Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-21
Contact Herewith Causes the Death
of Thomas Hall.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY
Electric Light Company Declared
to Be Highly CuIpabIe.
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED

stances surrounding the death of Thomas
Hall. faborer employed at the saloon Of
j. j. O'Keefe, 1116 9TH street, and who was
electrocuted Wednesday night by contact
with an electric wire leading into the house
from the street conduits. The man touch
ed the fatal wire at a point in the cellar
entrance on the sidewalk, where the in
eulatiou had been worn away. The wire
was unused, and Witnesses declared they
had always thought the current had been
shut off.
After considering the evidence for more
than half hour the jury rendered a YER
dict that Hall came TO his death Septem-
Der 10 at 1Ii5 7th street from contact
with a live electric wire in the cellar of
said premises. The jury, after due delibera-
ton, have reached the conclusion that the
electric light company were highly culpable
at the time of disseminating the service In
not shutting off theh hcurrent leading into
said premises
second inquest into the death Of Mi
Chael Hurley. the bartender who met the
same fate as Hall later in the evening, was
deemed unnecessary.
Result of Autopsy.
DR. Glazebrook the deputy coroner, told
of the autopsy performed on the dead man
Hall had burns on his left hand. and death
resulted from shock following contact with
a heavily charged electric wire.
VIM. Frederick bartender at O'keefes.
told briefly what he knew Of the deaths OF
Hall and Hurley. Hall was killed about :
o'clock at which time the witness was IN
the saloon, upstairs, the accident taking
place in the cellarway. The witness was
In the cellar tapping key of beer shortly
after 10 o'clock, when Hurley came down.
The latter was on his way back 10 the bar
when he came in contact with the wires.
He screamed and fell backward, dying i'll
few seconds
ba had al
the current to be shut off and that there
was no danger. There had been no cleo
tricity used In the saloon for six or seven
months past. The witness stated that
about five weeks ago only about foot OF
the lead-insuated wires was exposed along
the wall of the cellar opening. About three
weeks ago he noticed the wood casing had
been carried away in some manner for three
or four feet. aud at the same time he no
ticed that for about three inches on one of
the exposed wires the Insulation had been
worn or broken off and the copper current
charged wire visible.
After the coiore6 man. Hall. had been
killed. | had to go down into the cellar to
tap a key" continued the witness. land
Hurley said he would go with me. l told
him TO remain in the bar. but while | was
al work down stairs ne came into the cellar.
L told him to go back upstairs 1t was on
his way out that he in some manner caught
hold Of the wires. lie died In few mo-
ments. ! noticed after the accidents that
the wires which had formerly chung closely
to ths wall had been pulled ont some dis
tance and We're slightly twisted
Inspectors Testimony.
Mr.. H. c. Eddy, an electric-light wire
inspector in the office of the District en-
gineer. was sworn as a witness. He stated
that the authority and jurisdiction of the
District inspector ends with the entrance
Of the wires into the house or establish
ment where service is installed. lie
stated that the board of fire underwriters
has one inspector who investigates the
wiring in buildings, but he could hardly
make one round OF inspections in a year.
Mr. Eddy told Of having viewed the wires
AT . Keefe's after the electrocutions had
taken place He found two unprotected
leader cables one with the Insulation gore
for several inches. There was evidence he
said. OF the wires having once been incased
in moldine, as is the general custom The
witness said there was no regulation nor
rule in the District covering the cutting Off
Of d current when the service is discontin-
ued for any cause Sometimes therefore
the cutoff is made at the meter in the
house and al other times in the street
Chalmers Rogers. colored. employed al
okeefes for tapping beer kegs told more
of the particulars of Halls death. Rogers
said kegs of beer were put in the cellar by
sliding them down skid in the sidewalk
opening, which was the main entrance to
the basement. In passing in and out Of the
vault the witness had noticed the wires
but thought them harmless. and paid little
H.
The witness. 1t Is stated, was in the cellar
tapping a keg when Hall came down The
latter was employed as helper about the
saloon. and was anxious to learn how TO
tap beer.
II didn't notice Hall when he left me-"
said Hogers Il heard him 'holler,' but
thought he was calling some one on the
street He yelled again, and l went to
him. He was standing stiff with both
hands on the wire l grabbed him and re-
leased him finally: 1 was shocked by just
touching Hall. 1t felt awfully queer
An Eyewitness.
Lony Paris. a young man who lives over
this O'Keefe saloon, was an eyewitness to
the tragedies. and told the particulars of
how both Hall and Hurley met their deaths
The important part Of the testimony given
by this witness, however. was that he had
repaired the wood covering of the wires
some time ago. and that he noticed then
that one of them had the Insulation worn
OF. Paris said the wires leading through
Okeefe's place also fed circuit In a cigar
store next door, which at present is unoc-
cupied He had heard a boy who lived
next door say that the wires were live. for
his mothers toothache had been cured by
shock
It appeared from the testimony that
transformer, or current reducing machine
is used in house services. The wires
touched by Hall and Hurley were those
leading from the heavily charged wires of
he street TO the transformer. Leaving the
latter machine the current is harmless.
After Halls death. Paris said he noticed
the wire splitting fire., thing he had
never seen II do before
William r. Downie, formerly a driver of
a beer wagon, testified to having served
pkeefe daily. The kegs were slid down
the sind and sometimes may have touched
the boxing about the wires. He had no.
ticed the boxing was very insecurity fast
ened about two weeks ago The witness
said great blocks of Ice were also put into
the cellar through the opening where the
wires are located
Installed in Customary Way.
Mr.. William Member superintendent of
construction for the United States Electric
Lighting Company was the last witness
examined In regard to placing the wires
In the position they were. he said the serv-
ice had been installed in the customary
way and was the same all those along
9Th street.
In cases of damage to wires the company
expected the person in charge of the prem
ises to notify II. Users of electric service
We're not always requested to do this how
ever. II being general understanding. In
regard to not cutting off the current from
the wires. Mr.. Member said
In cases where a service IS discontinued
because OF the non-payment OF bill, as
was true In the instance OF Mr.. OKeefe,
the meter only IS removed. the wires being
left intact and the current on. This Is done