The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-28
KILLED BY ELECTRIC sRoCk
Frank c. Robinson Met His Death by
Coming in Contact With a
Charged Wire.

w men IIdIh Y, hOUISOll, Il lllelll-
Der of the dramatic company which
presented LAS Told in the Hills" at
the Gale theatre Thursday evening,
was going through his dramatic
work he had little conception of the
possibility hat his life was nearing
its end while he q in the height
of physical health and activity of
life. Yet within an hour after the
close of the performance his body
was found cold and l~ifeless in the
alley between the Methodist church
and the Champeny block.
Mr.. Robinson does the leading
male character in the drama and on
this occasion he was the last to leave
the theatre. He walked down the alley
on the west side on the stone slabs
that had been laid there. Reaching
a telephone pole half way through
the alley, the supposition is that he
lost his balance perhaps on the nar-
row slab, and caught hold of the guy
wire to protect himself from step
ping off in the mud and wet ground.
The shock he received was sufficient
to cause his death. The supposition
is that the current was so strong
that it drew him to the wire and
his forehead touched it, as there
was a mark across his face and a
small pool of blood was noticed on
the ground.
The guy wire runs from an ell
ectric light pole at the intersection
of the alley and the street to the
telephone pole farther up the alley.
At the top of the electric light pole
an insulated branch wire is strung
within a couple of inches of the guy
wire. The insulation was burned
off the wire in a small spot, and
| with the atmospheric conditions be-
ing just right the supposition is that
the electric current vas conducted
to the guy wire in sufficient quantity
as to make it a deadly thing to
handle. The guy wire attached to
the telephone pole was about four
feet above the ground, and after the
accident it was raised about 80
inches.
Janitor Tippley of the Gale theatre
after closing up the house for the
night, started down the alley to look
after the fires in other of the Gale
buildings. At the telephone pole
Tippley saw the body of a man laying
on the ground. He supposed that he
was drunk and went in search OF a
policeman to take care Of the person.
! When they returned the man was
moved over and it was seen that he
was dead Tippley recognizing the man
as one of the members of the COM
pany, sent for the others to come.
They Immediately jumped to the con
clusion that Robinson had been slug
ged and held up, but an examination
of his clothes indicated that what
it was a mystery to them what had
happened to their friend.
While they were talking over the
matter Tippley took hold of the guy
wire for some unknown eason and
he received a shock from the elect
rio current which rendered him un-
conscious. The men had a hard time
in releasing him from the wire, and
1t was thought hat he, too, was
killed. Luckily enough DR.. 'Freyberg
passed along just at that moment
and his services undoubtedly saved
the life of Tippley. He was taken in
to the real room of the theatre
building and the physician at
tended to him the best he could un-
der the circumstances. Tippley was
removed to the hospital.
James Kearney, who was with the
crowd, also touched the guy wire
and he received a severe shock from
the current, but he did not hang or
long enough to injure him to any
extent. The damp ground made a
good conductor for the electric cur.
rent in each Of the three cases.
Mr.. Robinson has been with the
company for about three months
coming on to take the leading part
after the company had been Il since
August. He would have attained his
majority on Jan. 81, had he lived
His parents live at Salt Lake CITY
Utah, where his father is engaged
in the manufacture of gypsum. In con.
versation with several members o.
the company they spoke in the high.
est terms of the deceased young man
saying that he was of a good mora
character and had none of the vice.
attributed to young manhood. The!
spoke with special reference to hi;
talent as an actor and his pleasan
demeanor on and off the stage. The.
stated further that ne was possessed
of considerable artistic talent and