The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-08-30
DEADLY ELECTRICITY.
1t Gets IN Its Swift and Sure Work
Yesterday.
Franks of the Subtle Fluid Sunday
Mornlng-A Whole Kitchen
Suddenly Charged.

Yesterday about noon, Edmund Ramey,
colored porter at Mr.. John B. Neff's
Iron Front saloon, was sent upstairs to
wash the rear windows.
The second story of the building ex.
tends back about eighty feet, while the
lower one, in which is the billiard hall,
runs through to the ally, near the Driskill
hotel.
Ramey, on going upstairs, went out on
the roof of the billiard hall with small
step ladder, and proceeded to wash the
window glass.
He was gone some time. Ia fact much
longer than was necessary to accomplish
the task he was detailed TO do, and his
services being needed down stairs an
other porter in the establishment was
sent for him.
He went up stairs, and going out on the
roof of the billiard hall was astounded and
Mortified at finding Ramey lying on the
roof stone dead but still warm.
He gave the alarm and at once the
news spread and an eager crowd was soon
gathered on the premises, all eager to see
the victim and hear the particulars of the
electric tragedy, the first serious one to
occur in this city.
An investigation of all the surroundings
| led to the belief that while Ramey was
washing the window through which the
electric wire attached to the fan motor
passes, he accidentally touched 1t and his
death was instaneous.
There was no outcry, no call for assist
ance, no struggle, no anything but awful,
sure, swift silent death.
The deathdealing wire was one of the
patent insulated ones, but the covering
had been saturated by the rains, destroy
ing the insulation, and the moment the
unfortunate man touched it his death fol-
lowed then and there.
He either caught,or accidentally touched
the wire with his right hand, three fingers
of which were badly burned, the little one
entirely through the bone, and it was left
hanging by small piece of skin.
Edmund Ramey was brother to little
Mary Ramey, who was so cruelty assassi-
mated in this city just about two years
ago.
His mother, who was wounded
the night of Mary's death, is still
living but has never recovered from the
shock and the wounds of that terrible
night of blood.
Coroner Calhoun was called yesterday
and viewed the body of the deceased and
to-day will hold the inquest He was as
tonished as was everyone else at the hot
feeling of the body and it remained in
that condition for long time.
ANOTHER ELECTRIC PRANK.
| Sunday morning early the colored cook,
old Uncle Jack Spann, at Mrs. Holleys
boarding house on East Sixth street, en-
tered the kitchen and proceeded to get
breakfast.
The apartment is lighted with an in
candescent electric light and about the
time Uncle Jack thought he had the meal
comfortably cooked he happened to step
Immediately under the festive little
burner and in trice he was prostrated to
the floor.
He was suddenly knocked down and lay
where he fell as if dead.
Mr.. Jim Holley, standing in the dining
room, saw him fall, and ran to his assist
ance, but no sooner did he step on the
kitchen floor than he too was sent sprawl
ing down upon it. Jim managed to get
up and raised the alarm, and DR.. L. B.
johnson was sent for.
By this time the stove, the cooking
utensils and the entire kitchen was COM
pletely electrified, and sparks and flashes
of flame we're dartiDg in every direction.
Doctor johnson arrived in a few minutes
and when he stepped into the kitchen, re-
ceived severe shock.
He, with Others about the house, how
ever, managed to get Uncle Jack out of
the kitchen, and the doctor after some
time, restored him to consciousness, but
it was several hours before he could walk,
and up to last night, he had not fully re-
covered.
The able electrician was called by tele-
phone and hurried up from the dynamo
works. He found the kitchen still under
the control of the electric fluid. He also
found that the wires leading across the
street were having time of it sending
bright flashes along each other, and
altogether the electric current seemed to
turn itself loose and was out on lark in
the rain and murk of the Sabbath morn
ing.
The trouble was caused by an arc light
wire getting across the incandescent wire
leading into Mrs. Holly's kitchen.
For some time after the trouble was re
moved the kitchen furniture was still cleo
trified, and it was impossible to pick up
the coffee pot or other metal articles with
out being shocked.
1t may not be smiss to call the attention
of the electric light company to the ebso-
lutte necessity of q daily inspection OF
their wires in all parts of the city, and it
is a duty the company owes the public to
so arrange them that By no possible
chance will they come IN contact with
either the incandescent or telephone wires