Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-12-26
e ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD

ZIP. Keefe, a white man, age
ut forty years, was instantly kill
this afternoon about 1:30 O'Clock
MS an electric shock which he re-
Ma from an electric light pole al
M Barraque and Alabama streets
1a talking to some friends Death
Iinstantaneous and it is thought
sprincipally due to the fact that
Nskeefe must have had a weak
k& The body was not burned
M the current at any place, but
mkeefe did not breathe again az
4e fell from the shock.
ne man was going to work from
Mdinner and stopped on the corner
hlk to some friends. While talk
Mhe grasped a windlass by when
electric light of the Citizens
-u1t a..uSTransit company is raised
lowered.
He leaned against the pole
dch supported the light Then it
Is that he received the shock which
He'd him. Mr. Keefe fell like he
M been struck and those who were
liking to him hardly knew what had
appened.
The body was removed to the un-
ertaking establishment of Ralph
johnson. where an examination was
made. No evidences of burns. such
as are usually made from strong elec.
trio currents, were found on the
body, and this leads physicians to be
leye that Mr.. Keefe must have had
a weak heart, although nothing Off
ciaI is given out along that line.
An electrician made an examina-
ton of the wire and pole where the
man met his death and it is thought
the wire which is used 10 raise ana
lower the light became surchareed
with electricity due perhaps t0 the
rainy weather. Under ordinary cir
these wires are perfectly
safe and arg within easy reach OF
the passers by. II is also though
that the pole must have con iucted a
from the overhead wires duo
to the rain and the water soaked con-
d;tion of the wood The wire ana
pole literally hum with electricity.
Mr.. Keefe had been out in the ram
for some time and as he carried no
his clothes were very wet.
All this helped to make his body sub
ject to the electric shock which caus-
ed his death
Mr. Keefe's friends who were
standing close by him hardly knew
for some time what had happened
and one cf them came very near to
the same pole and wire.
When they discovered what caused
the mans death every precaution
was taken to prevent other accidents
OF similar nature and the pole was
literally hedged about with ropes,
wagons and boxes. Assistant cher
Briner of the fire department and
Detectives Ed Cheek superintendent
the work of making the pole safe
and warned the passersby
1t is thought by some of the physi.
clans who examined the body that
Mr.. keefes life could have been
saved had artificial respiration beer
started at once although this op1n
ion is not held by all The force OF
the current transmitted by the wires
and pole is not definitely known. and
electricians refused to make expert
ments to find out.
The news of the sudden deatr
spread rapidly throughout the city
soon after the accident and hundreds
visited he spot. All. however, gave
the pole wide berth.
G. P. Keefe was not very wei!
known in this city, having been here
but short time. He came here
from Missouri about a month ago snt
has been representing the McCros X,
Medicine coIpany in the city. HI
expected to go on the road for th;
company after the holidays HI
leaves a wife but no children. Mrs