The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-08-04
BLAMEs EDISON CO.
FOR DEATH or
MRS. SMITH
City Fireman Curtis Says He Twice
Called Attention To Dangerous
Wire by Which Woman Was Elec-
cuted, But Got No Satisfaction.
Inquest Brings Out Fact That Insula-
tion Affords Little Protection
Against Deadly Current.

All electric wires are dangerous;
Il Is impossible to give them sufficient
insulation to make the public safe
from them" said Frank Campbell,
electrician for the public lighting COM
mission, In testifying at the inquest
In Coroner Burgess court Thursday
morning. In connection with the death
OF Mrs. Dora Smith, electrocuted In
trying to rescue her little boy, Henry,
from . loose live wire near his home.
No. 316 Willis-ave., west, July 20.
AS matter OF fact" Mr.. Campbell
added. ''the insulation Ia no protec-
ton to the public at all when loose
wires cross other wires. l have been
working around electricity for many
years and I never take any chances.
! cut down the loose wire which kill
ed Mrs. Smith. but, although having
rubber gloves on, I took the precau-
tion to remove the wire by tying q
piece Of rope around It..
Wouldn't the danger be lessened
IL such wires were placed In q metal
lie tube?" one of the jurors asked.
"Yes, that would remove the dan
ger to a'certain extent" Mr.. Campbell
replied. "but 1t would be impossible to
put wires OF high tension In q metal
lie tube. You cannot put such wires
together"
Mr.. Campbell, In answer to Ques-
tons from Attorney John Goodson,
who IL representing the Smith family,
said that the loose wire which killed
Mrs. Smith and MANNED little Henry
for life. was an unused telephone wire.
and that the wires over which II fell
belonged to the Edison company.
There were fire department wires on
the same poles. Mr.. Campbell added,
but he said they carried practically
no voltage at all. while the Edison
wires were charged with 1900 volts.
Lieut.. Curtis, OF engine house No.
~. who lives at No. 800 Willis-ave.,
west, directly In front Of whose house
the loose wire fell. declared that the
wire hrst began to sag four years
ago, when the Edison linemen were
working ON the poles.
\ II was sitting on my front steps
when I saw the wire sag one day
about four years ago. said Lieut.. Cur
It's. Il told the linemen then about
It and they replied that the wire was
dead and would do no harm. About
n year ago I saw the wire fall on the
Edison wires and I then telephoned
the outside construction department
OF the Edison company about the dan
ger. I don't know who answered me,
but got no satisfaction"
"As a member of the city fire de-
partment, didn't you take any other
steps In the natter" was asked OF
Lieut.. Curtis by Attorney James v.
Oxtoby. who appeared for the Edison
company. Didn't you consider II your
duty to cut the wire yourself?"
mo, am not employed by the city
10 cut wires: I am employed to put
out fires" Lieut.. Curtis politely and
POLITICALLY replied.
Mr.. Oxtoby tried to show that
Lieut.. Curtis was prejudiced against
the Edison company because of being
on bad terms with q Mr.. Widman, who
IS employed by the Edison company
and who used to be a neighbor of the
lieutenant. After Mr.. Oxtoby asked
the lieutenant IL he didn't have dis
mite with Mr.. Widman over line
fence. Coroner Burgess interrupted
and ruled out the question and all re-
marks relating to the dispute. claim
inK Il was all foreign to the point at
issue. Mr.. Oxtoby, however, was al
lowed to ask Lieut.. Curtis II he were
nretudiced against the Edison COM
rany, and he got reply In the mega
tive.
DR.. J. w. Wilson. No. 261 Canfield-
ave. west, who was called to the scene
~ the accident to attend the victims,
told how Mrs. Smith was electrocuted
He said she had evidently grabbed the
i've wire In an effort to release II from
her sons hand, as her own fingers were
burned 10 the bone, and that she got
the full charge of electricity when she
touched the body Of her son, who was
then unconscious from the voltage.
VIM. DeLaurier, Coroner Burgess
clerk, explained about finding the
loose wire In the air when he arrived
and of its being cut down afterward
by Mr.. Campbell.
Robert Newman and +. G. Praps,
who were I'm the neighborhood when
the accident happened. gave testimony
in regard to the conditions about the
scene of the fatality.
Henry Smith, husband OF the dead
woman, sat beside Attorney Goodson
during the proceedings. Frequently he
conferred with his attorney and OF.
fered suggestions to bring out testi-
mopy from the witnesses.
AT the noon hour an adjournment
was taken until $3.50 a. m. Friday.