The record-union., 1897-08-29
so THE VERDICT OF THE COR
ONER'S JURY DECLARES.
Tt Finds John E. Wilson's Decease
Was Due to His Own
CareIessness.

drink. Thought his parents lived in
New York
G. ri. Hannish, the contractor who
was moving the house on which Will
son met his death, testified that the lat
ter was working for him, and helping
TO remove it. The wires that they were
passing under, both telephone and cleo
trio power, We're on the same post, the
| electric wires being about three feet
higher than the house, but the tele-
phone wires We're too low to let it
pass.
Wilson raised two of them and went
down the roof after the third. He
was walking backward with it and
raised up his head, which came
in contact with the power wire, and
he fell over on the roof. Witness had
cautioned him when he carried the first
wire over and cautioned him this time,
telling him that they We're live wires
and would kill him if he touched them.
Wilson had a notched piece of timber
to push them with.
The telephone wires belonged to the
Capital Telephone Company, and to pri-
vate parties. He told some employees
of the Capital Telephone Company, who
We're there and testing the wires that
they were too low and stretched too
tight to let the house pass, and asked
them to loosen them, but they paid no
attention to his request. Wilson was
perfectly sober at the time. He did
not notify the Sacramento Electric. Gas
and Railway Company to shut off the
| current or move its wires as they
were so high he did not think it neces-
sary. He had warned Wilson several
times.
John Studarus said he happened to go
to The door of his store and saw Will
son lifting the wires with a stick and
walking up the roof. 1t looked to him
as if the wire slipped and Wilson
seemed to straighten up with a jerk.
Then he saw him fall on the roof. Some
one ran and got a ladder and went up.
Wilson was not quite dead.
Peter Peterson testified that he was
standing near the building looking on,
and saw Wilson straighten up and the
wire strike him on the back of the
head. 1t was a telephone wire that he
was working with, and he struck an
electric wire.
TESTIMONY OF EXPERTS.
T. A. w Shock testified that at the
request of Coroner Clark he went up
and examined the wires. They are
what are called a north and south pole
line, and the one that caused the acct
dent was the south pole line. He
found the wires properly secured. Con-
tractor Hannish showed him how the
accident occurred, and which of the
wires caused it. Wilson, he said, had
carried one telephone wire over with
his notched stick and went down to
move another AS he Strengthened up,
his head came in contact with the
transmission wire and he fell. The
building was a feet to the ridge
pole and the transmission wire is about
four feet higher. The wires are of
copper and it is not customary to insu-
late them. He had, while working for
the Folsom Power Company, shut off
the power in an alley when house was
moved and then shut off the power on
the ether line. The company would
have done so in this instance if it had
been asked. 1t was his opinion that
Wilson had touched the telephone wires
at the same time that he touched the
power wire as the operator of the Cap
ital Telephone Company, in this city,
received a shock at that time and the
fuses were burned out.
witness examined the wires tuOI-
oughly and found all the fastenings
and connections in perfect order. He
considered the construction in good or
der and the insulators were of the
most approved pattern. Witness sew
cred his connection with the Sacra-
mento Electric, Gas and Railway Com
pany. A person coming in contact
with a wire carrying such high volt
i l. T1Ol
especially if touched near the base of
: the brain, as in this case.
Walter N. Rennie who is in the of
flee of the Electric Company: No ap
plication was made to have the wires
removed. Requests of that kind are
always granted by the company.
J. A. Lighthipe, chief engineer of the
General Electric Company, testified
that he had supervision of the con-
struction of the line, and he consid-
cred it a first-class line at the top
notch for safety. Wires carrying such
high voltage are not covered, as it is
considered better and safer not to do
so. The current could easily have been
transferred to the line on the other
side Of the road, if request had been
made The second pole line had been
put III lOt tidt pun pDSc anu II 10 liz
only double pole line in the State.
+ c. w. Hutton, chief electrician of the
Electric Company, said that no request
was made al the office for transfer of
the current, or it would have been
complied with willingly. The current is
frequently turned from one line to the
other and it is easily done.
The jury after a short deliberation,
brought in a verdict that deceased came
to his death by accident, induced by
his own careIeSSDeSs