Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-12

a time no one dared to 60 near. Alineman
WAS asked why he did not 90 mp. he
simply said TITS no use; he's dead. l
don't know the electric wires. ! CAM
help him. / was on another pole ana Don
know anything about IT," All TINS was
said in a catching. hating voice "a OF
man completely overcome by MS com
rade's death. At last long LADDER
was taken from an engine-house
and elevated 10 the fatal network
The ladder remained there all OF fifteen
minutes before a man bold enough 20
ascend il was found. When be .sppesreu
his hands and arms were encased ID long
rubber gloves. He carried IN immense
pair of shears. Slowly he assembled the
ladder. carefully he picked his way
through the wires until he reached the
fourth cross piece. Then he threw his leg
over the cross-piece, resting his left ioot
upop "A croas-picce below. tarefuiiy ne
raised his right hand and shipped the wire
near the dead mans face. As the
wire fell below The crowd scattered;
In an instant sparks of fire followed
bv puhs Of smoke flew from the
dead mans nose and from ms calcined
wrists. 4 second wire fell, curling among
it's fellows along Chambers street. A thifd
wire was cut. The end flew from the nest
10 the northwest corner OF Chambers anu
Centre streets, striking policeman on thc
head ard. curling him up with pam.
fourth wire fell 10 tine street. Then the
liyid hand dropped n foot, resting upon
another wire Another snip and the e!e-
waited head fell limp and lifeless, exposing
the CHASTITY features TO those upon the east
side Of Centre street. Before cutting
rome had been passed over the cross-plece
and carefully knotted around the dead
mans body. new wire interviewed. inns
was cut. Meantime asecOnd volunteer WITH
ont rubber gloves had mounted the cross
piece and assisted in lowering the body.
The whole side 81 the mans face Was
burned away, exposing his teeth. ms
wrist was cut 20 the bone. and the blood
was dripping from both face and wrists.
Coroner Schultsc took charge of the body.
Deputy-COrOner jenkins, who has VII
messed some horriiying sights during his
official career. said that this spectacle was
the most CHASTITY he had ever seen. lie
was Oh the scene while the efforts were
being made to get the body down and at
forwards viewed the body The wire, ne
said. which cut through the lineman's
cheek. had evidently burned clear INTO
thecheek- bone The burn in the throat nad
severed the wndpipe and many muscles
and veins Just below the Adam : apple.
II the man had remained suspended IN 'ue
air much longer the head would nave peeh
completely severed from the body. " From
ported in the network wires,' he added.
~ can conceive just how the accident
happened. The man had evidently Just
placed himself in position to go to work
by swinging one leg over The, cross beam
running parallel with Chambers street,
where he met his death. He had reached
ont and grasped the wire which gave him
the deadly shock This was rs | under
stand It, the fire department telegraph wire
,..l,.I, ,,.oa ev,-cal Inc an elect fullf WIRE
AT some distant point. The shock may or
NAV not have killed him instantly, but 1t
certainly rendered him unconscious go that
his face fell forward on the other wires
The Mavor's private secretary. on learn
ING the particulars of the dreadful aeci-
dent. made - statement of them TO Mayor
Grant. who was sick at his home. HI,
Honor replied IN % note ordering that all
dangerous wires be Immediately. taken
down. and this order was sent to the cleo
trical expert Of the Board of Electrical
Control 20 execute.