New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-26
Calmly Enters Soaring
Arc of 1900 Volt
Current.
KNEW HE FARED
TO SURE DEATH
Women Scream as Big
Crowd Watches
Tragedy.

John Fulton died yesterday trying to
save the lives Of four little boys.
Fulton gave his life willingly. He
was an inspector of the Union Railway
Company, of The Bronx. He knew
electricity and he must have known,
when he began to climb the burning
freight car upon which stood four small
bodies, rigid in the grip Of an 1000
volt current, that he was going to his
death. Yet he climbed. Two of the
bows are dead, also, but the other two
will recover.
Fulton was in West Farms Square
when he heard screaming and the snap
and crackle of heavy current Of cleo
tricity from the New York, New Haven
& Hartford freight yards, hundred
yards away. With crowd of r'sn and
women. ne ran 20 the fremont Avenue
bridge, which spans the yard.
Crowd Sees Hero Killed.
Below, on the tracks, a freight car,
one of long string, was bursting into
flames. In the haze of smoke, Fulton
could see four small boys huddled TO-
rether on top of the car. Their bodies
ierked and trembed, for the hands OF
two were clutched on wire overhead
and through the bodies of the four
an II .OO0-volt current was pouring. II
had set fire to the car and was slowly
driving the life out of George Raynor
and Donald Russo, nine and twelve
wears old, who held the wire, and Carl
Lehman, ten, and his brother, Ernest
nine. who were held to the other boys
by the force of the current.
Women on the bridge screamed. Men
shouted and did nothing. Fulton
vaulted the parapet and dropped twelve
feet TO the roof of a boxcar below.
He slid off this and ran down the
length of the string to the burning car
Then he climbed toward where the
current buzzed and shot green sparks
above.
Body Hauled from Car.
The crowd on the bridge saw him die
They say he never hesitated, but when
he reached the roof OF the burning car
crouched and sprang. He knew flying
tackle was his only hope Of breaking
the mute. contorted little group on the
car top from the grip Of the current.
He struck either Raynor or Russo:
Those on the bridge saw flash OF
fame and saw Fulton's body thrown
off bv the force of the electricity and
hurled to the tracks below.
Meantime a call had been sent IN for
an emergency crew, ambulances and
fire engines. Men with rubber gloves
climbed through the flames and man
aged to tear the boys free. The hre
was quickly extinguished.
George Raynor, who lived at 2075
Third Avenue, was dead when they
brought him down. Donald Russo, Of
IsSi BRYANT Street, died after being
taken to the Fordhsm Hospital, with
Ernest and Carl Lehman, OF 1928 East
lSOth Street, who were seriously
burned, but will recover. They were
later removed 10 their homes.
Played on Top Of Cars.
Ernest told Coroner Flynn the four
had been swimming in the Bronx River,
and began to play hide and seek on
the car tops afterward. Then all he
remembers is big fare of green light.
The boys bodies were still wet from
their swim, which made them yield to
the current more readily.
Rescuers worked over the body OF
Fulton for an hour before they carried
il to his home, at 526 East l50th Street.
Fulton had six children.