The evening times., 1900-07-12
AN ELECTRIC FAN Victim
Baltimore Man Drops Dead After
Touching One.
Theory Advanced That He May Have
Had Heart 0iseEse-Received n
The Evidence Adduced Mt the In
quest Held by the Ioroaer.

BALTIMORE. July 12.-Emii Myer.
thirty-iive years old. bartender in Dew
Drop Inn." took hold OF the frame OF an
electric fan which was whizzing away on
the end OF the bar at o'clock yesterday
afternoon to turn It's breeze on several Gus
toners. Without a murr- - he dropped
lifeleSs behind the bar iiled in an in
stant By an electric shocE.
Those in the saloon could not realize for
some moments that the man who had just
been serving them had fallen dead before
their eyes. Dr. Henry Stark made hasty
examination. lie pronounced the man
dead. The body was picked up ten
derly ana carried to a room In the rear,
where II was held until Coroner Saunders
arrived and summoned lis jury OF inquest.
when 1t was sent to the saorgue.
The fan was run by a fifty-five volt cur
rent supplied by the United Electric Light
and Power Company. Fifty-fve volts. it is
said is not strong enough 10 kill. That
power is the same as supplied 10 an incan-
descent light. II MAS thought possible that
tee wire by which current was transmit
ted 20 the fan had become crossed some
where with a wire carrying mucn heavier
current and that the entire mechGpisrc of
the fan was charged with electricity.
The floor behind the bar upon which
Myer was standing was wet. and when he
touched the IAN circuit was formed, al
lowing the current TO pass through his
body. His left hand was severely burned.
MyeT came 10 Baltimore from Germany
about ten years ago. and had been employ
ed as a bartender al different saloons. He
had only been at the Inn abOst month.
He was unmarried
The testimony az the inquest held at the
Central Police Station last night dealt in
cOnjecjures. suppOsitions, ideas. and beliefs
as 20 the cause Of Myers death. There
was 10 evidence directly locating the
cause. The main answers Of the witnesses
We're that the man touched the frame of
the fan and dropped dead.
After more than an hour was spent in
examining the Witnesses about all the jury
knew was that The fan figured in Myers
death. and they rendered a verdict that
he came to his death by coming in contact
with an electric fan
Coroner Saunders conducted the Inquest.
No post moTtem examination OF Myers
body was made.
p r. Owens, an electrician employed by
The United Electric Light and Power Com
psny. tesJsf ID that he handles fans every
4
10 the saloon and examined the fan and
wires said Mr.. Owens. 4 found that The
wires. fuse. and fan were all right. The
ian was still running. and I handled il BY
the frame without receiving the slightest
shock The mete--Shc%ed that the fan WIS
being run by voltage OF %. A high lamp
current would bresk every lamp in the
house. have been employed as an elec-
trician sixteen years. Five hundred volts
HN-a~ Fr-..
man. according 10 the condition of the
mans heart. II the floor was wet where a
man stood he would get a shock, if dry he
would not II his hands were wet fifty-fve
volts would hurt him and probably kill
him The man may have touched the
switch that regulates the current running
the fan and thereby received the shock.
DR.. Stark. who examined Myers body
after he fell said: There were symptoms
OF apopleXy- The condition Of his ewes and
mouth indicated apoplexy''
William Russell. superintendent Of ovsr-
head construction for the electric COMPANY
SAID after the i-quest, I believe that the
man had heart disease and that the sudden
shock he may have received from the fan
brought il on. and the two combined in
thu way caused his death. once at
Iached man who had heart disease TO a
small medical battery and il nearly killed
MIN. and al the same time almost fright
ened me 70 death because | did not know
he had heart disease. II a mans hand
Is wet or the floor On which he stands is
vet when he touches a fan or wire he will
get shock. You can lay down a straw
hat. II dry. stand on il and take hold OF
& wire with 2, 200 volts and not get a shock
| do not think he frame OF the fan was
charged. the man must have touched the
switch that regulates the current