The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-01
TOUCHED A LIVE WIRE.
CHARLES CRAWFORD IS KILLED
 AT SELMA.
Young Painter Meets Sudden Death in selma-Body Will Be Shipped
 to MontgomeryLig
 ming Does Damage.
Advertiser Bureau.


 Selma, July 31.
 This morning about 10 o'clock. Charles Crawford was killed by electricity in front of the Gilman Building on Broad Street, in the center of the business part of the city.
 Crawford. with two others. was engaged in painting the iron work and posts on the gallery that extends over the pave ment in front of the offices on the sec ond floor of the building His ladder had been placed between the wires of the Selma Light and Power Company and within few feet of the post that sup ports the wires. He had just mounted the ladder preparatory to beginning to paint the post and iron work that sup- ports the gallery at this point. His posi- tion placed him between an outside wire and three wires which run close to the gallery. As he reached his station he re- marked to his co-worker: q don't like the way this ladder is fixed and shifted his position.
 Just at this moment the two other workmen. J. E. Donagey and E. E. Bow man. heard him utter a long and gasping moan and quickly went to him. As they looked he was hanging across the wires in front of him with both arms stretched out in front and over the edge of the gal lery, the wires resting across his chest.
 MT. Donagey attempted to seize his hand in order to lift him from the wires but as soon as he touched him received severe shock which knocked him back some feet. About this time Mir. Bowman reached Crawford, whose face was dis torted with pain and who was moaning or gasping in fearful manner. Mir. Bow man attempted to assist him. but was warned by Donegey that he would be shocked if he touched him. Nevertheless Bowman made an effort to throw Craw- fords arms over the wire so that he would fall free from them. MT. Bowman received a severe shock upon touching Crawford and was compelled to desist
 About this time Crawford seemed to grow limp. He slipped from the wires and fell from the ladder Into Broad Street.
 A physician who was standing in front of a nearby drug store ran quickly to Crawford's assistance and immediately began vigorous efforts to revive him, be- ing joined in a few moments by other physicians. An examination showed only a faint fiuttering of the heart and after the doctor reached him he breathed only few times. never recovering conscious ness. The body was at once taken in charge by an undertaken and borne to the home of the deceased at the corner of Water and Franklin Streets. A care- full examination of the body showed a small burn near the center of the chest. a cut on the upper lip and a small bruise on the forehead.
 MT. Crawford came here from Mont gomery about year ago and has made many friends in the city. He leaves a wife and two small children. The body will be carried to Montgomery tomorrow for interment. MT. Crawford was son in-law of Mir. and Mrs. w. H. Maybin of Montgomery. MT. and Mrs. Maybin arrived here tonight.
 An examination of the wires of the Elec- tric Company at the point where the ac- cident occurred showed that the insula- tion Is worn off three of them in several places. An employe of the company who examined the wires shortly after the &C., cident, however, claimed that the defect i've insulation was not the cause of the tragedy, but that. with the current which was upon the wires at the time, some 2,300 volts, death would result upon a circuit being completed through the body in spite of the insulation upon the wires even If in perfect condition.