The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-22
A LINEMAN DIES ON THE WIRES.
SIX THOUSAND VOLTS OF ELECTRIC
ITY PASS THROUGH HIM.

The Fatal Work Not Discovered I'm
til the Body Had been Hanging in
the Air Several Minutes-The Suit
OF the City of Augusta Against the
Southern Express Company to be
Taken Up To-day.
Augusta, Ga, Dec. Civ. w. Cason who
lives on the corner of May avenue and
Young street. an electrician employed by
the Bell Telephone Company of this city,
was killed to-day by live wire
There was something wrong with the
telephone on the Sand Hills and Mr.. Ca
son went up to repair the wires He board
ed the trolley car on which A. A. McCord
was motorman and talked to him all the
way UP to the hill laughing and joking
about various things. At the Bon Air side
entrance Mr.. Cason alighted from the car
and began buckling on his climbing iron
as the car started on. That was the last
time he was seen alive. When Motorman
McCord and his car returned from the
Arsenal, where the car stopped five min
utes the body of Cason was hanging head
downward from the wires above, and was
a lifeless corpse. one foot was caught over
a wire belonging to the Augusta
Electric Light Company, and the
other resting against wire
of the telephone company, and one hand
was against a Thomson-Houston wire. If
all three wires were charged and the cir
rent went through the body 5000 volts
passed through. In looking at the wires
where the body was hanging ii was no.
ticed that a bracket was broken from its
place on one of the poles. From this ii
Is supposed that CaSan was standing Oh
this bracket while working on the wires
and when it broke it threw him against
the other wires A buckle of one of the
climbing irons was caught over one of the
wires and this prevented the deceased
from falling TO the ground
DIR. Chadburne of New York, who was a.
guest of the Bon Air hotel, at the side
entrance of which the accident occurred,
was the first physician to see the body,
and he stated that when the body was
first let down life had fled, as the pulsation
of the heart had ceased entirely. DR.. G.
w. Hickman and DR.. e. G. Goodrich also
examined the body and pronounced it
lifeless. Efforts were made to resuscitate
the body, but to no avail. CaSon was Is
years of age, and highly respected by all.
He has a sister employed in the telephone
exchange here and brother in Column
bus.
to begin the hearing of a most important
case that of the city of Augusta VS.. the
Southern Express Company. The matter
however, goes over until Monday.
Hon. Fleming duBignon of Savannah,
general counsel of the express company,
telegTaphed that he would be unable to
reach Augusta before Monday. The city
will be represented by City Attorney Car
roll and Joseph r. Lamar and the com
pany by Mr.. duBignon and r. Fl. Miller.
The city claims that the express company
owes S22 SOS in taxes, that this IL the
headquarters OF the company and that
they are liable to the city
OF Augusta for taxes on the
money in their possession, whether
in New York or elsewhere, In 1892 the
city assessors added 10000 70 the re-
turns Of the company. and In 1858. 1891
and 1895 added 10000. The company holds
that II IL liable only for license 20 do bus
iness here and for taxes on It's property
here, which have been promptly paid.
Many nice legal points are Involved IN
the case and it VIII BE- hard fought from
beginning 20 end.
"A contract has just been signed for a
big cooking main. ~ is - take place a.
Jacksonville fla, come time ~ January.
but the actual date has not yea been
decia0d on. The forfeit money has a.
ready been placed % the Georgia Ratis
ROAD Bank The nght q 20 - between q
BaFlas ang a, Il. Palmer ~ columbia.
II ~. oa fhe one eide. and 81 ~ i9seks
~ tbie eifY % fhe ether The aNf0 NJ