brush Electric
Light Company, killed while handling a wire az
No., 616 Broadway. Murray was trouble hunter,'
one whose duties consisted of inspecting the wircs for
breaks and looking for places which needed repair.
Murrays circuit took In Elizabeth and Broome SITS. and
part of Broadway between Howard and Eighth SITS.
The wires tested every morning and II trouble Is
discovered the line trouble hunter Is ssnt out
to look for IT There is always less leakage
on wet days and yesterday there was trouble on
Murrays circuit Tho leakage not being great the
urront turned superintendent McGrath, OF the
Brush Company. said that Murray was aware that his
circuit had had tho current turned on, before he
started to look for the break yesterday Whether the
unfortunate lnemsn forgot not will never be Known
Murray was scnt out just before 10 o'clock He
found no break along his line Ho climbed . pole
Just south of Houston-st but found the wires all
right. His investigation led him 20 tho four-story
building, Nos. e16 and els Broadway, into which two
wires Of the company On the second floor is tho
wholesale clothing store of Bicrman Heidelberg Co.
Murray got permission from tho clorks to examine tho
wires, which were fastened 10 the sign Just outside
the front window. few minutes later one Of the
clerks noticed curl OF blue smoke from where Murray
was supposed TO be working Hs paid no attention to
IL until some one remarked that the electric light man
long time at his work Thercupon Joseph
Ocker one Of the clerks went to the window. He
Mortified TO find Murray ging stone dead, face down
ward on the broad cornice. His feet were partly
within the open window. AS ocker turned the body
look at the dead lnemans right hand told the
story Of his death From the tip Of the little finger to
tho wrist the flesh was burned away and the bones
were scorched and blackenod.
Near tho dead mans face swung the fatal wire There
hrea In fhe Inc ulatn ats I.l tbraa
inches long 1t was burned and biackened. Tho
copper wire was bright, II the break had been only
recently made. Tho dead mans body Was taken to
the Mulberry-st police station stretcher and
Coroner Levy took charge OF the case He wae about
thirty nve years DID, lived at No. 4o Madison-st, and
leaves wifo and two small children, boy and girl
There strange features about the lineman's
death. superintendent McGrath said that Murray's
carelessncss alone could have caused his DEATH no
knew the wre live ono. Mr. McGrath said :
The lineman evidently knelt the cornce took
hold Of the wire with his pincers. 1t was an iron
cornce, painted, which he probably mistook for .
wooden conce. As the pincers cut through
the iusulator and came in contact with tho wire the
circuit through the handles of the pncers and the
metallic cornlce complete. cannot imagine
why he wanted to cut the wire the insulator, for
there was apparently need for it, wo provide all
nnemen with rubber gloves. No gloves plncers
either found Murray. ! cannot tell why he
did not have his gloves. The pincers might have
fallen from his grasp into the street. been picked up and
Carried Off by a passcrby.'
Another theory was that Murray had attempted to
step on the window sill. It was SO high that he
graspcd the wire with his plncers to aid him and
without his intending It the implement cut through
the nsuator down to the deadly copper. Still another
belief is that Murray WAS ignorant OF the fact that
the current had been turned on. ..,--n--.