The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-06
Hugh Osborn, Aged Il, Vic
tim of Deadly Live Wire
in Vacant Lot.
BODY BADLY BURNED
Father of Young Victim Will
Demand Investigation 10
Fix Responsibility.

Hugh Osborn aged i3 years. The only
son Of NJ. and Mrs. G Frank Osborn.
ITO South Eighth East street, was al
most instantly killed yesterday afternoon
at about $40 o'clock in vacant lot
next door west of 1905 East Tenth south
street, as the rc-ull OF being subjected
10 Zoo volts Of electricity entering his
"oiy rom dangling telephone wire
which laid over and formed a circuit with
mighty charged wire Of the Utah Light
4 Power company.
For moro than fifteen minutes the boy
lay uOun The ground. his body entanglcd
in thu death-dealnc wire. his nash burn
Ing and The wire emitting lurid sparks
where IL canc In contact with his per-
son. Comrades Of tho boy attempted to
mIil him free OF the wire hut these were
knocked 10 the ground the instant they
touched him.
officer Risks Life.
Not until the arrival ct The police
"greyhound.' bearing Riley NJ. Reck-
stead. captain OF detectives. Detective
Edward Janney and Chauffeur Griffin
was the boys body lifted FROM the wire.
~ the risS OF his own lie and SIN be-
EcrinE that there was Die left in the
small body. Chauffeur Griffin climbed the
telephone pole from which hung the
dangling wire and after pushing II from
Its contact with the highly charged wire.
cut IT with pair OF pincers. The boy
dead
Mr. Osborn. the dead hoys father, Of
the Wright Osborn Plur1bing company,
who arrived shortly after the accident.
said that he would demand an inquest 10
ascertain AT whose door lies the rcspon-
sihiiity for the fatality.
After his dinner ut O'Clock yesterday
afternoon Hugh Osborn went TO visit
playmate. Lorenzo Price. jr, aged ~
years. sou of Lorenzo Price, i205 East
Tenth South street. who lives next door
10 the vacant lot where the accident
took place.
the lot in dangerous manner since Sat
urday afternoon. but that as far as he
knew. the Utah Light Railway conf
pany or the telephone company had not
been notified OF the danger,
James Young. aged years, son Of
r. f, Young. i@2G East Tenth South
street, touched the live wire yesterday
afternoon at about I O'Clock and as a
result he was Knocked to the ground
and two fingers OF tho right hand were
badly burned
Playing With Death.
When the fatality took place as many
as a dozen boys were playing in the
vacant lot and were amused when the
wire sputtered and spanked as It came
In contact with any kind of metal Pres
cnt at the time of the accident among
others were: Lorenzo Price jr., Thomas
Grey and Douglas and Reginald Done.
sons OF Willard Done. 1905 Laird ave-
nue..
Mrs. George Morris, daughter or Mr..
Price, had warned the boys 20 keep a
safe distance from the wire only a few
moments before young Osborn was killed,
Lorenzo Price jr.. said that at the
time Of the accident he had a stick in his
hand with which he was attempting to
push the telephone wire from It's con
tact on the high tension wire. He said
that as soon as he would break tho cir
cult. young Osborn would take another
IL f,.
circuit was again made and the wire
continued to emit sparks. According 10
young Price. It was while Ocborn was
pulling the wire with stick that 1t
slipped from the point of the stick and
struck him on the arm and then on the
hand.
He fell to The ground without any out-
CRY and where the wire came in contact
sizzling.
Attempt to Save Vain.
Young Price said that he then took
hold Of OsboTn's arm with the intention
OF pulling him away from the wire but
that the instant lie touched the dead boy
he received a shock which threw HIM 10
the ground Everyone was then admou-
ished to keep away from the body ana
the police were summoned,
Chauffeur Griffin made the run to the
scene OF the accident in less than ten
minutes. II was at once realized that
the body OF tho boy could not be touched
until the powerful current of electric
ity was shut OF. Without a moments
deluv Chauffeur Griffin climbed the pole
from which daueed the live wire. aud
after pushing Il away from the high
tension wire cut it with his pincers.
\ haSty examination OF the boys body
showed that lifc was extinct. The little
finger Of the lett hand 5vas burned or
completely as far as the first joint Tn
der and below Young Osborns right car
were three long and deep burns,
The body was taken into the residence
Of Mr.. Price. The police greyhound
went after and brought Mrs Osborn TO
the Price home, Mr. Osborn arrived a
few moments aftcrwarJ. Both parents
were prosLratcJ with the suddcuncss OF
the shock.
The body was removed To tho mortu-
AIRY Of O DonnC!l and company Funeral
have not bceD made.