The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-05-01
ERNEST |. WICKER
IS ELECTR0CUTED
YOUNG ELECTRICIAN Mills
HORRII LIE C-CCATH IN SUMTER.
Touched Live Wire While Working
On :. P.cle and Loses His
Life.

W lcNc. SltclflclitH pl lnc DuIllSf Ice,
Light ana Power company, was in-
stantly killed about 2.3O o'clock to-
day by coming in contact with a live
wire, while at work on the line at the
corne: E Main and Liberty streets.
Mr.. N'.rEc: and Dave Lawrence, his
asst: nj iincman, were at work on
the ; !: pole at the Chandler Clothing
com any corner puttin" in il couple
OF ne transformers and had almost
finishtl maxim" the connection when
the acr.s;"nt occurred. They were
seated t: sc q. IS liars about, ~
feet from l." Ground, Mr. Wicker
harln- II safety belt with which
he h., trapped himself to the pole.
The - !: was almost Finished and
Lawn tlct says lie and Wicker received
Il shock at the same instant as each
cut wire on opposite sides Of the
pole.
The terrible force Of the shock
threw Lawrence violently against the
pole. causing 4 severe bruiSc on his
Forehead but fortunately for him con-
tact with the wire was broken when
ne received the shock.
MIR. Wicker remained IL contact
with the wire and Lawrence grabbed
him by the sleeve and jerked his hand
loose from the wire but he fell face
Forward across Il bar among the wires
and although Lawrence made frantic
efforts to puShhim from the wires with
stick thr attempt was futile and
the unfortunate Young man hung
!lrrc with a current $500 volts strong
rnlSAiing through his body for more
than five minutes.
Effort to Stop Current
.l> soon us il was perceived that
something was wrong Mr.. T.. II.
Moses. who was nearby, jumped into
his buggy and drove as rapidly as pos
sible TO the power house to have the
current cut off.
AS soon as the current was cut off
Mr. Huger Lyman ascended the pole
and with the assistance of others
lowered Mr. Wicker to the ground and
he was Immediately hurried to the
Mood-Osteen infirmary.
a careful examination proved that
llc was extinct and efforts to resus-
cltate him were without result.
There were a few burns on Mr..
Wicker's body, one about an inch in
diameter on the hand, another about
three inches long on the side of the
face, and temple, and one or two
others of less Importance on other
parts of the body. He had on heavy
gloves, one of which was SLIGHTLY
burned just above the burn on the
hand.
The cause of The accident has not
been fully explained but the supposi-
ton IS that there was n short circuit
on the line and that when the wire
was cut by Mr.. Wicker nc received
the full strength of the current.
Mr.. Wicker was an expert and cx-
pcricnced electrician and was more
over careful and painstakin" work
man who took no needless or reckless
chances IN his hazardous occupation
Tie understood his business thcoreti-
c"lly and practically, having taken an
electrical course in one of the best
schools in the South in addition to
having had several years. experience.
lie stood high in the confidence Of
his employers and had made many
friends during his residence in Sum-
ter.
His death is one of the most tragic
that ever occurred in Sumter and
many people who witnessed the acci-
dent We're forced to stand by in horri-
lied helplessness unable to do thing
to save him while his body writhed
amid the wires 20 feet in the air.
The deceased was a native Of New
berry and was in his 9th year.
His body will be taken TO Ncwbcrrv
for inIcrment but arrangements have
not yet been made, as there has not
been time to communicate with and
obtain reply from his family in that
placc.-Thc State.
Pythians Take Charge of Body.
ian