Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-18
Roasted in Mid-Air.

New York city is not unacquainted
with strange scenes and heart-rend-
| ing sights, but one of the most hor
rible spectacles ever witnessed occur
red there last Friday. John II. K.
Feeks.. a Western Union lineman,
went up pole fifty feet high at the
corner of Chambers and Centre streets
to adjust the wires. In stretching
forward either his chin or his hand
come i'm contact with a wire. The
current was completed. In an in
slant the man was dead His leg re-
manned over the crossbar, but his
feet chin and hands were elevated,
as though he had suffered mortal ag-
ony.
In fifteen minutes the wire had
burned off about half the mans face,
which was turned toward the side
walk. The left arm was also seen TO
be burning, and every few seconds
the blue flames spurted out from va
rious parts of the body. Hundreds Of
people stood shivering with horror as
thew looked at the awful sight over
head. For a time no one dared to go
near.
Lineman Benson was asked why he
did not 90 up. He simply said: Its
no use. He's dead. don't know the
electric wires. | can't help him. |
was on the other pole and don't know
ANYTHING about it," All this was said
in a catching, halting voice, as of q
man completely overcome by his COM
! rade's fate.
At last a long ladder was taken
from the engine house and elevated
to the fatal network. The ladder re-
manned there fifteen minutes before
man bold enough to ascend it was
found. When he appeared his hands
and arms were encased in long rub
her gloves. He carried an immense
pair of shears. Slowly ne ascendeo
the ladder, carefully he picked his
way through the wires until he reach
ed the fourth crosspiece. Then he
drew his leg over the crosspiece,
resting his left foot upon the cross
piece below. Carefully he raised his
right hand and shipped a wire near
the dead mans face. As the wire
fell. the crowd below scattered. In
an instant sparks of fire, followed by
puffs and smoke, flew from the
dead mans nose and from his calclned
wrists. A second wire fell curling
among its fellows along Chambers
street.
A third wire was cut. The end
flew from the east to the northwest
corner of Chambers and Centre
streets. striking a policeman upon
the head curling him up with pain.
The fourth wire fell to the street.
Then the livid hand dropped, the
foot resting upon another wire.
Another snip, and the elevated head
fell limp and lifeless, exposing the
CHASTITY features TO those upon the
east side of Centre street.
Before the cutting rope had been
passed over a crosspiece and care
fully knotted around the dead mans
body. A new wire interviewed rms
was cut. Meantime a second volun-
teer without rubber gloves had
mounted to the crosspieces and as
sisted in lowering the body. The
whole side of the mans face was
burned away, exposing his teeth:
His wrist was cut to the bone and
the blood was dripping from both
face and wrist. If the man had re-
manned suspended in the air much
longer the head would have been
completely severed from the body.
Coroner Schultze took charge OF
the body. Deputy Coroner Jenkins,
who has witnessed some horrifylng
sights during his official career, said
that this spectacle was the most
CHASTITY he had ever seen.