New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-02
COURTHOUSE STRUCK BYLIsHTylyG


ONE MAN KILLED AND MANY INJURED
On the Esd inst. the eupols Of the Court House In
Taylor County, Va, was struck BY hghtnns whiIs
the Court was In ses sion and large Number q per-
sons within the building One usan was instantly
killed and several others Frustrated, some Of whom
were severely injured Tie Fatrmoat Psrgts,a~
says:
Our informant, who was in the Courtroom q. the
time Of the occurrence repres< nts the scene as moss
terrifying one. The building appeared to him 10 be
coming down bodily under the pressure of some tre-
mendous weight and be instantly fell, for support.
Collecting his thoughts, however, the nature Of the
occurrence was instantly evident 10 him, and he and
the other persons ran out at the sdedoors Of the ould
ing. just then the screams of ladles The other
side of the street convinced Them that SD calamity
had resulted, and on reaching the front of the build
ing the character of the calamity visible to ell.
Stretched on the bricks lay number Of persons, In
the midst of them the cenuded body Of the Rev. Hsze
kiah Durham, the young man who was killed, and
whose person had been stripped Of every vestge Of
clothing.
Fortunately for the sufferers the persons presen knew
the beet method of restoring them 10 consciousness,
and soon dragged them out INTO the rain and sem-
menced dashsg water upon them. After the sufferers
found Ing ia nhe enuy had been cared Tor the Jary-
rooms above were visited and 10 one OF these were
discovered three more individuals who had been 80
stunned az 10 be unable TO help them selves. Two of
item were taken out into the ram the friends Oh the
third, scm mistaken kindness, would not let him DC
taken out, and he consequently Suffered much more
recovered 10 get away from Pruntytowu the same
evening yet the rex morning when our informant
left there still six OF eight confined TO theu
roous if to thtr beds. and one or more OF them
in a very pIeosriosr condition.
Mr.. Dsnham lordained TO the ministry about two
weeks ago, by the Baptist Church in Pruntytown,)
standing when the electric fluid struck him, Ia the
front door of the courthouse with his head leaning
against the casing. The other persons injured were
standing near him in Me entry. One consdera-
bly scUrched BY the heating OF pair Of spectacles
which be had in his pocket. Anoslss watch proved
30 attractive tat il was partially fused Mr. a. w.
Best though standing some twenty or more feet from
the track OF the fluid had his right arm, which was in
contact with wall, paralyzed from the elbow down.
and this without psnlng him. for he did not know The
fact until he undertook 10 handle BUCKET. Alter ad
mnisering 10 the relief of other and more severe su
ferers us only his left hand he took of his hat and
stood in the rain for few minutes, when his arm soon
became subject 10 his will, aud Tree from every un-
pleasant sensation.
The Pruigy torn Ga.Ste, published where the &C.
curreree took place says:
The electricity ran down the frcnt wall CT the house
at some points forcing out bricks aud at others only
separating the walls and driving out the cement In
the orth-west room, up stairs MAJOR 3 L. Fleming,
John w Monroe, George Fleming ana John w. SIN"
sci were in business The electricity passing down the
wall near the M very much stunned and otherwise In
iured the two last-uamed gentlemen Considerable
dama4e was done 10 the ceiling of this room. Passing
down the wall it broke out at different points.
The Virgfnian has also the following account OF
iraculous escape from death in Taylor County few
DAYS previous TO the above occurrence:
Mr. Alexander Williamson and four OF his children
were binding wheat Friday last some three hundred
wards from bis house. cloud was fast rising. HIS
eldest son thiry-ve yards from his father;
the rest little nearer. When the lightning struck
thew were all Frustrated. Mrs. Williamson saw them
all down from the house, and startedor the field AZ
fast as possible. BY the time she arrived the children
were up Mr.. w. lay apparently dead She sent 10
the house for camphOr and bathed him considerable
while before any appearance of life returned. He was
struck on the right shoulder The lightning ran down
his arm TO his fingers and down bis right side divided
near the hip one part running the abdomen and
down both thighs and legs TO the toes, scorching all
the hair off his body aud burning the SKIN and fesh
from his shoulder to the The right sleeve OF the
shirt and the right side of the shirtbody was torn all
into small pieces. The pants, though newly lined,
were badly torn in divers places He had on strong
pair of coarse boots the left boot was badly torn ana
the right one was torn to pieces, even bursting me
soes and heels asunder, drawing the large pegs with
which they were made. After passing through the
boots on either side of where his feet Stood the light
ming struck four places in the ground leaving holes
resembling those punched with handspike. Yet
strange to tell Mr. Williamson still lives. He was
Thorough y drenched by the rain after being proe,rated
which probably accounts for has recovery.