Buried July 5,1913
Lot 652
Space- 3
William R.Besack
April 28,1887-July 2,1913
Meets Death by Electrocution
Will Besack, employed as a switchman in the local yards, met death shortly after seven o'clock last evening by electrocution, having grasped a parted electric light wire through which 2,300 volts were passing. The wire had parted in front of the premises occupied by Fireman Burke in the 500 block on east Fifth street. Neighbors noticed the spluttering sparks emitted from the ends of the wire and phoned the plant, but as it was the supper hour, no workmen were available just at that time. A few minutes later Will Besack, returning home from his work, passed the George Austin residence, near the parted wire, and was warned of the wire by Mr. Austin. Besack passed on, and as he came to the wire dangling from the cross arm and reaching near the ground,met two men who were strangers. "If I had a knife I would cut this wire and get it out of the way so children would not get hold of it," remarked Besack.One of the strangers said he had a knife, and as he reached in his pocket for it, Besack caught the live wire with his left hand. That instant he dropped to the ground unconscious and lay with the left arm extended upward and the hand cemented to the wire by the current. The two strangers were dumbfounded; they saw the hand and arm become blackened and seared and the clothing emit smoke, but they knew not what to do. A third man appeared on the scene, and grasping the situation ran into the Burke house and phoned the power house. He had some trouble in making the man in the plant understand the trouble, but finally succeeded and the current was turned off. It is said fully ten minutes elapsed from the time Besack grasped the wire until tho current ceased and he was released.In the meantime a number of persons had gathered and physicians were summoned. Dr. J. B. Redfield was the first to arrive, followed a few minutes later by Dr. Wurtelle, and with the assistance of Mrs.Pulver and others the two physicians applied every means and method of restoring heart action and respiration. For two hours they labored over the man, and at times there seemed to be some little hope of success, but the faint heart beats finally grew fainter and then ceased, and the task was given up at ten o'clock.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 04, 1913
The funeral of the late William Besack was held Saturday afternoon from the Methodist church. Rev. Cram conducted the services and delivered a very impressive sermon to the large number who attended the services. Interment was made in the North Platte Cemetery.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 08, 1913
Lot 652
Space- 3
William R.Besack
April 28,1887-July 2,1913
Meets Death by Electrocution
Will Besack, employed as a switchman in the local yards, met death shortly after seven o'clock last evening by electrocution, having grasped a parted electric light wire through which 2,300 volts were passing. The wire had parted in front of the premises occupied by Fireman Burke in the 500 block on east Fifth street. Neighbors noticed the spluttering sparks emitted from the ends of the wire and phoned the plant, but as it was the supper hour, no workmen were available just at that time. A few minutes later Will Besack, returning home from his work, passed the George Austin residence, near the parted wire, and was warned of the wire by Mr. Austin. Besack passed on, and as he came to the wire dangling from the cross arm and reaching near the ground,met two men who were strangers. "If I had a knife I would cut this wire and get it out of the way so children would not get hold of it," remarked Besack.One of the strangers said he had a knife, and as he reached in his pocket for it, Besack caught the live wire with his left hand. That instant he dropped to the ground unconscious and lay with the left arm extended upward and the hand cemented to the wire by the current. The two strangers were dumbfounded; they saw the hand and arm become blackened and seared and the clothing emit smoke, but they knew not what to do. A third man appeared on the scene, and grasping the situation ran into the Burke house and phoned the power house. He had some trouble in making the man in the plant understand the trouble, but finally succeeded and the current was turned off. It is said fully ten minutes elapsed from the time Besack grasped the wire until tho current ceased and he was released.In the meantime a number of persons had gathered and physicians were summoned. Dr. J. B. Redfield was the first to arrive, followed a few minutes later by Dr. Wurtelle, and with the assistance of Mrs.Pulver and others the two physicians applied every means and method of restoring heart action and respiration. For two hours they labored over the man, and at times there seemed to be some little hope of success, but the faint heart beats finally grew fainter and then ceased, and the task was given up at ten o'clock.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 04, 1913
The funeral of the late William Besack was held Saturday afternoon from the Methodist church. Rev. Cram conducted the services and delivered a very impressive sermon to the large number who attended the services. Interment was made in the North Platte Cemetery.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 08, 1913
Buried July 5,1913
Lot 652
Space- 3
William R.Besack
April 28,1887-July 2,1913
Meets Death by Electrocution
Will Besack, employed as a switchman in the local yards, met death shortly after seven o'clock last evening by electrocution, having grasped a parted electric light wire through which 2,300 volts were passing. The wire had parted in front of the premises occupied by Fireman Burke in the 500 block on east Fifth street. Neighbors noticed the spluttering sparks emitted from the ends of the wire and phoned the plant, but as it was the supper hour, no workmen were available just at that time. A few minutes later Will Besack, returning home from his work, passed the George Austin residence, near the parted wire, and was warned of the wire by Mr. Austin. Besack passed on, and as he came to the wire dangling from the cross arm and reaching near the ground,met two men who were strangers. "If I had a knife I would cut this wire and get it out of the way so children would not get hold of it," remarked Besack.One of the strangers said he had a knife, and as he reached in his pocket for it, Besack caught the live wire with his left hand. That instant he dropped to the ground unconscious and lay with the left arm extended upward and the hand cemented to the wire by the current. The two strangers were dumbfounded; they saw the hand and arm become blackened and seared and the clothing emit smoke, but they knew not what to do. A third man appeared on the scene, and grasping the situation ran into the Burke house and phoned the power house. He had some trouble in making the man in the plant understand the trouble, but finally succeeded and the current was turned off. It is said fully ten minutes elapsed from the time Besack grasped the wire until tho current ceased and he was released.In the meantime a number of persons had gathered and physicians were summoned. Dr. J. B. Redfield was the first to arrive, followed a few minutes later by Dr. Wurtelle, and with the assistance of Mrs.Pulver and others the two physicians applied every means and method of restoring heart action and respiration. For two hours they labored over the man, and at times there seemed to be some little hope of success, but the faint heart beats finally grew fainter and then ceased, and the task was given up at ten o'clock.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 04, 1913
The funeral of the late William Besack was held Saturday afternoon from the Methodist church. Rev. Cram conducted the services and delivered a very impressive sermon to the large number who attended the services. Interment was made in the North Platte Cemetery.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 08, 1913
Lot 652
Space- 3
William R.Besack
April 28,1887-July 2,1913
Meets Death by Electrocution
Will Besack, employed as a switchman in the local yards, met death shortly after seven o'clock last evening by electrocution, having grasped a parted electric light wire through which 2,300 volts were passing. The wire had parted in front of the premises occupied by Fireman Burke in the 500 block on east Fifth street. Neighbors noticed the spluttering sparks emitted from the ends of the wire and phoned the plant, but as it was the supper hour, no workmen were available just at that time. A few minutes later Will Besack, returning home from his work, passed the George Austin residence, near the parted wire, and was warned of the wire by Mr. Austin. Besack passed on, and as he came to the wire dangling from the cross arm and reaching near the ground,met two men who were strangers. "If I had a knife I would cut this wire and get it out of the way so children would not get hold of it," remarked Besack.One of the strangers said he had a knife, and as he reached in his pocket for it, Besack caught the live wire with his left hand. That instant he dropped to the ground unconscious and lay with the left arm extended upward and the hand cemented to the wire by the current. The two strangers were dumbfounded; they saw the hand and arm become blackened and seared and the clothing emit smoke, but they knew not what to do. A third man appeared on the scene, and grasping the situation ran into the Burke house and phoned the power house. He had some trouble in making the man in the plant understand the trouble, but finally succeeded and the current was turned off. It is said fully ten minutes elapsed from the time Besack grasped the wire until tho current ceased and he was released.In the meantime a number of persons had gathered and physicians were summoned. Dr. J. B. Redfield was the first to arrive, followed a few minutes later by Dr. Wurtelle, and with the assistance of Mrs.Pulver and others the two physicians applied every means and method of restoring heart action and respiration. For two hours they labored over the man, and at times there seemed to be some little hope of success, but the faint heart beats finally grew fainter and then ceased, and the task was given up at ten o'clock.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 04, 1913
The funeral of the late William Besack was held Saturday afternoon from the Methodist church. Rev. Cram conducted the services and delivered a very impressive sermon to the large number who attended the services. Interment was made in the North Platte Cemetery.
The North Platte semi-weekly tribune., July 08, 1913
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