The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-10-24
WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT
FRIDAYS FATALITY DUE TO THIS
CAUSE.
Investigating the Remote and Proxi-
mate Causes of Tom Hannan's and
Alohikea's Death.

The inquest on the killing of Tom
Hannah and Alohikea by an electric
wire last Friday night was continued
in the Office of the deputy marshal
this morning. Attorney General Smith
Marshal Brown and Deputy Attorney
General Dole were present, and assist
ed in bringing out the evidence. Tie
point sought to be educed from the
witnesses was that of how a short cir
cult came about.
w. f. Rowell, superintendent of the
public works, was the first witness.
The principal item in his testimony
was that of the height of the wires
above the street and the possibility of
wogon or some other moving Oh
struction knocking the line down ON
the night of the accident. He said the
wire was - feet inches high. 1t
might be possible for a wagon or 9th
er vehicle loaded extraordinarily high
to strike it.
Stearns Buck, superintendent of the
government light station, was the
next and principal witness. He was
closely questioned by the Attorney
General, Mahshal Brown, two engin-
eer officers in court and members of
the jury. There was a short circuit
undoubtedly. How it happened, how
ever, was hard to determine. The pin
holding the insulator and the wire was
nearly worn through and was not ca
pable of holding very much weight. \
forked branch of tree falling upon it
might do it. There were many bad
pins to insulators in the government
service. They had been in use many
years and were about worn out. The
work of renewing them was going on
as fast as the appropriation at hand
and force of worllmen would permit.
Lineman Whitloclk was called on to
identify a piece of wire which he had
cut from the line on the night of the
accident. He had ten years experience
as an electrician in various capacities.
In his opinion the short circuit was
not produced by branch of tree
falling upon the wires, for the pr'inci-
! pal reason that there were no trees
near enough to touch them. 1t was
| possible that heavily loaded wagon
| passing beneath may have thrown the
wires together.
James Crane testified to having cut
| the wire bearing the insulator for Mr.
Buck. and identified the material.
Other witnesses We're DR.. Emerson
| Maile and Policeman Gardner. Maile
is a lineman employed by Mr.. Buck
Gardner told the story of finding the
two men dead in the street and of the
position of the wire. DR.. Emerson
stated that he had examined the men
at the station house shortly after they
arrived there and found both dead.
This Afternoon, Mr.. Cross, a visiting
electrical expert, was called to the
stand. He had examined the wires
heard the evidence and had diagram
of the wires on the poles to illustrate
his testimony. He said there was NJ
question but that the short circuit was
produced by the parting of the pir
from the pole arm, this throwing one
of the wires across the other. The
burning and sagging of the wires fol
lowed Immediately.
Lieutenant Tice and Lieutenant
Coolidge, both electrical experts o.
the engineers corps at Camp Mckinley
will be called later in the afternoon tC
give their opinion of the cause of thu
accident. 1t is understood that theil
testimony will agree in the main will
Mr.. Cross.