The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-06-27 00:00:00

Vampobirt

WINCHESTEF.
14 AID WONDREYOL BeCAPI MN LIGHTNING;
J. a Todd held an inquest on Wednesday
g upon the body of John Jennings, seed 34,
.on the previous day by lightning. The body pre.
id a remarkable appearance. The bat was oom.
oly destroyed save the brim, the clothing on the
dde was torn to atoms and converted almost to
a' the bunting mash wee bent considerably, and
r dualism dons; the gold chain was broken and a
off it forced into the left side, which was charred
is baked meat. The buttons of the great ooat was
.re off and twisted. Mr. Edward Daniell. of Kings.
torte), Lodge, deceased's master, described the coop
neneement of the storm, and continued—Suddenly
witness heard a tremendous report like the discharge
of a 24-pounder over the carriage, the front window of
tibia was shattered into a thousand fragments. He
leant out of the window and found the horses going at
greet speed the near side one having his leg over a
pole. He also saw a broken rein, and oonoluded 'that
the coachman could not stop them. He spoke to the
horses, who knew his voice well, and they gradually
slackened speed, when be jumped out at great risk to
himself, he being laine, and caught their heads. The
near side horse was injured from the pole, and shook
like an aspen leaf. The footman, Thomas Hopper, wee
on the box crying "Oh my head," and apparently in a
transit He however, recovered, and helped to remove
the harness, and then the coachman way seen to be
lying in a slanting direction and injured. Witness
mid "Do you know me!" and, no answer being
received, an examination of the wrist disclosed the
amino* of pulse and the premium of death. Witness
had been used to horses all his life, and thus, by God's
providence, saved the life of his wife and her friend.
A van drove up, and rlso Mr. Dowling, of Clatford,
with offers of erdstanee, and in the former the body
the deceased wee moved to this house, the injured
horse being taken to Sr. Ward, the veterinary surgeon.
The cushion on whish doomed eat was burnt right
through, the whole being as largess an inkstand.—The
footman, who sat on deoeved's loft band, oar.
roborated the above statement, and described
his' sensations after heisting the crash as being
like one stunned, his heed and ears being affected.
When he revived he patted the horses and endeavoured
to calm them, and behaved, as the Coroner remarked,
extremely well. Mr. E. Buckell, surgeon, carefully
examined the body at Mr. Todd's desire, and described
the result as follows :—The limbs had become rigid,
the countenance was pallid. The pupils of the eyes
were much dilated. The right aide of the head was
untonebod. On the left side 2i inches below the ear,
there was a jagged lacerated wound with everted edges.
The bone was not exposed at all nor fractured. The
wound spread in nytury di.cetiu., and the Laia •••• te.es
near it. The surface of the akin did not appear to have
been Injured. The electric fluid peered through the
head. The hair was singed from the head to the top
of the whiskers, which were also slightly singed at the
upper part, and considerably so towards the chin.
Blood in some quantity, and of • peculiarly
fluid kind, had exuded from the wound, mouth,
left ear, and nose. The under surface of the
chin promote a blackened mark, 3 inches by 1. Bonn.
log towards the middle line of the body from this
Mark the fluid enema to have passed in • double line
from the ohm down to the breast bone. The skin over
the brerit bone, as far down as the waist, Is corn-
plataly destroyed and burnt. The field then, guided
by the watch chain, passel from the middle line
towards the left, along the margin of the ribs to the
situation of his watch, round which the skin was
especially destroyed, but it was untouched where the
watch rested. will& is denoted bye semicircular mark.
The fluid passed vertically downwards towards the left
cis:, where it met the metal spring of ,a common
which divided the fluid, one stream passing for
ward's through the scrotums, and the other backwards
over the backbone, and this corresponded with the hole
to the cushion where be sat, and at this point there
was another skin wound. This was the whole of the
sovid.nee in the remarkable occurrence, and the jury
of course returned a verdict of death being the result
of lightning. Mr. Dsnlell manifested not only deep
regret at the lose of his good servant, but thankfulness
at the merciful escape vouchsafed him and the survivors,
ell of whom sat, of course, within a few feet of
each other, Yrs. Filer being clomut to the coachman
Inside.