Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-03-13
A LIVE" WIRE.
TEE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF JOIN BATSOO
WITH 0NB.
&c is Whirled 10 the Stree, Unconscious and his
Hands Burned To the BOns-Gross Negligence
on the Part o. Some One.
NV Gcd. look al that many

My Gcd, look at that mau.
This was the startling exclamation Of
a citizen. at the corner Of Eof and
Nineteenth streets, about three o'clock
Yesterday afternoon. Several persons
looked in the direction indicated, and
saw the form Of man swinging back
and forward ON a dropping electric light
wire which dipped down within three
or four feet Of the ground, right across
the north line Of Nineteenth street, at
the intersection Of EoG The man had
hold 81 the were with both hands, and
WAS writing in horrible agony, while
cracking noise. shower ui
sparks. aud thin stream OF blue
smoke. curling upward, conveyed the
odOr u frying human flesh 10 the
two or three men who ran TO the aSsl>-
lance OF the victim, and there stood
powerless to rescue him from the cur
rent which meant death in very ie"
minutes. While hastily wondering now
they would rescue the writing untor'
| tuuate. the man fell unconscious on ms
/ hack In the mud, his fall dragging down
the wire and overturniug u pole when
stood on the north side OF Nineteenth
street. "A few yards west of Eoh. The
man Law there unconscious with his TWO
hands still clutching the wire, when
continued TO burn deep into the neSu
and To send up the odor OF cooking meat
Finally one of the spectators secured 4
long piece OF board. and giving the wire
"A shove with the end OF IL, tore IL looSt
from the grasp of the apparently dead
man, aud the latter was then dragged
away from the wire and carried into int
little frame police station AZ the cor
ner of Nineteenth street, whence
"a telephone message was sent Tor phy
stefan and also for the patrol wagon
DR.. c. NJ. FriSSell responded IN Shor
time. but the victim had in the mean
time RECLAIMED consciousness, and SaiC
his name was John BatSco, an employ'
OF Paige, Carey " Co., and boarding a
No. 81 Twenty-SiAth street. WIN
tears trickling down his face. and hl'
body writhing under the combined inru
Ience OF the electric shock aud IN
intense pain OF his mangled hands
Ratsco said he was crossing th'
street, and seeing the wire daHgllhs
down i'm his way, he caught hold OF ]
with both hands TO throw II over nj
head. As he started TO throw, he re
.ceiyed the full force Of the current an'
was unable to lot 90, and had the wiz
mot been pushed from his hands ate
he fell he would undoubtedly have dice
I'm few minutes.
Dr. FrisSell exdmined his hands, boil
Iof which were burned 10 the bone o.
the wire. the flesh being terribly Iacer
Iated and torn. The wounds will require
Ia long time To heal, and ii is likely Tn
mangled fingers will not be of muci
use in the future,
The wire seems to have been strung
al onc Nineteenth street for the use O
the railroad wOTkmen on night turn
and the people IN the vicinity SAID u ma
been Sagglng down in the street iron
noon no 10 about o'clock, having bee
very iusecurely fastened. Before Bats
co caught hold Of the wire, Il Mr.. Sent
liuger drove up 10 10, without nOtlcln
what il was, and his wagon and the can
vas cover on his horse were set on ilr
.by the current. The weight OF Nh
gatSeo'S body ON the wire WAS Suiiicien
To pull the pole down, which shows
vas barely stuck ia the ground. Ate
the acridemt the wire lay In the stree
for half an hour or more, smQking AM
sizzling and emitting sparks, and grea
|.ar. had Ia be exercised Ia keep prOpl
from touching it0r wagons driving owe
Iu. Finally man came along aud ca
Ithc wire and 10 was removed.