The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-28
MET DEATH BY A LIVE WIRE.
A LINEMAN's LIFE BURNED OFT By
1000 VOLTS or LIGHTNING.

uIarIOvv Wells Horrible Death by
Contact with "A Charged Wire on
a Pole Twenty Feet From the
Ground-The Arteries Of His Arm
Severed and Cauterized by the
Wire-The Cause Of the Accident
Unkmown-The Coroner 10 Hold an
Investigation.
NARROW Wells, a colored lineman In the
employ of the Brush Eiectric Light and
Power Company, was killed yesterday az
te-n0on 10y an electric shock. while at
work In the southern part Of the city.
Wells and three other employees OF the
company. all colored, were at work al An
dersOn and Habersham streets making a
connection for the electric lighting Of J.
j. Wacasser's new drug store. Wells had
gone up on a pole on the south side of An
derson street TO make the power cOnnec-
ton and the other men were standing be-
low watching him.
There were two cross pieces on the pole
Wells had gotten up TO the first about
sixteen feet from the ground, and had cut
one Of the wires, known as the alternating
wire. when he was seen to turn loose
sway for a second or two and then fall
He struck ON his feet and fell TO the
ground, where he rolled and writhed for a
short time. His companions knew al once
that he had received a shock, though they
did not understand how il had happened
Mr. Wacasser, who saw what had hap
pened, ran out with restoratives and at
tempted to revive the man. Or. J. c. At
kinson. colored, who was near by. arrived
shortly after and attempted to resuscitate
-asr
ed for about fifteen minutes before death
resulted
Coroner Goette was notified and went to
the scene. He found the facts to be as
stated. and had the body removed 70 the
home OF the deceased at No. 20S Wayne
street, and VIII hold an inquest this morn
ing for the purpose of determining the eX-
ACT manner in which Wells came to his
death.
There is an Electric railway feed wire
for the Barnard street line within two
feet Of the pole and il IS important 10 de-
termine whether Wells death was caused
by contact with this wire or simply with
those Of the electric light company. Supt.
Keck of the Electric Light Company, when
seen by Morning News reporter, said
that he was unable to explain the acct
dent. The Electric railway company $
feed wire was some distance away, he said,
and yet he did not see how Wells could
have completed a circuit through his body
without touching this wire while also
touching the alternating wire which he
had just cut as the other wires of the
power company were some distance above
him.
Superintendent Mcfarland of the Elec-
trio railway went to the Scene and made
an examination as soon as he heard of
the accident. He said that Wells was
not within reaching distance of the feed
wire when he received the shock which
caused his death, and that this wire could
not have given sufficient shock TO cause
death anyway, the voltage being only 500,
while that Of the light and power com
pany wires is ZOO volts.
Mr.. Mcfarland was told by an eye
witness that Wells cut one wire and laid
It on the cross bar then turned toward
the other wire on the cross bar and took
hold of IL with his hand or with the nip
pers. II was then that he received the
shock. 1t was evident that In turning TO
the second wire Wells showed his arm
and shoulder against the wire which he
had Just cut thus forming a complete
circuit through his body when he grasp
ed the second wire.
The right arm and shoulder were badly
burned by the wire, and it was noticed
after death that the arteries of the arm
live wire. The current was not supposed
to be on the wires while the men were
al work on them, and the full current OF
1000 volts must nave been turned on Just
as Wells seized hold of the second wire.
The electric lights in the drug store lit
up at once, to the surprise of those who
We're working there showing the current
superintendent Keck stated that this
was the first death from an electric shock
which has occurred in the thirteen years
experience of the Brush Electric Light
and Power Company. Wells had been In
the employ of the company about a year.
He was about As years of age, and re-
spectacle and industrious man. His home
on Wayne street, is neatly and comfort
ably furnished. He leaves a wife and
six children.