The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-05
Thomas McMaster and His Sis
ter Verna Dead at Brig
ham City.
A SINGULAR ACCIDENT:
CAUSE NOT FULLY KNOWN
Two Thousand Volts Go Through
Body and Sister Is Killed
by Touch.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune
BRIGHAM CITY, Oct. l.-One OF tho
saddest affairs that have ever occurred
In this city WAS this morning al an early
hour, when two members OF the John B.
McMaster family were eectrocuted at
their home on South Fourth East street.
Thomas McMaster. whose premises ad-
join those of his father on the south,
on Fourth East between First and Sec
ond South streets was preparing an
electric washer for Mrs McMaster short
the washing machine in position out
side the house on the ground. Mr.. Nc
Master went In the house. connected the
cord from the motor on the washer. into
the socket OF the kitchen light, He pro
ceeded out again after having turned
the power on, and as he went 10 make
q slight change by moving the electric
cord he was instantly KILLED by the
that vicinity were carrying at that time.
owing 10 the wires bcmg crossed and
down on the ground short distance
from the McNaster residence,
His body then started 10 burn at diff
ferent points His right hand was
ablaze, as 1000 volts was at that time
passing through his body. Mrs. Me-
Master. seeing her husband In that con-
ditlon, ran out of The house screaming,
going to bis aid, but as she touched
him she was thrown with terrific force
several feet away, Immediately becom-
Ing unconscious.
At this time Vcrno McMaster. sister
of the unfortunate man, came out OF the
house OF her parents just few rods
TO the north. and seeing the DrediCa-
mont that her brother WAS in, not know
ing then that he was dead, ram to him.
and grabbing his arm with the inten-
ton of pulling him away irom the lye
wire. sho was Instantly knocked TO the
ground by the current, but lived several
minutes afterwards Physicians were
called and arrived on the scene In time
to work with the girl. bu, they
could her 10 l1fr, She died
within few minutes.
Thomas McMastcr was tho eldest son
was born In Brigham CITY July q. 49,,
He was married and had three small
children Verna McMastcr was rhc
youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nc
Master, being is years OF age: The Nc
Masters arc prominent and highly re-
spected residents here. John + Nc
Master is the present city councilman
from tho First precinct and has peeu
engaged In company with his sons for
many years in the lumber and hardware
business lie also acted ms bishop oi
the First ward up until year ago, whom
he. resigned owing TO failing health The
accident of today is an awful shock 10
the aged parents apd they arc complete
Is heart broken over the sad 1italr, Ihcl
have been most unfortunate. having lost
most Of their children through death after
they had grown To manhood and womau-
hood,
Cause of the Trouble.
The cause given tCr Inc ICclutul WIS
thai one OF the primary wires condnct-
Ing the current from the powerbouse 10
the city was blown down during hoaFy
windstorm that arose at about III oc'ooN
la 81 night. The trouble has not been ofl-
cially Determined as yet, and there Us
difference OF opinion as to the tanit
Arthur Truclscn. cily electrician. IN An
interview this morning. made the l"iloW'
ing statement concerning the irouhle.
"Thc heavy Wndstorm Of last niEht was
the cause OF the trouble. The wind START
ed about II o'clock. and as The storm
became heavier ! started for The canyon
10 be on hand in case OF ANY minor
trouble Everything vas apparently IN
good order and | returned TO town about
3 a IN | passed within short distance
OF the McMastcr home, and there was
no sign OF one OF the primary wires be-
ing down at THAI imc, AS there waS no
electrical display as ia customary when
u llvc wire gets I'm contact with the wet
ground The wire had apparently blown
down shortly before daylight The Wirc
that was down carried more than 9Oo0
volts which charged the ground III tina.
Vicinity very heavily, owing to the wet
lhan 1000 volts pmssed through McMas
tcr's body, aud practically the same volt
age killed the girl.
Mayor blackburn was asked concern
ing the condition 81 the Citys lines with
I'm the city, and the mayor was oi tho
opinion that the lines were alE In good
order and that the accident was purely
accidental as far as his personal invcs-
,igatlons could determine. Arrangements
for the funeral scrvces will be made
later on,