The Detroit times., 1910-08-06

ing company's wire, through the
neglect Of the Edison Illuminating
company In not removing the de-
receive wire when asked 70 do 60.
We recommend that the city eoun-
OIL establish an inspection depart
ment for all overhead wires, this
department 70 be manned by
qualified electricians, who shall
grant permits for tho construction
OF all new work and the recon-
structlon Of old lines. We further.
recommend that all electric wires
oe separated by at least six feet
from other wires on the same pole.
The above verdict was rendered ear.
~ Friday afternoon by jury In Cor.
oner Burgess court which inquired
into the death OF Mrs. Dora Smith,
electrocuted near her home. No. 316
Willis-ave. west, July 20, when she
went to the rescue Of her 14-year-old
son, Henry. who grasped a loose live
wire while playing in the street.
Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson, living In
the upper part of the house at No.
Sl6 Willis-ave. west, was the first wit.
ness called. Friday morning. She told
OF seeing Mrs. Smith running to the
rescue OF her boy, and also related
that she saw lights In the tree where
the loose wire was hanging some
nights before the accident. She
thought the lights were made by fire
. flies.
Attorney Goodson, acting for the
smith family. asked particularly about
the lights seen In the tree, giving the
Impression that he will contend that
the illumination was caused by the
loose wire charged with electricity.
Leo Curtis, Is years old, son Of
Lieut. Curtis, who testified on Thurs
day, said he and Henry were sitting
on the witness steps shortly before
the tragedy.
hanging from the trees and asked me
what IL was" said Leo. Il told him
that IT was dead wire. l said that
because I remembered the Edison
linemen had told my father that four
years ago, when II first began to sag.
I got our rake to pull the wire down,
but Henry grabbed II from me Just as
We reached IL. He got the wire down
and then grabbed 1t with his hand
He fell to the ground in an instant
and the first thing knew his hand
was smoking from the electricity.
ran into the house to get some water
and told my mother what had hap
pened. My mother then came out and
screamed for help. Pretty soon car
penter came across from No. 304 Will
Iis-ave.. and tried to break the wire
with the rake Another man also
tried to break II with spike sticking
In a piece OF board"
Leo also said that he had noticed
the lights in the tree on several oc-
casions.
Leo's mother corroborated his testi-
mony In regard to the part she played
In the accident She also declared
that she remembered her husband
warning the Edison linemen about the
dangerous wire four years ago, and
that the linemen simply sneered and
in reply said the wire would harm
nobody She also said that she re-
membered her husband telling her
about year ago, that he went 70
commission house and notified the
Edison company about the loose wire.
The fire fly" episode was also seen
by her. She chided herself on the
witness stand for not knowing the
Illumination wasn't made by fire fiies,
because she was brought up in the
country and knew what kind OF light
a fire fly made"
patrolman Joseph Uthes, whose
heat used TO take him in the neigh
borhood of the fatality, said that last
February he noticed loose wire
twisted around a tree little west OF
prooklyn-ave.. off Willis-ave., and that
he notified Capt. Girardin, at police
headquarters, to have the fire depart
ment attend 10. 1t. A few days later
he noticed IL had been removed.
Immediately after the killing or
Mrs smith the officer said he saw the
coil of wire which caused her death
taken away in wagon belonging to
the Edison company.
Mrs. Barton, Ma. TIA Brooklyn-ave.,
Told of seeing the wire spoken OF by
patrolman Uthes and said she had
found II dangling in the air on one oc-
casion and had twisted IL around
tree herself, fearing some horse or
child might come In contact with II.
she had also seen the "nre flies.
Mrs. Gilmore, No. 314 Willis-ave.
west, said she, saw the wire when IL
was In a sagging condition; while
Mrs. Nellie ODell, No. 307 Willis-ave.
west. testified in regard to seeing Mrs.
smith killed.
Henry Smith, husband Of the dead
woman, said he had talked with
neiehbor named Bernstein, who is en-
n,oyed by the Edison company about
The wire. arA that the latter had re-
marked that IL would do no harm. He
and Mr. Bernstein had also seen the
Illumination In the tree, he said.
Attorney James v. Oxtoby, repre-
senting the Edison Co, produced but
one witness, Frank Carroll, lineman
for the company. Carroll said that he
had gone out to- the scene OF the