Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-29
TOUCHED A LIVE WIRE
shuttIefield Was Shooting At the Gal
Iery In the Park and While Attempt
Ing to Extinguish An Incandescent
Light Received the Fatal Shock -
Home Was Near Highland Center

From Mondays Daily.
In order to make a stronger light on
the target. Fred Shuttleheld, Young
FARMER from near Highland Center at.
tempted to turn off an incandescent
electric light in front of the shooting
gallery at the Heights park last night
ana was almost instantly killed.
About o'clock last night Mr.. Shut.
tleneld with q party of young men.
most or them from the vicinity of
H1ghland Center, was shooting at the
gallery at the park, and In order to
throw stronger light over the tar.
gets 1t was suggested to turn Off the
lights over their heads. One of the
young men of the party turned off one
or the lights and then Shuttlef1eld
throwing his gun across his left arm
reached up his left hand and caught
the globe Of the light over him. He
was held by the current for about
minute according to the statement OF
the men who were standing by, and
then he fell to the ground holding the
globe in his hand.
DR.. M. H. Sprague and the ambu.
lance We're called and in the interval
that elapsed before their arrival every.
thing possible was done for the In.
1ured man by the bystanders. Upon
the arrival OF the ambulance he was
placed in it and taken to the residence
of Dr. Sprague, 1923 West Second
street, but medical aid was unable to
save his life. The body was taken to
the Scott & McIntire undertaking par
lors on West Second street.
Shuttlefeld was burned on the sec.
ond finger of the left hand on the left
side. this being the only mark on the
entire body. The mother of the young
man was sent for and arrived In the
city early this morning.
Fred Shuttlefleld was about % years
OF age. He is survived by his mother,
three sisters and two brothers. The
mother Mrs. John Shuttlefield, resides|
on her farm about two and half
miles northwest of Highland Center,
and two of the sisters, Miss Maude
and Miss Lena and the two brothers,
Burt and Harry, reside at
the same place. The other
sister, is Mrs. Stella Arganbright.
who resides at 325 North wape.lo
street, in this city. Other relatives Of
the young man residing in Ottumwa
are his uncle. officer H. ]. Thompson.
and his aunts. Mrs. Phillip Snyder, 23s
North Sheridan avenue, Mrs Frank
Williams, who resides on West Maple
avenue. and Mrs. George Williams
whose home Is west of the city.
Accident Is nexplcable.
Superintendent J. F. Springfield OF
the Ottumwa Traction e Light Co.,
when seen this morning stated that 1t
was impossible for one to get shock
of greater than 230 volts from the In.
candescent circuit and that he knew
OF cases where men had taken shocks
Of 500 volts and been practically un.
harmed. He stated that there were
only two circuits at the heights, the
arc light and the incandescent, and
7. that these circuits were on separate
poles 1t was more than he could un.
derstand he said unless the unfortu.
nate man was afflicted with chronic
disease and even in that case that IT.
hardly seemed possible that so small
a shock would prove fatal though 1t
:. is fact that to man affected with
chronic heart trouble, a small shock
even Is dangerous.
Inquest Tonight.
Coroner F. w. Mills will hold his In
quest over the remains of Fred Shut.
tlefeld this evening at o'clock in his
Office. DR.. Mills has been gathering
information as to the precise cause oe
the unfortunate accident, all Of which
will develop in the inquest tonight