The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-08-01

VIRGINIA CouRr HOUSE, STRUCK BY LroHTNrNs
-Mtafster Killed - On the 23i inst, the cupola o.
The court house in Tyler county, Va, was strucl
oy lightning while the court was 10 session, aud
large number of persons within the building. One
man was instantly killed. and several others pros
trated, some Of whom were severely injured The
Fairmont virginian says:
Our Informant, who was in the court. room a,
the lime OF the occurrence represents the scene
most terrifying one. The building appeared 10
him to be coming down bodily under the pressure
OF some tremendous weight. and he insiinctlvely
feit for support Collecting his thoughts how.
ever, the nature Of the occurrence was instantly
esidentto him, and he and the other persons ran
ent at the bide doors OF the building. Just then
the scream Of some laoes on the other side OF the
street convinced them that sad calamity had re-
suited and on reaching the front Of the building
The character OF the Calamity was visible to all
stretched on the bricks, lay number Of persons;
10 tue midst OF them the denuded body OF the Rev.
Hezekiah Dunbar the young man who was Killed.
ana whose person had been stripped OF every
vest'ge of clothing. a s~ ~ %
Fortunately for the sufferers the persons present
knew the best method of restoring them TO COM
seriousness, and soon dragged them out into the
rain, and commenced dashing water upon them
After the sufferers found lying in the entry had
oesn cared for. the jury rooms above were visiied
and In one of these were discovered three more
Individuals who had been 90 stunned a. to be un
/
out iuto the rain; the friends Of the third, from
mistaken kindness would not let him be taken out,
and he consequently suffered much more than his
companions. OF the persons shocked, some reco-
vered 30 a. to get away from Pruniytown the same
evening; YET on the next morning (when our In
formsnt lef there we're still six or eight confined
TO their rooms, II not to their beds and one or more
OF them In very precarious condition. ,s.
Mr. Durham. Ordained to the ministry about
two weeks ago, by the Baptist church In Prunty-
town. was standing when the electric fluid struck
him. in the front door of the court house, with his
head leaning sgainst the casing The other persons
Injured were standing near him in the entry. One
man was considerably scorched by the heating of
q pair OF spectacles which he had In bis pocket
Anothsr's watch proved 50 attractive that 1t was
some twenty or more feet from the track of the
uud. lad his right arm, which was In contact with
q wall, p6raiy1ed from the elbow down and this
without paning him, for he did not know the fact
until he undertook to handle bucket. After ad.
mns.aring to the relief OF other and more ser ous
sufferers, using only his LEFT hand, he took off his
hat and stood Ia the rain for a lew minutes, when
his arm aeon became subject to his WILL and free
from every unpleasant sensation.
The Fruntytown Gazette, published where the
occIrre ace took place, says:
The electricity ran down the front wall of the
house a. some poiLts :o,cins out bricks, and at
others ouly separating the walls and driving out
the ceulant In the north weat room, up stairs,
Major J. G. Fleming, John w. Monroe, George
Fleming and John w. Sinsel, were Ia business
The electricity passing down the wall near them
very much stunned and o.herwise injured the two
last named gentlemen Considerable damage was
done to the ceiling of this room. Passing down
the wall 1t broke out at different points.
The Vrginan has also the following account Of q
miraculous escape from ds ath in TaY for county few
days previous to the above occurrence:
Mr.. Alexander Williamson and four of his chill
drsn binding wheat on Friday last. some three
huadrad yards from the house. A cloud fast ri
siug. His eldest son was thirty five yards
from his father; the rest q little nearer. When the
lightning struck they were all prostrated Mrs Will
Eamson saw them all down, from the house, and
started for the field as fast possible. By the time
she arrived the children were up. Mr. w lay ap.
parently dead She sent to the hsuse for camphor,
and bsthed him q considerable time before any ap-
pearsnce of life returned. He was struck on the
right shoulder. The lightning down his arm to
his fingers and down his ri ht side divided ear the
hip, one part running across the abdomen and down
both thighs and legs the toes scorchiug all the
hair off his bod r. and burning the skin and flesh from
the thou!dsr to the toes. The right sleeve of the
shirt and the right side of the shirt body torn
sl into small pieces The pants, though newly
lined, were badly torn 10 divers places. he had on
strong pair of coarse boots the left boot bsd
ly torn, and the right was torn TO piecss, even
busting the coles and heels asunder, drawing the
large pegs with which they were made. After psss
ing through the boots either side CT where his
fe stood the lightning struck in four places In the
ground, leaving holes sembliug those punched with
hand spike. Yet, strange to tell. Mr.. Williamson
after being pto.tratsd which probably mis- fol