The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-10-22
Two Nen Lose Their Lives on
King Street.
An Electric Wire Makes a CHASTITY
Death Trap.


hackdriver, was driving along King
street between IL and | o'clock this
morning. Outside No, fire station
his horse came in contact with a
broken live wire belonging to the
Government Electric Works, and
was killed. The driver evidently
jumped off his carriage to see what
was the matter with the horse, and
must have been killed instantly as
soon as he touch the pool of water
in which the death dealing wire was
PLAYING havoc, pouring forth cur.
rent OF he strength OF nearly 1000
volts.
Shortly after the terrible occur
rences hack, deiven by Joe
Rodrigues, came along. Two soldiers
were in the hack, Tom Hannah and
Charles Geertz, both members OF
Company L, U. S. engineers, located
at Camp Mckinley.
Hannah saw the obstruction OF
the street caused by the dead man
and horse and ordered the driver to
stop. At this time rain was pouring
down, aud it was very dark. The
soldiers jumped off the hack and
went to the spot, where the live
wire was still dealing out death and
destruction. Hannah stepped into
the pool where the body OF Alohikea
was lying and was killed instantly.
Geertz not realizing the danger
stepped forward to help his chum,
and was rendered unconscious by
shock, which fortunately did not
prove fatal. Chas. Thurston, the
foreman of the fire station came
bravely to the rescue of Geertz and
seizing hold of the leather part of
his boots, succeeded in dragging the
unconscious soldier away from the
pool of death.
DIR. Winslow Of the Government
Dispensary came out, and in spite
OF the warning Of Thurston went to
the place, where the bodies Of the
dead men we're lying and received a
severe shock.
Thurston, who knew what the
cause of the danger was, tried in
vain to connect by telephone with
the Electric Works and Central, but
owing to the heavy rain he failed
Rodrigues, who saw the fate Of
his passengers, turned around and
drove to the Police Station, and
Lieutenant Gardner with a number
of officers went to the scene of the
horrible accident.
The men at the fire station in the
meantime did all in their power to
keep people away from the danger.
Gus spot, and DR.. Burgess and Dr.
Winslow examined the bodies of the
dead men as soon as they were ex'
tricated from the place where the
live wire was touching the ground
The light at this moment went
out at the drill shed, where the off.
GERS ball was in progress. Superin'
tendent Buck went to the telephone
at the Bungalow, where he learned
of the tragedy. Jas. Crane, an elec,
trician, was summoned and investi,
gated the cause OF the trouble. II
appears that that the insulator peg
sustaining the wire at the corner oi
King and Richards streets was rot.
ten and broken, and that the wire
touched the return wire and was
burned off
The accident is very sad indeed
a Alohikes was hard working Ha
a waiian, the sole support of an ole
! mother, and Hannah was a young
a man, 2S years of age, and by trade ;
|, pressman.
The Marshal is holding coroner''
inquest this afternoon before a jury
composed of the following: A
Peyer, Ed. Paris, t. j. King, Alhsr
Trask, John Kuaana and Johr
Mahuka.
The funeral of Alohikea will tax,