Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-21

long after the victims had been removed
to the hospital. Mr.. Flemer was. away
from his place of business at the time
He was summoned to the store, reaching
there shortly after his head clerk and the
electrician had been taken away AS soon
a. he learned of the death of the men ne
directed that the store be closed and that
only prescriptions should be filled He
found his two clerks, George S. Webb and
W. b. Spre, in the store, his cashier MISS
Emerald Hermann, having been made i'll
by the shock and removed to M. Flemers
apartments. DR.. Helton was summoned to
attend her. Her condition was serious. but
later In the night she was able to be re-
moved to her home.
NJ .Ssages were sent to the homes of the
dead men, and relatives were soon at the
hospital and at the store. They made
anxious inquiries about the condition Of
the men. and it was with some effort that
friends were able to tell them that death
had claimed them Both clerks In the
store were unnerved by the sad accident.
and 1t was only by the greatest effort that
they were able to remain on duty and look
after the business until the place was
closed. Many of those who gathered about
the store were willing and anxious to sug-
the representatives of the electric lighting
company declared that the exact cause
could be determined only by test. This
test, they stated, would be made today.
Trouble in a Conduit
1t was stated that the trouble was caused
by the grounding of the service cable in
the conduit at 18th and d streets northeast.
This grounding, it was stated, caused
short circuit, which threw 2.4OO volts over
a wire which ordinarily carried only 10
. volts Sousa probably thought that the
charge last night was only 40 volts and
that there was. therefore. no danger. His
hand probably came in contact with an
exposed wire and he received the full force
of the current. Last night no effort was
made to turn on the current after the acct
dent had happened. The question of the
cause of the accident will probably be told
when the inquest Is held over one of the
bodies
Harry A. Candee, who was twenty
years of age. native of this city.
He graduated from the public schools and
afterward attended the National College of
Pharmacy. graduating several years ago.
Nine years ago he accepted a position in
Flemer's store, and has been employed there
continuously ever since. Three years ago he
married Miss Mary Benham, and only last
Wednesday the couple celebrated the first
birthday of their only child. His hone was
at IlJ Massachusetts avenue northeast,
almost directly opposite the Casualty Hos
pital, where he died. Arrangements have
been made for the removal of the body to
his late home, from where his funeral will
take place.
Walter \. Sousa was twenty-five years
of age. He was also married and lived
al 1907 G street southeast. Mrs. Sousa was
at home when she received the sad inteli-
gence of his death. Sousa was said to
have been the favorite nephew of the noted
bandmaster. Arrangements for the funeral
have not yet been made.
Capt. Daley and Lieut.. Favey of the
ninth precinct sent policemen to the drNg
store to make an inves tiRation and to t
witnesses who will be wanted to appear
at the inquest. The police were tod that
the window lights were installed Friday
night ard that DR.. Femer had had trou-
Bile in getting them to work. 1t is likely
that the proprietor and clerks in the store
will be called upon to APPEAR witnesses.
Claude Berger and other employees of the
Unit, States Electric Lighting Company
Will also be called upon to give testimony.