The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-02

A Court House Struck by Lxghtning-Oue
Man Killed ana Many Injured.
On the sd ult., the cupoia Of the eonat house
IN Tsykr county, Vs. was atruck by lightning whilo
sons within the building. One man was Instantly
killed and several others pTostrated, some Of whom
were severely injured. The Fairmont Tnginian
says:--
Our informant, who was in the court room a. the
time OF the occurrence, represents the scene a. .
most terrifying one. The building appeared to him
to be aoming down bodily under the pressure Of
some Tremendous weight, and be inssinctively felt
for Q support Collecting bis thoughts, however,
the nature Of the occurrence was instantly evident
to him. and he and the other persons ran out ct tho
side doors Of the building just then, the screams
Of some ladies' on the osher side Of the street con-
WINGED them that sad calamity had resulted, and
on reachingthe front Of the building the character
Of the calamity was visible to all. Stretched the
bricks lay number Of persons; in the midst OF
them the denuded body Of the Rev. Hezskisa Dun
person had been stripped Of every vestige Of
c,0shipg.
Fortunately for the sufferers, the persons present
knew the lest method Of restoring them TO con.
rain, and commenced dashing water upon them.
After the sufferers found lying in the entry had
been cared for, the jury rooms above were visited,
end in one Of these were discovered three more In.
diyidusls who had been 20 stunped - to be unable
to help themselves. Two Of them were taken out
into the rain; the friends OF the third, from mis-
taken kindness, would not let HIM be taken out,
and he consequently suffered much moro than his
companions. or the persons shocked, some recov-
cred 30 as to get away from Pruntytown the same
evening; yet on the next morning (wheu our infor.
mant tft) there were still six or eight confined to
their rooms, II not to their beds. and one or more
Of them In . very precarious condition.
Mr.. Durham (ordained 10 the ministry about two
weeks ego, by the Baptiat church In Pruntyt0wn,)
was standing, when the electric fluid struck him,
in the front door Of the court hoese with his hesd
leaning against the casing. The other persons
injured were standing near him, in the entry.
One man vas considerably scorched by the
heating Of pair Of spec,scles which he had
in his pocket. Another's watch proved SO attrsc-
tive that il was partially fused. Mr.. A. W. Best,
though standing some twenty or moro feet nom the
track Of the fluid. had his right arm, which was in
contact with Q vail, paralyzed from the elbow down.
and this without painipg him, for he did not know
tho fact until he undertook to handle Q buckst
After administering to the relief Of other and more
serious sufferers, using only his left hand, no took
of bis hat and stood in the rain for few minutes,
when his arm soon became subject to his will, and
free from every unpleasant sensation.
occurrence took place, rays:
Tho lectricity ran down the front wall OF the
house, ut some points forcing out BRICKS aud ct
others only separating the walls and driving out the
cement. In the northwest room, up stairs, Major j.
G. Fleming, John W. Monroe, George Fleming, aud
John W. Sir sci were in business. The electricity
passing down the wall near them very much stunned
and otherwise injured the two last named gentle
men. Considerable damage was done to the Gel ing
Of this loom. Passing down the wall il broke out
at different points.