The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-21
THE MMAHON INQUEST.
a Coroner's Jury Fixes ResponsibiI-
ity for the Lfreman's Death.

The jury of inquest convened BY Coro-
ner hewitt at the New Jersey Avenue
police station yesterday to enquire into
the circumstances OF the death of Line
man John Mcmahon on Tuesday decided
that the owners or controllers of the pole
at the corner of Twenty-first and NJ
Streets northwest. which fell with the
llneman. We're responsible for the death
because they had not provided for prop
er inspection of the pole Attorney \. y.
Lipscomb looked out for the interests OF
the relatives of the deceased and Assist
ant District Attorney Sinclair represented
the District After the inquest the BODY
of McMahon was removed from the
morgue to the home Of n brother, at 300
North Fayette Street, Alexandria, Va
Thomas B. Purcell. of 1o1S Twenty-sixth
Street northwest. the first witness ex-
amined. testified that he was walking
along NJ Street when he heard some one
shout Look out" He saw the telegraph
pole falling. with Mcmahon clinging to 1t.
McMahon was on the underside and was
pinned to the ground.
John H. Martin. of Truck B. was sit
ting in front Of the truckhouse when his
attention was called to the falling pole.
lie and others ran to the assistance of the
PROSTATE man, lifted the pole from him,
and carried him to the truckhouse,
where they endeavored to revive him.
He said that the pole was badly decayed
and broke off just beneath the surface of
the ground. There was also a break. he
said. about two-thirds up the pole.
George Parker. jr., who was working as
a helper to McMahon at the time, said he
was on the ground, and in response to a
question from Mcmahon replied that all
was clear. meaning that he was ready
for the third wire to be cut. A moment
later he heard some one eXclaim Look
He saw the pole as it struck the ground
and ran to the assistance of Mcmahon.
In answer to a question Parker said that
when Mcmahon climbed the pole it shook
no more than any other pole and there
was no indication that it was decayed.
on cross-eXamination he stated that sew
eral of the iron steps had fallen as the
ascent was made but that nothing was
thought of it at the time. He had as
sisted in the removal of the District
wires the latter part of February, and
was of the opinion that if all of the
wires that the pole originally carried had
been in place the pole would not have
fallen. Witness said that the work of re-
moving the wires was done under the di
rectIon Of Mr.. Jeffries, the foreman of the
Western Union Iinemen.
Roszell Taf. of 5232 Prospect Avenue,
told OF what he knew of the accident. and
WAS followed by Walter c. Allen, the
electrical engineer for the District.
Mr. Allen said he had searched the rec
ords. but failed to ind when the pole in
question was erected. The marking on
the pole, he said, showed joint occupancy
by the District and the telephone COM
pany. but he could not say which was
the owner OF the pole. The District was
given permission TO use the pole IN lSsS,
when it was reset The pole, according
to Mr.. Allen. contained no sap and was
well dried oUt, but there was no outward
evidence of rot In answer to question
witness said there is no regulation re-
sDecting the inspection of poles. Line
men. he said. can usually judge OF the
condition of pole by the manner in
which their spur-climbers take hold of il,
and when a dangerous pole is found they
are expected TO report IL. Occasionally
tests had been made by running long
steel instrument through the pole ana
probing it. but this was rarely done. II
was the only manner in which interior
decay could be detected.
James .. Simpson, the Superinten-
dent OF the District Telephone and Fire
Alarm Service, testified that Mcmahon
had been employed as an extra man for
the District about four months ago. Be
fore the removal Of the wires the pole on
which McM2hon was working had car
ried twenty-five District wires, six tele-
phone wires and four Western Union
wires. The District wires were all re-
moved about the last of February. Mr..
Simpson thought that In case Of injury
to the pole the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company would have replaced
it. but he could not say who was the
owner. The usual life of pole he said.
is from twelve to fifteen years. He did
rot know how long this pole had been in
service, but from its general appearance
h would judge about twelve years.
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook. who per-
formed the autopsy. testified that he
found the abdominal cavity filed with
blood and the liver, kidneys, and spleen
ruptured. The nose had been crushed.
In the opinion or DIR. Glazebrook death
was due to hemorrhagc following inter
nal injuries. The jury then retired and
returned the verdict as stated.