The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-13
REPORTER KILLED
BY ELECTRICITY
Had Secrctcd Himself i'll Power
House at a Chicago
Hospital.
SPED ON COAL wEIeHER
Leaned Back and Touched Live
Wirc-Would-Bc Rcscucr
Meets Death.
spiED ON COAL WEIGHER

Chicago. February 1o.-James j. Nc.
Cabc. reporter for the Chicago EN-
aminer. was shocked TO death ycster-
day in a power house on the grounds
occupied by the County Hospital. Fred
FITZPATRICK, assistant engineer for tho
'rainagc Board. was killed instantly
| IN terrific electric explosion when he
tried to rescue tho young Hearst re-
| porter.
The tragedy was the direct result
or n secret mission upon witch tho
reporter had embarked. lie was Killed
"h'ie trying to get the goods" on
somebody, presumably in connection
win the county coal contracts
The building In which aIcCabc me,
his death Is one story high. The front
part OF the building is a Weighing;
oincc. Al coal for county institutions
Is supposed TO be weighed there. Back
Of this office is little room
IN this room arc three electrical con.
'crtcrs used to change electrical power
from the Drainage Boards wires into
current suitable for lighting the coun.
" institutions. There IS a window be-
tween the two Offices. a person who
uesired TO SPY upon the wc!ghma stcr
could do so 10 advantage by getting
INTO the power plant and looking
! through this window.
Access TO the electrical plant is
through II heavy picket door that has
been kept locked with paddock ana
| iatch according to custom,
! No one save the electrical engineers
nave keys 10 this room, and they
only find occasion to enter NJ rarc
intervals in the day
NJ about 80 o'clock in tho after.
noon man. who has boon Identified
as bailey who is supposed to work
or President Peter Bartzcn, or the
county board ran into the county
morEue and said e. man is being
Niiied IN tho power plant" He ran
out and disappeared
deputy Coroner Samuel I, Davis au,,
Ihomas Moran. superintendent or Tho
lnorguc FASTENED toward the b,ildtrg
1hcE met Charles Lump, engineer or
all the county buildings and Assistant
Engineer Fitzpatrick AS they reached
the door OF the electrical station thcy
saw the body OF McCabc lying on the
/ N"or blue electrical dame pla wing
above his clothes
Don't go III there. not man. until
shut off tho power" said Lump. Ten
minutes after tho power had been shut
off Deputy Coroner Davis asked lis
II all right"
Yes said Lump.
Mahon and Fitzpatrick entered and
stooped 10 lift the body. which had
ers Mahon put his hand under Me-
Sabe's head. Fitzpatrick graspcd the
dead reporters clothes. instantly there
was loud explosions and the men
were thrown against tho walls OF the
building
Mahon. was unhurt, saved By his
rubbcrs. Fitzpatrick was picket up
dead.
After aoins over the ground. w. G.
E0b!nson. operating engineer, said:
Inc young reporter was killed. Il be-
lievc. while trying 10 watch the weigh
master without being himself obscrv.
cd The lock to the door OK the light
ing station has disappeared. an, in
formed thai, the door had been locked
Some one must have picked the lock
and thrown it away
ITO observe tho wcighma stcr the re.
porter would have had 10 squeeze lin
self into a narrow space between tho
window hat looks on TO the coal ONCE
and tho third electrical converter We
had pasted an opaque paper over thar
window. The paper is torn away from
the glass. as one would DO 10 make a
rcephole. believe that young Nc
Cahc was looking through this peep
hole. when he bent TOO far back. touch
ed a live connection and was killed."