AN ELECTRIC SCARE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1083, 26 January 1883, Page 3

AN ELECTRIC SCARE.

A curious scene was witnessed the other day in Newark, United States. It seems that a certain storekeeper had an electric lii'Ut hum; over the door of his shop. The wire conveying the electricity to the lamp hung outside the hoildimr, and was connected in a round-about fashion with some iron posts, to which wns attached a fence. Unfortunately, the covering of the wiies was torn away, and the electric fluid passed into the fence. A well-known citiz.m passing hy happened to lean against the fence, unawa e that it had become a battery, and in a moment he “ utte ed a wild whoop and danced round the pavement,” while his hat rolled in o the gutter. These unusual vagaries attracted the attention of the passershy. One. in spite of explanations declared it was “dis.raceful to see an old man drunk in the ftr e ’ and another ran off for a policeman. Meanwhi e, some of the crowd seized the fence to test the truth of the story, which they foun 1 only too true The policeman arrived amidst a scene of confusion, and thought the affair , was a fight. At this point a number of men whose character o -util not be doubted interfered, and vouched tor the tru hj of the cuizm's statement. The policeman gincoriy touched the fence with Ins club, and “ that self same mom nt the club went ( whirling around at the end of his electrified arm.” while the crow I scattered on all shies r o avoid contact with it Fortunately, an eiectri ian who happened to be about explained the mystery, and the current was turned off.