Killed by Telephone.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7746, 23 February 1905, Page 4

Killed by Telephone.

TRAGEDY IN AN AMERICAN OFFICE. A strange tragedy occurred at Brockton, Mass., on the night of November >io, when the local manager of the Standard Oil Company, H. G. Masters, was electrocuted while landing at his office telephony. Mr Masters had oaiicd up his wife to announce that he would be late for dinner, and as- he finished talkW reaped for the elect lit light switch besxle the telephone in ondvr to. turn off the light in the office;. With his right hand still on the metal cap which covered the electric lighL switch, Mr Masters replaced the telephone receiver on the hook at the j»<ie o»i the instrument. As his k-ft hand came in contact with the metal ,hook an electric circuit was completer and Mr Masters instantly killed! |\Vhen found Inside the telephone his hands were badly burned. Pending, an investigation, the town authorities shut off the electric light cur- ' aud igft the town in darkness.