The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
Clarence P. Monkey, Charles II.
Beadles and ]. Fl. Chenault
Victims of Electric Current
Struck By
Falling Wire
Fourth Victim Was Prisoner
in Penitentiary Who At
tempted to Pick Up Wire
and Was Instantly Killed

Que of the most horrible
tragedies that has occurred In
Richmond for many years hap
pened near Twenty ninth Street
and the Nine Mile Road yesterday
morning during the snow storm
that swept over the city. when n
heavily-chargcd wire. spluttcrfng
and sepcinG forth flashes OF
flame. snapped and fell upon
Clarence r. Monkey. proprietor of
the grocery store located at 2sa2
Nine Mile Road. together with
Charles II. Beadies and T. II.
Chcnauit. two farmers, OF En-
field. King william County.
causing instantaneous death.
mule and horse, which were hitch
ed tn the wage in which
were sitting when tho ieath-tieai-
inc wire fell on them, suffered the
same fate
Mr. Monkey was IN fhe act ~ lead
sng a horse from tire yard in the
'rear OF the store. when h vae
by the ia liins wire. MessrS. Fseadies
and Chenattlt. having disposed q
their loads. were on the 1ay tn their
homes IN King William. when they
topped In shs store to purchase
Some provisions. They had Just got
ten into their wagon ard were abcu.
- drive ~ when the overhead wire,
'heavily Weighted with snow ard
came Down upon them The terrific
voltage threw them 10 tho ground,
and before anyone could reach them
they wers lead
News Spreads Rapidly.
- #
the three men and the animals spread
rapidly and oaly few minutes had
elapsed before large crowd had
sothered OIL the scene A call was
immediately sent for the CITY Am hu =
lance, but when IL reached there,
DR. J. Il, German, who was In charge
announced alter brief Examination
that they had been killed instantly.
When DIR. German reached the spot
where the three men mad met their
death, a EraesoTne scene greeted his
eyes. Mr.. Monkeys body had been re-
moved TO his store. while the bodies
of Messrs Cheaault and Readies were
found lying in a pool of water a
short distance from the entrance TO
tho store building white q short dis
lance away Law the two dead horses,
owiaE 10 the fact that the two En-
field victims were lying directly under
the charged wire. they could not be
removed from the snow and water
until the current had been turned
off.
The bodies OF Messrs. Beadles and
Chenault were takea ~ Hiiey's un-
dertaking establishment where they
will be held pending the arrival of REL
atives from kipg William. Efforts
were made yesterday afternoon by
Detective Sergeant Wiley, who inves-
tigated the deaths. 10 get into COM
muaication with nr. Campbell and
Thomas Cookies store at Enfield In
an euort to have the news or the
tragic deaths conveyed To families OF
the victims but owing to The fact
that all OF the wires were down, no
message could be gotten through, ono
of Mr. Chenauits relatives, who lives
in Richmond, was reached by Ser
gaant Wiley and the former viii make
the trip this morning to Enfield in
a private conveyance to break the
sad news. Ii Is very probable that
th,. bodies will he removed 10 their
homes in kiag William Monday morn
and funeral services over the bodies
will be held at Mckendric Methodist
Church, of which they were members.
We're Prosperous Farmers.
Both of the King william victims
we're prosperous farmers and were
well known throughout the county.
They were middle aged men, and Mr..
Chenault is married. News OF the
tragic death will doubtless. shock the
entire county, owing to the popularity
of the two men.
Coroner Taylor on Scene.
Coroner Taylor arrive. on the sceue
a short while after the tragedy, and
he announced last night that he Will
begin an inquiry into the deaths OF
the three men this morning. How
ever because of the fact that he has
been able to get the names OF only a
few witnesses up 10 the present time,
It will probably not be concluded an
I'll Wednesday afternoon, according to
Coroner TAYLOR. Although the city
coroner made numerous inquiries re-
garding the deaths. he was unable to
learn much, and requested that Ser
geant Wiley be detailed to make an in
vestigation and summon witnesses. A
coroner's Jury will be impanneled this
morning.
Whether II was a telephone Of eiec-
trio light wire that caused the deaths
has not yet been definitely ascertain
ed. Representatives of the Light De-
partment OF the city, the Chesa pea Ike
and Potomac Telephone Company ana
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany were dispatched to the place
where the deaths oceurred and an in
yestigation was immediately begun.
Representatives Of the telephone COM
pany claim that 1t was ar arc light
(ConktnyaAd an aacoux3 pau~N