The evening world., 1894-07-30
STRUCK A LIVE WIRE.
Nicholas Ennis Fatally Injured
While Repairing Roof
Horritied Crowd Looked HeIplessIy
On from the Street.
Finally Pulled In a Window, but
VIII Die.

Michael Ennis, tin roofer, Of 900 East
Fifty-hfth street,narrowly escaped being
shocked and burned to death 10y con-
tact with a live electric light Wire this
morning.
Ennis was repairing the roof over the
private entrance to the New York Oph-
thalmic Hospital, at Twenty-third street
and Third avenue, when suddenly the
crowd of curious on-lookers saw his
body suddenly stiffen out after IA con-
vulsive shudder Smoke issued from his
clothing at almost the same instant.
The widest excitement was caused.
and a crowd of at least one thousand
quickly gathered and ran aimlessly
about, shouting gesticulating, but maxi
ing no effort to rescue the man whose
life was being rapidly Slapped by the
deadly current.
DR.. Hugh kidder who Is connected
with the hospital, threw up the window
directly over the cornice roof to ascer-
tain the cause for all the excitement.
He had scarcely got his head out before
/! his eyes, following the curling lines of
smoke ascending from below, saw the
body of Ennis whose shirt was fairly
left arms was beginning to sizzic.
The doctor drew back from the win
dow as If to call for some one to assist
| him In dragging the unconscious man
| from the net work of wires.
| Hugh kelly, one of the men in the
| crowd below, diNIning the doctors pur-
pose. rushed up the steps, three at "A
| time. He IL n strappinS young fellow,
and In his excitement seemed to be- pos
scssed ol giant strength.
L.lIN Ian, nod N la ind. M,
touched the rigid prustrate body of En-
mis-. He jcrken his hand away with the
rapidity of one who had unCOnsciousiN
touched with his finger tips rcd-ho'
iron.
i Then Or. Kilder reached down an,
took a firm holu OF f.nnis's collar
Kelly also took hold and together the,
dragged the nearly dead man through
the window.
While this scene was being cnacte,
. some one had turned In a hrc alarm
over, save the telling and reteliing o
the story u new arrivals by thos. VIII
had witnessed II.
Oae of the spectators told an Even
ing World" reporter that Ennis wa
first shocked to death and then almos
cremated, and that Or. kidder ana kell.
Were 80 badly shocked by touchin,
Ennis's flesh that they were nearly rem
dcrei UNCONSCIOUS.
Both Kell, and Dr kidder felt Sigh
shocks but they suffered no Ill effects.
| Ihe ambulance surgeon from ii"lieNu
who attended Ennis stated before takin,
him TO the hospital that he thought h.
! might recover.
At one end of the little roof there is
switch and network of wires. Tn
current was turned on and one of then
had been stripped Of its insulation. I'm
mis-, In leaning over. touched his throa
to this wire and was instantly rendered
helpless. 1t is believed that he mus
have received a shock of 800 or 500 volts
as he stiffcned out instantly. and woul
have fallen to the sidewalk, but for
, prof citing sim which saved him fror
slipping off. He is iifty-tive years old.
His left arm, throat and breast wer
badly burned. and his shirt was ncarl
destroyed.
The lineman who was sent Ia in
spect the wires after the accident, n
fused to make any statement