Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-22
THE DEADLY ICICLE.
Curious Fatalities Resulting From
Excessive Cold Snaps.
49,, Am r opdoD Mail

Curious Fatalities Resulting From
Excessive Cold Snaps.
From the London Mall.
Although up to the present frost has nao
little chance OF asserting itself In many
parts of the kingdom, the cold snap may III
accordance with the glorious uncertainties
of our climate, be expected at any hour..
With frost usually comes icicles, ana with
icicles a new danger to the community DIT
large. inasmuch as they have been the cause
of death of numerous persons In many cu'i-
Gus ways during recent years.
,ahorer at an iron foundry in Birming-
ham was going home to his dinner one Jay
last winter, On his way he had to pass a
high building, from the caves OF "hlch sew
eraI large tcicles were hanging. Suddenly,
without a crack of warning, While ne was
md arneath. the whole mass gave way ana
fall The man dropped like a stone, and
when nicked I'D he was found to be quite
dead. The point of an icicle nearly three
feet in length hadt pierced the cloIn cap ne
was wearing, through the top VI MS 9Noi''
and penetrated the brain
A Somewhat similar mishap under dl1er-
ent circumstances occurred at Ashloru; III
Kent. Two little schoolfellows were play
ing together in the snow and ice when one
Of them found an icicle about foot In
length hanging from some ratings. Let
play brigands," he shouted to his compan,
! ion: heres a jolly dagger for stabplng'
| and broke off the iccle. They played to-
gether for some time until, while engaged
| in a friendly struggle. both slipped ana Tell.
| At the moment one Of them was IN the ACT
| Of making a stab at the other with the
! icicle and before he could stay his hand
the piece of ice had struck the other in the
| eve and gone through to the BRAIN lie
died practically instantaneously.
| A young man residing in the neighborhood
| of Svdenham was trying some amateur ex-
periments in electro-plating last winter, and
wishing to proceed economically at frst ne
used large bath Of sulphate or copper IN
stead of one of the more precious metals.
| When he had finished for the night the rest
| Of the household had retired and, not
thinking 1t worth while to disturb them by
going down to the sink, he emptled the
| waste solution out of the WINDOW down the
| sloping roof Of an adjacent lean-to. where
it froZe and formed some 1cicles. Inc gar
dener came in to work early the next morn
| ing with bad dry mouth, and, cold though
| 1t was, decided to SUCK a piece OF ice tC
moisten his tongue.
| By chance he chose one Of the very icicles
containing the sulphate OF copper and no.
noticing the coppery taste OF 1t with his
disordered palate, sucked away several
pieces of it. Later in the day he died In In
tense agony, and a post-mortem examina
ton revealed the fact that death was due Il
copper poisoning.
burglar who was in the act Of pursuing hi!
operations at a house near Datchet ~
had placed ladder against first-f1oor win
dow and had nearly climbed to the top
when a small icicle become detached from
the gable above, fell, and struck him OF
the head. Although the blow could not un
der the circumstances have been yer!
severe one he lost his nerve and imagined
that some one was striking at him from tbs
window he had intended to enter. In hi
hurry to descend the ladder slipped ant
threw him to the ground. where the inmates
Of the house discovered him shortly after
ward with his leg broken and doubled un
} der him.
In yet another instance an icicle cause,
severe injuries to two men and boy. Tn
sharp ice spear fell through the glass roo
of hot house where the three were work
ing. and the splintered glass cut them dan
| gerouSly