The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-05
THD DEADLY BLErRIC WIRE.
A Horrible Scene In New York-A Horse
Roasted to Deat-His Driver Thrown aud
n Policeman KnonkNt SenRalasa

A Horrible Scene In New YOrk-A Hors
Roasted to Deat-His Driver Thrown an'
RPoliGemRn Knocked senseleSs,
New YoRE, Nov, 4,-An electric ligh
current this morning roasted a horse Il
death, threw the driver to the street ant
knocked police sergeant senseless. Al
in the Feeks case, the deadly curren
was carried TO its victims through a tele
phone wire, A big pole carrying mum
berless wires stands on Fourth avenue
near the corner Of Twenty.eighth street
Some time near o'clock this morning
one Of the wires-a telephone line-iel
70 the street and formed loop across
the down track OF the Fourth Avenue
railroad, Soon after 1t fell Thomas
IWhelan, driver OF Herald delivery
wagon, came along, The horse stepped
on the apparently harmless wire and
came to halt, and then sprang aside
and fell, The jolt to the vehicle threw
Whelan TO the street, and when he arose
10 his feet he received q shock which
threw him PROSTATE into the gutter. Re.
gaining his feet again the driver under.
took TO raise the horse, but AZ soon as he
touched tue animal another shock passed
through him, He then comprehended
the cause and lay still. Citizens attract
Cd to the scene noticed flashes OF blue
flame emitting from the PROSTATE animal.
The flashes came from all parts OF the
horses body, and the smell OF burning
flesh was perCep.ible half a block away.
Whelan was assisted to his feet, but
tue horse was given q wide berth, Que
man ran to the Thirty,tilth street police
station aud reported the matter and
Sergeant Albert Macdonald and Rounds.
man Thomas Cassidy hurried to tue
scene. They saw the animal still emit.
ting sparks Of lire, and calling out all
the reserves a guard was established at
points sufficiently far from the roasting
animal 70 warn all waylarers from near
ing the fatal spot. Sergeant MacDon-
aid undertook 20 find the deadly wire
and in making turn around the wagon,
he came In contact with 1t IN the dark.
ness. The wire struck him in the fore.
head and he fell TO the pavement sense.
less % though lie had been shot,
Roundsman Cassidy went to the rescue
Of his stricken commander, and when
he caught hold Of the Sergeant's leg he
received shock which compelled him
10 release his hold. A second effort was
more successful, and soon after being
carried to the sidewalk the sergeant
slowly recovered his senses. His head
was covered with blood and above bis
brow was the print OF the wire, while
beside 1t was q cash evidently oCcasioned
by the fall. He was daEed and almost
helpless, so that he was obliged to 20
home.
About5 o'clock, up TO which time the
horse continued to roast, 1t occurred 10
some one 10 send to the Manhattan EleC.
lic Light Compapy's shop In West
rWenty.ffth street, Foreman knight
and two llnemen visited the scene, wear.
ing rubber boots and gloves and found
the deadly wire on the end Of which the
horses body lay. They pulled 1t down
from the pole and travel was resumed
alter the horse had been dragged OIL tue
track. A deep iurrow was burned in
the animals back. Efforts made TO
find the point where the wire crossed
the electric transmitter were of no avail.