The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-08
adduce from the witness a statement as to
what happened in the lodge room.
Yanlandingham on Stand


r. e. Vanlandingham, the prelate and
assistant secretary of the local lodge of
Moose, was the next witness. He cor
oborated the testimony of Mr.. North
cutt in that there was no regular de-
gree team and that anyone who got
hold of a candidate put him through.
He admitted that that caused a great
deal of confusion.
The witness thated that he could not
tell who was branding Kenney and
Gustin on the night in question Mr.
Vanlandingham admitted that he was
operating the cannon stunt few feet
away from the fitting board but could
not remember who was about the board
branding" the candidates.
The witness stated that he did not
consider 1t careless of the lodge not to
have regular degree team He stated,
however, that a degree team had been
proposed so that the initiation could be
more systemized.' He admitted that at
the beginning of every initiation the
boys We're warned to be careful" He
said that "the branding" was always
done on the left breast and that the
electric current was applied on the left
shoulder.
Henry Stapp, a member of the Moose
order and personal friend of Christo-
pher G. Gustin, was the next witness.
His testimony brought out nothing
new.
DR.. e. c. Cowan was recalled to the
stand and testified that there were no
signs of any disease on the body OF
Kenney. The doctor gave lengthy talk
on the subject to the enlightenment of
the inquisitors and was thanked by So
licitor Locke at the conclusion of his
remarks
David U. Williams, secretary of the
local lodge of Moose, was recalled to
the stand and was asked to testify as
to who were the officers of the local
lodge that were present that night
Mr.. Williams had brought his minute
book with him and testified that the Of
ficers present on the fatal night were
John p. Abbott, the dictator; r. e.
Vanlandingham, the prelate, and him
self Mr.. Williams coroborated the tes-
timony of his brother officers that the
Moose had no regular degree team but
was not questioned as to whether he
considered it carelessness of the order
to conduct the initiation in such a man
ner as had been testified He was ex-
cused after short examination.
1t was $50 o'clock when Mr.. VIII
liams was excused and the spectators
were asked to leave while the Jury
deliberated. At 605 o'clock it was an
nouneed that owing to the request Of
one juror that another witness be
heard whose name had been mentioned
the jury had decided to hold another
days session. Solicitor Locke said thar
1t was quite likely that 1t would
be this afternoon before the verdict
was announced.
Generator Is Tested
AT the morning session the testimony
was sensational. DIR. James McLester wa 9
recalled to the stand and stated that he
hau known of instances where men had
been killed by shock of only 25 volts
Later after the testimony of DR.. McIes-
ter had been taken the jury adjourned 10
the shops OF the Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company and the small
electric generator was tested by several
electricians. Also several of thu electric
lans volunteered to stand the shock from
the generator. but quickly stopped when
it was only partly turned on them.
The test of the electric generator took
place in the meter department OF the Bir-
mingham Railway, Light and Power com
pany and the current produced bv the ma
chine which cost the lives of Donald A
Kenney and Christopher c. Gustin proved
great deal stronger than anything that
the electricians cared to take.
There were four men besides CITY Elec-
trician Abernathy who tested the electric
generator after the volmeter and an am
meter had shown that the machine would
|
with practically no amperage. All of the
five men cried to the operator to stop be-
fore two turns of the crank had been
taken and all remarked that Its certain
ly rough" and II would hate to get the
full force of the thing"
Stronger Than Anticipated
City Electrician Abernathy took three
turns of the machine and said that the
current was much stronger than he had
anticipated. He said that the shock taken
by him would probably not Kill a man.
but he would not risk having the current
applied to any vital part of his body.
None of the men who tried the machine
got the full force of the generator.
The machine was carefully tested and
1t was found to average about 10 volts of
an alternating current and about 25 of
an ampere.
DR.. James McLester, who was recalled
to the witness stand, testified in a very
instructive manner and stated that he had
made researches to emphasize his re-
marks. He said that the most dangerous
way to apply an electric current was to
apply it to the left side of the body as
had been done in the cases of Kenney and
Gustin.
1t was DR.. McLesters opinion that
a weak current passing through the
body might cause death by stmulat-
heart. There is a good deal of diff
ference in the strength of a current
required to KILL" said Dr. McLester.
"One authority has said that of all
cases examined where death was caused
one-third had received less than 250
volts. One man had been killed by
shock of rs volts"
Connection Was Dangerous
DR.. McLester testified that there was
nothing distinctive about the burn pro-
duced by electricity. He stated that
with an ordinary current one would
not burn at ALL He said that If a
firm contact was made at both ends
and the current passed through there
would be no mark He said that there
was a mark on Gustin's shoulder which
might have been caused from applica-
tion of an electric current. The wit
ness stated that connection between
the left ankle and the left shoulder
was the most dangerous of any and
that most of the tissue changes made
by an electric shock were transient and
would be gone by the time post NOR
TEN examination took place.
authorities said Dr. McLester.
state that 100 volts should be used
with care and that 200 volts are dan
gerous. And I do not think that organic
heart trouble would predispose = man