KILLED BY A LIVE WIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 155, 25 March 1908, Page 8

KILLED BY A LIVE WIRE.

A BOY'S DEATH. CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquiry into tho circumstances surrounding tho death of tho boy Francis Chamberlain, who was killed at tho Homo of Compassion on Monday afternoon through taking up a livo electric light wire, was hold yesterday at tho Homo of Compassion before Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M. SubInspector O'Donovan appeared on behalf of the police, and Mr. O'Slica, City Solicitor, watched tho' proceedings on behalf of tho Corporation.

Dr. William Young gavo ovidenco that ho was called to tho Home of Compassion about 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Tho boy Was quite dead, but tho body'was still warm. An examination disclosed the fact that the tips of tho thumb .and tho middlo finrrer of tho right hand had been burnt right off. Thero was also a seV'oro burn across tho ball of tho left thumb, extending down to tho bono. Tho front part of tho coat was burnt, and tho chest : underneath, when exposed, showed a burn over tho heart. Death was, in his opinion, caused by an electric . shock, and was probably instantaneous. The burns showed that tho current was sufficient to causo death; the intensity of tho shock would be- increased by tho fact that tho boy's "legs woro baro and tho grass was damp. To Sub-Inspector O'Donovan: Ho had seen tho wire, which was broken about 100 yards from tho. Homo.. Both of tho broken ends wero on tho ground, and tho insulation appeared to be all . To Mr. O'Shea: Tho ordinary electric light wiro, .with a voltago of 2000, would, with aperfect circuit; bo likely to cause death. ' Abbio Ciidehy, a boy about twelvo years of ago, gavo evidence that lie, with two other boys—Joo Kelly and - the deceased — were playing about chasing each other, about half-past ono on tho day of tho occurrence. .Deceased ran on ahead, and called but, "-"We'll touch tho wire! " Witness told him repeatedly not to do so. When ho and Kelly caught up to Chamberlain, ho was observed to tako up the .wiro, and immediately afterwards fell backwards, and rolled "a 'few yards down-hill. Deceased was on- • tangled -.in; tho "wiro. Witness ran over' to Mr.: John Jcffares, who'had been near tho boys; and told him that .Chamberlain war, doad. Jeffares went over, pickod up a stick and disentangled deceased from 'tlio wires. Tho Sisters,, who arrived at tho samo timo, wero about: to pick the boy up while ho was still entangled, but wero warned by Jeffares not to do so. Tho deceased was afterwards taken into tho Homo. Thero wero 'seven boys at nlay on the ground just previous to tho . accident. Tho wire was broken befo»o Sunday, March 22, and- tho boys had'been warned on Sunday evening by Mr. Jeffares and one of the Sisters," (Sister Antony), of tho danger-of touching it. Tho wiro was down • 'on : Friday morning. • Deceased also know of tho danger, all tlio boys being present when; the; matter was referred to..

'John Jelfares, carpenter, residing at tho ■Homo of Compassion, deposed that 011 the day of the accident the boys. were, with him in front of tho building. AVituess was knocking down some old palisades; the boys wcro then engaged in carrying away some light timber,- and ho was in charge of them for the time being. AVlion lie had finished, about half-past 0110, some of the boj;s, deceased, began to play about within sight. "Witness knew of the broken wire, and had tho matter to the Sisters'on Friday. Nothing was ,dono with , the wiro, which remained whero it lay up to tho timo of the accident. It was fixed up about two hours after' tho occurrence. Witness then related tho circumstances, already stated by tho previous witness, connected with what happened after being told of tho accident. Deceased was lying face, downwards, with the wire coiled about him, and his clothes were smoking.

Mother Mary Joseph Aubert stated that she was in charge'of the Homo of Compassion. Deceased had been in her charge sinco June, 1897. Chamberlain did not hear well; 110 was not'a disobedient boy, but inclined to be daring and defiant. Witness first heard of tho acdident when two of tho boys rushed in and said, that • Chamberlain had been killed by a wire. Witness stated that about four or five weeks ago-she noticed that this particular wire' had caught on a blue-gum treo in the neighbourhood of Deo Street. She had notified tho/authorities of the fact. This was duly attended to. 'When informed on Friday morning that tho wiro had broken at tho Homo she did not report the fact to tho electric light' department 011 o.ccouut of tho storm. Slio had intended to do so 011 tho morning of tho accident, but was prevented from doing so until after tho accident, when tho matter was attended to. ■ This was all the evidence. Tho jury, of which Mr. William Worth was foreman, returned a verdict of accidental death, in accordance with tho medical evidence.