John H. Kane

Sergeant

Norwich

End of Watch: 4/6/1923

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Sgt. Kane was electrocuted by a volt short to a suspension cable on an electric light pole while investigating the death of a teenager who had, unknown to the Sergeant, also been electrocuted by the same cable.

Sgt. John H. Kane was electrocuted on April 6th, 1923 in one of the strangest incidents to occur in the long history of the City of Norwich. He was electrocuted by a 4,000 volt short to a suspension (guide) cable on a Crescent Street electric light pole. Sgt. Kane had been dispatched to the area to investigate the death of Herbert T. Spears, a teenager who had also, unknown to the Sergeant, been electrocuted. The policeman, unfortunately, came in contact with the same charged wire cable hat took the boy’s life.