The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-06-22
vincenzo and Antonio Petracci
Meet Death Sunday by
Touching a Live Wire.
CROSSED WIRES THE CAUSE
Vincenzo Petracci Was First Killed
and His Brother Met Death in Show
ing the Manner of His Brothers.
Death.-Coroner to Investigate

Two Italians, Vincenzo and Antonio
Petracci residing with their father on
Maple street met death at the corner
of Maple street and Grand avenue be-
tween eight and nine o'c1ockISunday
morning by touching a guy wire
which was heavily charged with
electricity. Vincenzo Petracci was
the first to meet death and the brother
met his death in, attempting to
illustrate to his fellow Italians the
manner in which his brother had been
killed. The accident caused great ex-
citement among the members of the
Italian colony in the neighborhood.
sixteen and Antonio aged twenty-one
had left their home at eight O'Clock
in the morning and had prepared to
attend mass at St. James church.
They walked to the corner near their
home and with an other Italian had
been standing about the electric light
pole. Suddenly Vincenzo dropped
over as if dead. None of his COM
panions seemed to understand the
cause of his fall and they gathered
the boy up in their arms and started
to carry him to his home just around
the corner. In the meantime Antonio
remained behind In few minutes
. large number of Italians from the
quarter had gathered at the corner
and all of them were anxious to know
the manner in which young Vincenzo
met his death. Antonio was attempt
ing to explain. He was standing
like this" said Antonio but these
proved to be his last words for not
knowing his danger he made the
fatal error Of touching the guy wire
and he fell over like his brother and
was dead before his companions could
reach his side. Other fatalities might
have followed for the Italians seemed
to have no idea of the fact that the
Wire was heavily charged with cleo
trlcity. The crowd however which
had gathered contained one expert
electrician and he fastened to force
the Italians from the fatal wire and
constables could arrive. Antonio
Petracci was being carried away to
his home when dog belonging to
School Commissioner VIM. Craney
walked near the wire. He put his
nose against the wire and his fate
was the same as that of the Italians.
The bodies of the dead boys were
atonce removed to the Hansen morgue
and DR.. Fl. A. Robinson was called to
conduct a coroner's investigation of
the accident Coroner Robinson at
once took steps to probe deep into
the cause of the accident in order that
the blame for the lives of the two
Italians might be placed on the right
shoulders. An examination showed
that the Italians had met their death
by touching guy wire connected
with post which supported one of
the street lamps of the Kenosha Gas
and Electric company. The ex-
animation showed that the wire had
been connected with pnlly to which
was attached wire supporting the
lamp. lhis lamp was connected with
wire stretched across the street and
over this wire passed wires of the
commercial circuit. The insulation
of one of these wires had been burned
away so that the entire current of the
circuit could pass through the guy
wire.
Before the arrival of the coroner
agents of the company had been sent
to cut the wires to prevent further ac-
cidents but on the orders of the
coroner the agents of the company
were not allowed to cut the wires and
the whole scene of the accident was
staked in in order to allow the coroner
and his jury to make the fullest ex-
animation.