New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-05
A FAN MOTOR CAUSES DEATH
FOUR HUNDRED VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY
SUFFICIENT TO KILL HENRY BARTELS.
NO SCREEN COVERED THE FATAL MACHINE
LIFE DEPARTED ALMOST IYsTANTLY-AN
ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT THE BAR.
TENDER DIED EROM LIE Anr n1S1,. CT


TENDER DIED FROM HEART DISEASE.
Another case of death by electric shock has been
added to the already long list. The victim this time
was Henry Bartes, an athletic Young German,
who was employed a. bartender in the liquor.
store and beer garden OF Theodore Feldstein, at
No 2G6 Grand-st. The accident by which Bar
tells met his death occurred at five minutes of
O'Clock last night, time when the place was
crowded with customers. The store is supplied
with thirty of the rotary air fans commonly used
in restaurants and drinking resorts. These fans
are worked by Brush electric motor of four horse
power which when in full speed generates cur
rent of 400 volts. At the end of the bar, on top
of the beer counter, near the cigar boxes and
within easy reach of every person employed in the
building, stands the armature of the motor. with
its receiver, the current almost touching the fin
gers of the bartender who happens to be using the
cOrk-drawcr. Although it was evident that the
bartenders literally defled death every time they
went to that end Of the bar, Mr.. Fcdsten does not
seem to have thought it worth his while to pro.
tect the lives of his employees by placing screen
or other guard around the armature.
Shortly before o'clock workman from the
Brush Company's branch Office in Elizabeth-st
called at the barro0m and repaired some of the
fan pulleys which were slightly ont of order
While he was at worl, the motor was stopped
but it was set going again the moment he gave the
signal. The fans were whirling at their> full
speed when he crossed the floor Of the store land
handed the chisel and hammer and other tools
which he had been using to Barrels, who stood
behind the bar.
At the same moment Christopher Muller
waiter, walked up to the bar and asked Bartels,
who had glass in his right hand, for two ten
o;s-
the bar, where the cigars were. To get at them
he had to reach over the armature. He put the
tools out Of his left hand on a ledge by his side.
Then abstractedly placing his right hand on the
brush collector of the motor, he reached over
and with his left hand took two cigars from one of
the boxes.
In drawing back again, he lifted his head
slightly and the top of his forehead touched one
OF the feeder wires which connect the motor with
the central plant. Under his feet was the wrought
iron network covering the floor of the bar and
wet with the rinsings of many glasses. The cir
cult was complete. Bartels stood as motionlCss
statue. His face slowly turned to tie hue of
ashes. His eyes, fixed and glazed, dIstended I'M
til it seemed as if they would drop out of their
sockets. Every muscle of his body StfFened
into an awful rigidity. The glass dropped from
his hand and shattered in a thousand pieces on
the floor. Then from his pallid lips there burst
a long, low, wailing moan, which sent chill To
the hearts of those who heard it, and he fell in a
heap on the ground.
He was carried out and laid on the floor For
a moment he was perfectly still Then, as with
a spasmodic effort, lie raised his head and arms
His eyes rolled wildly, there was a deep, long
drawn sigh; then the head fell back. He was
dead.
Dr. John P. Richardson, of No. 2O3 Broome-
ST, appeared on the scene at this iuncture
After cursory examination of the body, he said
that death was undoubtedly due to an electric
shock. Mr.. Fedsten is in Detroit, and those in
charge Of the barroom tried to conceal the cir
cumstances attending the death by saying that
Bartels had suffered from heart-dscasc. In this
they were supported by Coroner Ilanly, who on
his arrival at once diagnosed the case as one
Of heart failure DR.. Richardson. however. de-
olared that Bartelss body showed none Of the
symptoms Of death from heart-disease.
Bartels was carried upstairs and laid cot in
the front paror Of Mr.. Fedsteins private apart
ments. In life he had been a short, stOutly built
fair-haired TeutOn, with broad, square cOunte-
nance. At first glance it seemed that the elec-
tricity had left no marks Dn the body. but on %
closer examination there could he seen on the
back of his left hand. between the lnuckles of
his middle and index finger a small brown mark
about as large as half dime. The nail of his
middle finger had turned black, while on the
feshy part Of his left forearm was a second mark
which looked Ike burn or a scratch. The face
wore the panied, agonized, piteOus expression
common In cases Of this kind. Late in the night
the body was removed to an undcrtaker's shop at
No 1873 Essex-st
Barels came to this country from Hanover,
and for the last seven years had worked in various
harrooms In or near New-York. About a week ago
hd entered Mr.. FeldStein6 lervice. He was
twenty-five years old, unmarried and, so far
as known, had no relatives In this city,