New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-18
KILLED BY ELECTRIC SHOCK.
AN ITALIAN STRICKEN IN BROADWAY.

HE FELL FROM THE WINDOW WHICH HE WAo
CLEANING, GRAsPED AN ELECTRIC
LIGHT WIRE AND RECEIVED HIS
DEATH STROKE.
Another victim of the deadly electric light wires
was added yesterday to the list of those who
have been killed by them in this city This
time it Italian boOt-black who received
the fatal shock. lie BastianO l. Paldo,
twenty-four years old Of No 50 Mulberry-st.
For five six years he has had the privilege
of keeping boot backing stand under the steps
of the building at No 167 Broadway for which
he cleaned the windows and did other odd
jobs around the building. few minutes before
o'clock yesterday afternoon Paldo ordered
by the janitor to wash the windows of the Inter-
State National Bank, which is on the first floor
of the building just above " the Buffet Lunch
room, which is on the ground floor. Three large
electric light wires run into the building from
pole which stands in front of Benedict's jewelry
store, No l60 Broadway. About three feet from
the window which Paldo was washing the electric
wire ends in porcelain spool, TO which is fastened
guy wire used for keeping the electric light wire
taut. The wires carrying the current into the
building are joined to the main wires just above
the porcelain spool and run into the building at
nearly right angles to the main wires.
Paldo stopped out on the narrow ledge which
runs underneath the windows, with his
pail of water and brush. and began
to clean the windows, he had done
every Saturday afternoon for several years.
Something attracted his attention in the street.
lie turned suddenly and in doing So lost his bal
ancc To save himself he reached forward and
blindly grasped the first thing that his left hand
touched. 1t was one of the large electric light
wires. The current was turned on 10 its full
force and the Italian fell forward. His left foot
slipped from the ledge striking OF the wires
which carry the current into the building.
loud cry attracted the attention of hundreds VI
passers-by to him. They saw him bend down for
an instant, then straighten up and fall directly
forward TO the sidewalk below. His eyes wero
wide open when he fell but when the nearest
person reached him they were closed and he was
dead The body struck the top of the short
flight of steps which lead down to the lunch
room. and rolled down TO the floor within a few
feet Of where Paldo's boot-blacking chair stood
with the brushes and backing ready for use.
In a minute there was crowd of several hum
dred men and women in front of the building
eager 10 get a sight Of the dead man, and it
more than the solitary Broadway policeman could
do 10 keep them back out of the way. lie was
Joined by other officers, who were attracted by
the people running 10 the spot. stretchcr was
Obtained and the dead taken 10 the
Church-st police station. 10 await the arrival Of
the coroner and friends.
On the Italians face. as he lay in the station.
there WAS not the slightest indication thar his
death had been a painful one On the other
hand. his countenance was tree from any eN-
preston OF pain as il would be ii he were asleep
or dreaming of his Italian home. The work Of
IL lafe
hand. which has a heavy black mark across the
palm Paldo wore a heavy pair OF boots, with
socs half an inch thick Where his foot rested
on the wire for an instant only the sole is burned
through.
Frederick fridge the janitor of No. l6l Broad
way saw the accident He had just left his
work in this building and was watching the
Italian clean the windows. He made a state
n,ent 10 the police and the reporters last evening"
which was rs follows: Il was watching the boot
black clean the windows and saw him turn sud-
denly and look toward the street As ne dli 50
lie slipped and as he fell he grabbed hold of the
wire. His foot struck one of the wires that run
mo the buildiu. | heard him cry ont and then
,aw him lean forward for an instant lie straiSht-
racd up and | thought he must have recovered
his balance when saw him falling Sideways INTO
tie street.
Sergeant Delaney saw laldO JusI ocl"io it0
fell. His face had terrible look, he said,
and will never forget It, The eyes were @ @"lle
open and he seemed 10 he appealing Tor help;
before could get to him he pitched forward ana
The noIicc, tie iiremen and the jantor said
that the wires belonged 10 the United states IL
Eliminating Company. but at tie downtown n1iJ S'aI
he found who would either deny or confirm TINS.
Paldo has a brother named Arsenic: who Is
stevedore at Pier No. 3, North River. Tho
brother came with an undertaken a'e laSt even
ing to take the body away foT burial; bnt mo
coroner had not made an autopsy. faldQ leaves,
besides his brother. a blind mother IN Italy, To
whom lie sent his SAVINGS r-..,
Paul D. jrovath the attorney for the United
states Illuminating Company. was IN me crowd
who gathered around the spot where Poldo fell.
ia, Thought that the accident would nave Dccn
,verted if the wires had been UNDERGROUND lie
said that the company was ordered by the Board
Of Electrical Control some tine ago 10 put ltS
wires underground. The conduit for inns pnr-
nnsc was now in course Of construction. and the
wires Of the company all along Broadway were
IN be- placed in il within two months. -
Tho body of the dead man was taken To his
home last night