Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-01-20
CAPTURED
electrically.
A Strange Duel In Which the
Lineman Was Victor.
81 ALvAH MILTON kERR.


and with nerve to face anything. Sew
eral years OF labor with the pliers had
given him a finger grip which caused
his chums to avoid shaking hands with
him. He could make an insulator tie
with a No. 9 iron wire with apparent
ease. This remarkable power Of con-
traction in the finger muscles once
saved him from probable death.
At the time of which l write q local
company in Layton had installed tel
ephone exchange. Several Of their
wires paralleled the telegraph wires
along the tracks and also those OF the
lighting and power company in the
streets. The result was a bad case Of
induction, that mysterious transfer
ence Of electrical impulse between
wires where there is no direct connec-
ton.
So great was the influence OF the
telegraph and power wires on the
wires of the telephone company that
the rattle and clicking of our instru-
ments could be distinctly heard in the
telephone receivers, and the singing
snarl of the dynamos at the power
house annoyed every one trying to use
the phone.
The manager angrily declared that
some enemy of his company had
thrown threadlike copper wires across
from wire to wire, thus tangling up
the currents.
Prindle went over" the wires care
fully twice and reported that he could
find no "cross" of that sort. Still he
kept studying and inspecting the mat
ter, because the telephone managers
daughter was a very good friend Of
his.
Emerging from the managers house
one night near the hour of II, he no
ticed a dark figure stealing down a
side street. Touched with suspicion,
Prindle followed after the skulking
form, the malicious enemy theory
suddenly alive In his mind.
Presently the figure crossed moon
Lit street and entered an alley leading
between two business blocks. Through
the alley ran the wires of both the tele-
phone and power companies, and Prin-
die crept carefully forward through
the shadows at the base of the build
ings keeping his eye on the man ahead
of him. Suddenly and to the lineman's
establishment the man began walking
up one Of the telephone poles.
"Pon my SOUL" gasped Prindle, IF
he hasn't got spurs strapped on his
shoes! / guess Manager Towne must
be right; some ones tampering with
the wires! IN nail the rogue when he
comes down."
With tingling nerves he crept near
er, but to his amazement the climber
stopped before reaching the cross arm
and skillfully threw the iron hooked
end Of rope ladder over the sill Of az
open window in the side of the build
ing some six feet away. The other END
Of the ladder he strapped to the pole
then carefully crept across the bridge
thus formed and disappeared through
the window.
Prindle fetched a low whistle and
looked all around. ''WhewP' he hal
whispered. "This is interesting, and NJ
mistake! That chap has gone into |
room above the bank! Must be he'
figuring on getting down into the vaul
roomr
He stood in silence looking up at tn
window and listening. The slow, sof
rasping of some sort of instrumen
came to his ears. Placing his hand Of
his hip pocket to see If the little pisto
he carried when out late at night wa
there. he slipped OF his shoes and be
gan climbing the pole. Slowly an,
carefully he drew himself up until hi
hand was on the strap Of the ladder
then he paused. The rasping noise ha
ceased
If that fellow hears me he will Ike
ly come to the window and shoot N
In the face" was Prindle's though
He hung perfectly mOtiOnless for
time, hearing nothing louder than th
strong beating Of his heart. Then tn
rasping sound began again.
Immediately the lineman drew hin
self higher. Then, taking the pistol
his hand, he crept warily across th
rope bridge and in at the window
Letting himself down on the floor, b
stood still. The rasping sound cam
from closet at the back end OF tn
room.
He is saving through the floor wit
the expectation Of working his wa
through the briekwOrk covering ii
top Of the bank vault" was Prindle
mental comment.
With pistol In hand he began ste
ping craftily toward the closet, but
board In the floor creaked. and tt
mufled noise OF the saw suddenl
ceased. The lineman held his breat
A misty kind OF darkness filed Il
nom. the moons radiance being T
nected dimly from the opposite wall
me alley. An instant later he saw u
Door Of the closet pushed open and u
outline of a human form rising In q
opening.
To the burglar the dim and immov
ole figure IN the middle Of the roo
must have seemed frightful. Had Pm