The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-19

wire and telephone wire. The electric
| light wire was insulated and connected
with an arc light The black wire was
not quite as big as my little finger. I
first noticed the wire was broken at about
Il o'clock last night I called up central
and talked with the electric light COM
pany. l told them the wire was down
and blazing along the walk.
This was not the first time. The night
OF the big rain, l think Wednesday night.
the same wire broke a little after 10. I
notified them. Last night after notifying
them l went TO bed. but looking out OF
the window we could see the flashes, and
my wife thought it might set the fence
OF fire, and I got up and telephoned them
again. I did not notice what time it was
theu. I cannot say who I notified, but the
man said, You go to bed; that viii not
hurt any man; don't pay any attention
to it at all That was the last time
te,ephoned them. It was some little time
after I first telephoned for I had been
asleep.
THE galvanized wire was beneath the
electric light wire. My house faces north.
There is a post set to the right Of my
door. The wire burned in two near this
pest, broke and rolled toward Luckert's
gate The wires were crossed and tangled
uD together I could not see that anyone
else was near when Mr.. Luckert went
out The porch of his house faced the
window of mine. His wife followed him
cut after he got tangled up in the wire.
I telephoned the electric light company
after that The wire to my phone comes
in from the other way. I telephoned the
&C mpany after he was killed. I stood out
there by him about S5 minutes. then went
Gown town, and was away about twenty
minutes. When 1 came back it was still
burning his clothes some little bit after
that before it was shut off.
Guy NJ. Harllins, aged II. who is car
rier for the Morning Okishoman. was
next placed on the stand. He said:
i was riding down there throwing pa
pers. and the paper was so large that it
came apart unless 1 rode close UP.
rode up close and threw the paper when
the mare fell, and l was thhrown over he
head, landing on. my feet and running
against the fence [ got up and, not
knowing what was the matter. took hold
Of the bride and tried to pull the mare
UP. Finding 1 could not do so ] struck
not for home. 1t was then O'Clock or
little after / did not see the wire when
I rode up 1 saw some little sparks which
/ took to be lightning bugs and kept on
going / was not there wnen Mr. Luckert
was killed. / went back there in about
an hour and half When the mare fell
1 was about four or five feet from the
sidewalk. Mr. Luckert fell about twenty
feet east of the mare. 1 did not report it
to any one except at home. l did not see
anybody to tell them. After the horse
fell / did not see the wire-I didn't know
what it was. After being thrown 1 went
out into the street l do not think it
shocked me. did not know what
was the matter I do not know that
felt an electric shock / live At
81 West Reno. The horse fell for
ward after striking the wire It did net
II did not fall close TO the fence. The
wire was lying outside the sidewalk. 1
remained there two or three minutes. /
saw no one else there"
The jury last night. after giving the
case careful deliberstion, reported unani-
mousIy the following verdict:
I'VE. the jury. ind from the evidence
produced that the said George I-uckert
was killed BY electrocution. by coming in
contact with a live wire Of the Oklaho-
ma City Gas and Electric Companys
wires which were down upon the ground
That the Gas and Electric company has
been notified several times by telephone
that their wires were dangerous TO life;
and that the engineer of said company
failed to shut of the current after he had
been so repeatedly notified"
This verdict was signed by ali the ju-
rors.
In accordance With the finding OF the
coroner's jury Charles schIosser. engineer
at the electric light plant was arrested
last night ard placed in the county jail
on the charge Of criminal negligence. and
wilI be held for action of the grand jury.