Evening star., 1901-07-29
CAUSED BY ELECTRICITY
DEATH or JAMES LOONEY THE RE-
SUIT OF ACCIDENT.
Findfngs Of the C0roner's Jury OF
XnvcstieAtion-The Testimony
Given by witnesses.

kAvG1tk4a&tOn-Ine TeStlmOny
Given by witnesses.
James Looney. thirty-two years old. VINO
was In the employ of the Washington Trac-
tion and Electric Company as a pitman.
was killed by electricity about o'clock
yesterday afternoon while working In the
pit at seth and Prospect streets. George
town. He lived at 923 Florida avenue
northwest and leaves a widow and two
small children. He was seen to fall when
he received the electric shock. the current
being communicated apparently by his back
touching g. rod that was charged with
electricity. Three minutes after reaching
the Georgetown University Hospital he
died, and his body was removed to the
morgue. Looney had been working In the
pit at 7th and Pomeroy streets and yester-
day he went to the Georgetown pit to earn
some extra money.
Coroner Nevitt held an inquest at the
sixth precinct station at IL o'clock this
morning, at which q number OF witnesses
were examined The jury found that the
death of the victim was purely accidental.
torneys Wolf and Rosenberg appeared for
the family OF the deceased.
Heard the Signal.
August Goebei. 1888 Prospect avenue. tes-
tilted that he heard the man in the pit
give signal that the change had been
made from underground to overhead cur
rent. Two bells were given, he said, which
means for the conductor to put up the
trolley Witness was attracted to the pit
by hearing the man making an outcry.
Witness ran to the plow pit and saw Mr.
Looney lying face downward. Mr.. Taven-
ner was the first one to enter the pit. the
witness said, and when he jumped down
he called, Hold up," and said he received
shock The switch was turned on when
Mr.. Tavenner entered the pit. and he shut
off the current. Mr. Looney gasped several
times after he was removed from the pit
Vincent Nottingham. 1902 Both street, tes-
titled that Looney died few minutes after
the hospital was reached. The hospitai Is
only two squares from the pit, the witness
told the jury.
Testimony Of Division Superintendent
J. T. MoffaAt of 1925 37th street testified
that he was on duty near the plow pit yes
terday as division superintendent at the
time Looney was killed. Witness heard
two bells given and saw the conductor put
up his trolley. An instant later he heard
an outcry made by Looney. He called.
Hold on" and then went to the pit where
he saw the victim lying on his side with
his head toward the north. Mr.. Tavenner
an inspector, was in the pit, and he In
Witness told him to pull 1t out. He then
assisted in the removal OF the injured
man. When the accident happened, VIII
ness said, the current was on. when 1t
should have been off. Looney, the witness
thought was not an electrician.
Witness explained to the jury how the
change is made in the plow pit. He worked
in the pit In question FOR a time. .,, w 1'ie
shock MIR. Mofatt said he had never
known a man to receive shock in pit
that did not prove fatal. Witness said ne
could not say that there are similar pits IN
other cities He was positive that Looney
had given two bells for the west-bound car
to go ahead.
There was no occasion, the witness said.
for the pitman to handle the switch at the
time the accident occurred. The switch,
witness supposed, had been left up when
the last east-bound car passed, when the
pitman should have opened 1t. Witness
supposed the victim touched the rail while
passing from one side Of the pit to tho
other. Had not the switch been left on the
accident would not have happened. Wit
ness did duty in the pit after the accident
happened. and found all the electrical ap-
pliances In perfect order. Yesterday was
the first day Looney had worked in this
particular pit. Witness understood that he
had been employed for two years in other
pits.
Inspector Tavenner q Witness.
Clarence O. Tavenner, an inspector in the
employ Of the railway company. testified
that he heard the two bells given by the
pitman, and half minute later he saw
Looney's head out OF the east bound pit.
Looney gave scream and two groans and
then fell to the floor OF the pit. Witness
said it appeared to him that the pitman.
having neglected to turn off the current
switch. had placed his hand on the con-
ductor and received shock.
Witness told of the removal OF Looneys s
body after he (witness) had turned off the
a cd
petent man IN the pit. There were leather
and rubber gloves In the pit, but Looney
was not wearing gloves when he was kill
ed Witness said there was a voltage OF
ed a shock of $50 volts through his hands
at one time, but he was not injured be-
yond the slight burning of his hand. Yes
terday he received a shock and his heel
was slightly burned.
Makes an Investigation.
George w. Derene, roadmaster, testified
that he went to the pit about one hour
after the accident occurred to make an
examination. Looney, he said, was the
oldest pitman in the employ Of the COM
pany and had worked in most Of the pits
Of the company. Looney had recently
worked In the pit at 7th and Pomeroy
streets. where there are two bars, while
in the Both street pit there is only one.
The Beth street pit Is easier to handle than
the one at Pomeroy street. An accident
he thought. would be less liable to hap
pen in the Georgetown pit than in the
other pit mentioned. Looney was trans
ferred to the Georgetown pit yesterday at
his own request. the witness said because
he was anxious to make overtime. He had
been asking for permission to make over
time for two months, and when a man
wants to make extra time he is generally
given an opportunity.
w. II. Schaner, assistant roadmaster,
told the jury he had known Looney since
1896. and considered him q competent pit
man. He was certain that Looney. had
worked In this particular pit before. A
man was allowed to go of yesterday and
Looney WIS sent to Georgetown in order
that he might earn extra money.
Depaty Coroner's Statement.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he examined the body Of the deceased this
morning. He found no dtscoloration Of the
skin except across the right side Of the
back There were two such discolorattons