The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-04
SHOCK HURLS
MAN To DEATH
A. Z. Vaughan Comes Into Con-
tact With Heavy Current
With Fatal Results,
THROWN TO GROUND WITH
HIS CLOTHING IN FLAMES
Dies in Patrol Wagon While
Being Taken to Emcr-
gency Hospital.

A, T. Vaughan, 33 years of age
better known among followers of tho
races as ''Checkers Vaughan, while
working for the Utah Light & Railway
company at Eighth South and State
streets at $50 clock Tuesday morn.
ing, came in contact with n feed wire
carrying 5000 volts, and his body was
burned almost to a crisp. Death re-
suited in a few minutes after the time
the current first struck his body.
Soon after the accident the police
station was notified and the patrol
wagon FASTENED to the scene. The vic
tim Of The accident was placed in the
wagon and hurried run to the po-
lice emergency hospital was made. just
before the hospital was reached, how
ever, Vaughan hresthed his last.
Some time ago Vaughan secured q
contract from the Utah Light & Rail
way company for the painting of poles
in certain parts Of tho city. He was
engaged in this work when he sud
denly came into contact with feed
wire. He had climbed ono Of the poles,
had thrown his leg over a cross beam
and with paint brush IN hand had
started To work, when he brushed
against the wire. The song on his lips
WAS changed TO n cry Of pain. With
an agonIzed shrek the man pitched
over cross beam and hung suspended
there for a moment while flashes of
blue fire shot from his body and then
he fell with n crash TO the ground bc
'ow, distance of twenty feet.
Help Comes Quickly.
The fatal accident was witnessed by
a score of men digging trench for the
Utah Gas and Coke company on Eighth
South street. The foreman of the
crew: J. 6. Anderson, living on Third
North street, between Second West
aud Third West streets. rushed to
Vaughan S assistance rs he saw him
fall, followed by other men and by
Vaughan s helpers, who were also on
top of electric poles painting. Vaughan
was TO all appearances dead when they
reached him
on the pole painting for about ten
minutes, when he heard him cry out
as if in great pain.
AS looked up TO where he had |
been working said Anderson, "fI saw
him fall. I noticed q flash of fire
near his feet, which were on cross
bar and near one of his hands. which
was Ildi'b WI 'us btntT CTOSS D3T. HIS
body was black and burned when he
reached him and we all thought he was
dead. He dIdn I say anything; he just |
tcreamcd -
Dies on Way to Hospital.
When the police were notified of the
accident Patrolmen Gillespie and Bar
ker and Patrol Driver George Moore |
were sent out 10 bring Vaughan TO the
hospital. Though the horses
were driven at top speed, Vaughan died |
before the emergency hospital was
reached
Vaughan had been engaged at his
contract of painting the poles several
months. He had been Mt work lust
little more than an hour when he came
IN contact with the wire. Men work
ing for the Utah Gas and Coke COM
pany saw him climb pole, humming
2 tune, when suddenly he screamed and
ms body was seen 10 lUrch forward fire
flashed and then he fell.
Within n short time after the acci-
dent hls body was taken 10 the NOR
tuary Of O'Dounell & Co. On examiua-
ton IL was found that Vaughan s body
on the left side was terribly burned
The hand and arm. part of the side and
the left leg were severely burned, and
the left side of the face and the head
were battered by the fall
1toCuelo WOIk SWlICly,
When the officers arrived at the
scene of the accident they found
Vaughan lying face downward in a
pool of blood, with his clothing on fire,
Patrolmen Gillespie and Barker pro
cured buckets of water and throw them
On the prostratc man.
AS soon as possible the victim was
placed in the patrol wagon Patrolman
Thomas Gillespie said that the man
was still breathing when they reached
Second South street, but that when
they reached the emergency hospital
they saw he was dead DR.. i. B. Steele
was notified and was at the station
when the wagon arrived, but his serv-
ices were OF no avail
Vaughan came to Salt Lake about
two years ago, it Is said. and since
his arrival has lodged at the Lincoln
house on First South street 1t is re.
ported that he was at one time in the
navy, and before coming hither was
located at San Francisco. He was a
frequenter of the pool rooms and was
well known among the race horse fra
ternity.
1t was about a year ago that he
got contract with the Utah Light g.
Railway company to paint the new iron
poles along the sides Of the streets
He employed a force of men TO helm
him with tho work.
The police department is making ef-
forts to ascertain whether or not he has
any relatives In the country. No ar
rnngements for the funeral have vet
been nrade.