The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-08-25
THE DEADLY WIRE.
Frank Bethel Meets an Untimely
Death From an Electric
Guy Wire.

Sunday evening half dozen boy.
aged about IL years sat at the south
east corner OF Second and Elm
They were talking, joking, wrest'
ling and enjoying themselves n
boys Of that age usually do, when all
at once the electric light went out
1t flashed up again In few seconds
and Frank Bethel jumped up from
his scat and ran across Elm street
and grasped the wire used TO stead y
the high mast that supports the
electric lamp. No sooner had he
grasped 1t than he called out,
"Shinnw o, Shinn!" Shinn an
swered back in n bantering way and
told him to let go. Beltzell answer
ed that he could not, wherest his
companions started across the road
to his assistance. By the time they
reached the middle Of the street, he
raised his feet from the ground, this
broke the current and he fell over
into the gutter. He lived until they
carried him into Mr.. Davis yard,
and expired there without a word.
DIR. Tobey was called but could do
nothing, OF course. The only visible
effect Of the shock was the iron rust
which chung to his hands from con-
tact with the wire. The body was
removed TO the home Of his parents
on North Seventh street after jury
impsneled by Coroner Armstrong
viewed 1t. The inquest was held at
the coroner's Office Monday morn
ing, the jury rendering the following
verdict:
An inquisition holden at Salina,
In Saline county, the End day Of
August, 1892, before me, w. i. Arm
strong, coroner Of said county, ON
the body Of Frank Bethel, then
lying dead, by jurors whose names
are hereunto subscribed:
The said Jurors upon their oaths
do say that Frank BeltZell came to
his death by reason OF an electric
shock received from guy wire con-
nected with the electric light system
Power Company OF Salins, and we
further find that the Salina Light 4
Power Co. and the City of Salina are
guilty OF criminal negligence In not
protecting such wire by insulation
or i'm some other efiectusl way.
That IL 10 our opinion that there IL
sufficient cause for criminal action
against the Salina Light & Power
Company Of Salina, Saline county,
Kans.
J. NJ. Itten, Sam Smith, John
McColgan, A. ID. Chapman, o. n.
Joslin and A. b. Erwin, were the
jurors.
The officials Of the Light Compa-
ny are at loss to find q correct
explanation OF how the wire came to
be SO heavily charged with electric
ity. So careful must they be In
guarding the dynsmos from injury,
that thorough examination Is made
each day, Of all the guy wires, etc.
The damp weather undoubtedly had
much 10 do with IL, as the air was
very moist and the poles charged
with water. 1t Is probable that the
induction was sufficient to produce
death. One of the greatest obstacles
In the way Of using electricity Is the
difficulty in securing perfect insuls-
ton. Such q thing Is yet to be
attained In the history Of applied
electrical science.
Beltzell was the son Of German
parents, and few weeks ago began
work In the shop Of s. j. NORM to
learn the trade Of blacksmith. His
employer and others spoke Of him rs
very apt and faithful. His untimely
death was . severe shock to those
who know him. The body was
buried on Tuesday.