Fred Rau
July 19, 1888-July 10, 1912
Niles Daily Sun, Thursday, July 11, 1912 page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library
DIED IN A FEW MINUTES
Modern device used in vain effort at resuscitation
Fred Rau, a single man aged 23, was electrocuted at the city hall yesterday afternoon about 4:30 o'clock, making the second victim of the deadly high tension electric current in two days.
The news of Rau's electrocution quickly spread and a large crowd gathered at the city hall to view the ghastly work of the deadly electric current.
Rau's lifeless body lay stretched upon chairs in the lobby of the council room.
He was a stalwart young man and his untimely death was commented on with regret and sadness by those who did not know him.
Rau was a painter in the employ of Phillip Strauss and was engaged in painting the city hall under the contract which was awarded to his employer at the last council meeting.
The work was nearing completion and Rau was engaged at a window in the south side of the building on the lower floor. This room is used for a stock room as well as a test room for transformers and other electrical appliances used by the board of public works, and the power lines carrying the current from the city plant, enter the building in the vicinity of the window at which Rau was working.
The theory of the unfortunate young man's death is that Rau while engaged in working at the window leaned against the highly charged primary wire carrying a 2200 volts, and that this wire, stripped of insulation, for an inch or so come in contact with a buckle or button on his clothing and instantly the current was diverted from the wire to his body and he received the death charge.
The current entered the body near the point of the hip which supports the theory.
The clothing was burned at the point of contact showing where the current had entered the body.
M.T. White of the Clark Meter Co. of Chicago, who is in the city engaged in overhauling the meters, which is done once a year, was in the room at the time and he saw Rau fall upon the work bench that stands in front of the window where Rau was at work.
When Rau got up into the window to work he asked Mr. White if he would be in the way and the latter said gNo.h There was nothing said about danger.
Rau place one foot outside the window on the arm carrying the high tension wires and with one hand on the window frame he started to work and it is supposed he leaned back form support against another arm about the height of his hip which carried additional live wires.
Mr. White was working with his back to Rau and a moment later he heard a groan from Rau and looking around saw that Rau had fallen inside the window and lay partly on the work bench.
Supt. Fogus and City Clerk Wetherby who were in their offices, came to Whites' assistance and Rau's body was lifted tenderly down and carried into the council chamber, and physicians were summoned.
Protect Wires Now
The death of this young man by electrocution as soon after the death of Frank Brockhaus the day before, has aroused the public to the dangers of the deadly electric current as nothing else could, and it is likely now that no means will be neglected to place proper safeguards to human life about all exposed electric wires in the city.
Frank Brockhaus was electrocuted by the breaking during an electric storm of the overhead high tension service wire of the Indiana and Michigan Electric Co., which fell upon guy wires and thus the current descended to the earth which was surcharged at the moment that Brockhaus jumped from the fire wagon to his death.
The Indiana and Michigan Electric Co. was held responsible by a coroner's jury for Brockhaus' death, because of failure to provide proper baskets that are required under the terms of their franchise.
Is City Liable
Now is the question of the city's liability for the death of Fred Rau by electrocution will arise and it is considered as rather significant that two members of the coroner's jury that rendered the verdict holding the Indiana & Michigan Electric Co., responsible for the Brockhaus death are also on the jury called to investigate the death by electrocution of the second victim. These two are Ex-City Clerk Herman Roebeck and H.C. Beswick.
The Brockhaus jury questioned City Supt. Fogus regarding this responsibility for not seeing that the high tension wires of the Chapin Co., were protected by baskets.
Now that a death has occurred through the city power lines from which insulation had been stripped the investigation takes a new direction.
The Rau jury is composed of Sim Belknap, Lewis Miller, Fred Cornwall, Hermann Roebeck, Henry Beswick and Dell Marston.
Note: DOB from Michigan Death Certificate.