Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-24
ACCIDENTAL DEATH
VERDICT OF JURY IN CASE oF
HARRY o. BROOKE.
Killed ty Live Wire Last Evening-No
Blame Attached to the Elec-
trio Company.


had hold of an electric light wire on
Nichols avei.ue. near Philadelphia street,
Congress Heights, yesterday evening when
the currentfwas turned on and received
shock which caused his death in few
minutes. Brooke was a blacksmith by
trade and had also done some electrical
work.
He was in the store of Samuel M. Filius
when clerk in there made remark about
an electric wire breaking, and Brooke ana
Charles Murphy went out to investigate.
When Brooke took hold of the wire to get
it out of the way of the car his friend
Murphy said:
For heavens sake don't touch that.
1T won't hurt me- Brooke said.
Murphy repeated his warning and Brooke
repeated the statement that 1t would not
hurt him. 1t so happened That the preaN
occurred just before the time Tor turning
on the current to feed the street lamps. -, !.
was eight minutes past o'clock when ne
picked up the wire, and the current was
turned on just one minute later.
At the inquest held today at the slxta
precinct station Murphy told OF havills
begged his friend to let go of the WIRE.
He said the insulation on the wire was
broken for short distance and that broohe
had his hand on this part of the wire.
do you know anything about eiectr'c
wires?' he was asked. :,
had I'd been in the fix that he's In.
Murphy told the jury that Brooke re-
ceiyed three shocks.
Their Evidence Important.
Two Important witnesses iii the case
were James Tucker motorman, and Will
liam Miller, conductor of the car that
PASSED the scene of the accident about one
minute before Brooke received the shock.
Tucker said he had known Brooke for
about four years and knew he was ac-
uuainted with electric wires as he 1Brooke)
had done electrical work on the road ana a.
the hospital for the insane Yesterday al
ternoon his car was moving south near
Philadelphiae street when he saw Brooke
holding the end of a broken electric hght
wire. Brooke was apparently noinng 4.
out of the way of the car. but this was not
ed the wire. When his car got near where
the broken wire was witness said:
Brooke. let go that Wire
"What did Brooke say?' the coroner IN
quired.
..He said nothing. but laughed was the
response of witness.
Witness said he spoke to Brooke for the
latter's own sake, as he realized there was
danger. The. car had gone about twenty
feet when witness heard passenger re-
mark: "rbe mans dead
Witness looked back and saw electric
flashes coming from the body of the vic
car to go to ,Brooke's assistance. but was
advised to go to the end of the line. only
short distance away and summon the
patrol wagon -
William Miller was next examined. IIe
told substantially the same story as the
motorman,. except that he said nothing TO
Brooke.
Story OF Eye Witnesses.
Policeman VIC. King told the jury of his
connection swithTthe accident. Brooke was
not dead whenshe reached him, but death
occurred before he could be removed. Wit
ness took him to the asylum, where doctors
examined him and pronounced life extinct.
S. NJ }sFillius grocer, witnessed
Brooke's action and thought there was no
danger, as he knew Brooke had done cleo
trical work, Witness saw Brooke when he
fell and ran, toward hira. He was advised
not to touchi the body, and he looked for
stick to use in freeing his hand from the
wire. No sparks were emitted before the
car reached the broken wire. Witness said
he felt no shock when he knocked the wire
from Brookes hand with stick. He
thought the mans pulse did not cease. to
beat for fifteen minutes after the shock
was received.
questioned. He reached the scene of the
accident Just before Brooke died. Witness
had his rubber gloves with him and he ar
ranged the broken wire.
He said the wire was Weather-prOOf
one but he made no careful examination of
it, There was d slight break in the inSula-
ton about one foot from the broken end.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook told of the
burns on the right hand of Brooke's body,
and said his death was due to shock.
The Jury returned verdict Of accidental
death and attached no blame to the electric
light company. In reaching this conclusion
the Jurors expressed themselves as being of
the opinion that Brooke, not being an en-
ploye of the company, had no right to touch
the wire.