Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-31
A NIGHT OF HORRORS.
Frightful Calamity in King
Ea&8 stOn, N. Y. 1865
A Circus Tent Struck by Lightning
Five Persons Killed Instantly and
a Large Number Wounded.

a Large Number Wounded
Ts51s3- 3 Z
L zaIr ~ a7a tf.I -..f., ID q
/ A most fearful and horrifying disaste
occurred at Kingston, N. Y, on Thurs
day evening, August %. About s O'Clock
while Bailey & Co. s circus and mensgerit
were performing before large audience,
a most terrific storm came on. A short
distance from the main tent was smaller
tent, used as fruit stand, and few feet
| from this stand stood willow tree, loca-
ted in the corner of the yard of an ad
Joined dwelling. On the corner of the
circus ground, under and near the tree,
were grouped large number of persons
| who had taken shelter there from the
storm. Under the fruit tent were also
eongregated about twenty-five persons,
while hitched to the tree spoken of was a
horse, attached to wagon, colored wo-
man being seated in the latter. Mirth
and jollity prevailed about this group, one
| colored man yelling at times to passers
by, "Saye yer money; I'll glib yer a
show before morning." and then all
would laugh. E m
Faster and more violent fell the big
drops of rain, and more brilliant and more
rapid became the flashes of lightning, till
| suddenly one binding sheet of flame lit
up The entire scene, and terrible peal of
thunder followed instantly. The scene
which then occurred inside the circus tent
battles description. Rows of pallid faces
were everywhere, and fearful panic was
imminent, but the great presence of mind
Of MIR. Bailey, the proprietor of the cir
Gus, sa Fed hundreds of lives. He shouted
with all his might and main to the audi
ence: 'EKeep your seats and called
loudly on the band to play, while at the
same time he urged the performing hors-
es about the ring through little lakes of
water, hoping thereby to attract the at
tention of the audience so as to prevent
a rush and a consequent rampling to
death, and we'll he succeeded. The clown
cracked his jokes and laughed as loud as
ever, but it could easily be seen that it
was not natural laugh, and that he too
was thoroughly alarmed.
While all this was going on inside, the
fatal shaft of lightning had done its work
outside. Never were such fearf j results
of single stroke of lightning recorded
before. The bolt appeared to come from
the west or southwest, cutting hole about
twelve feet square, through the top of the
main canvas, thence across an open space
to the willow tree spoken of above, about
forty yards distant, shattering the tree,
killing the horse which was tied to it and
knocking senseless the driver, tearing the
soles from his boots and singeiug his cloth
ing. Passing thence, it descended to the.
group of colored persons near the tree,
and then came death.
Five were instantly killed-all colored
people: Elizabeth Newkirk, of Hurley,
aged sixteen Jane Montayne, of Marble
town, aged fifty; Arthur Scott, Kingston,
aged thirty; Jas. Bush, MarbletOwn, aged
twenty-eight; W. S. EVerson, supposed
to be.)
All were talking together. Jane Mon
tayne was leaning against the tree, with
her arms folded, listening to the others;
she fell with her arms folded, and they
could hardly be pried apart. Elizabeth
Newkirk was laughing, and there was a
smile upon her lips when she was picked
up. Arthur Scott had one arm partially
raised, and after death it was hard work
to straighten it, and thus they died.
For few moments after the awful Wis
itatiOn, no one could stir in the vicinity
all were struck dumb and unconscious
and were paralyzed. Twenty-Five per
sons under the fruit tent were knocked
down and severely injured. Hundreds
under the main tent were paralyzed'
When the true state of affairs outside be-
came known under the main canvas,
there was no holding the audience, and
the entertainment for the evening ended
at once. As a rush was made for the
open air, it was ascertaiued that scores Of
persons could not leave their seats. DOz-
ems were almost unconscious. They sat
like statues.
Every one of the compositors of the
Ulster Gazette was present, and every
one was so seriously affected that the con-
ductors of that paper had to borrow help
from other offices. One of the employees
sustained a very severe shock. To-day
he carries his arm in a sling. Among the
wounded was Robert Dickinson, who was
knocked down by the shock and lay ap-
parently dead for half an hour. Edgar
Carson had his leg singed and his boot
torn completely off. G. E. Townsend
was standing on the circus ground with
his umbrella in his hand. He was knocked
down and his umbrella torn to pieces.
One person, Andrew Sultan, was very
singularly effected. He was badly burned
in the back, and cut was made IN his
coat exactly the shape of a star, and his
hat was torn in shreds from his head.
Andrew Dewitt, who was badly burned
in the left brt asst, lay stunned for nearly
two hours. One old colored woman, who
was standing outside the tent, was sure
she was attacked with paralytic
stroke. She could move neither her
| arms nor feet for nearly a quar-
ter of hour, when she gradually
revived then hobbled off the grounds. A
little child named Agnes DesslerOle, seven
years of age, was hurled to the ground
| from top seat inside the main canvass,
| and had her left arm broken. 1t is note
worthy fact that the bodies of the dead
| bore no marks of violence whatever; not
! a particle of evidence is observable in their
! appearance to show that they died other
! than natural deaths. The flesh is nowhere
| burned, nor is the hair scorched, a fact
which excites general comment. The
ewes of one of the deceased remained
wide open, presenting a CHASTITY appear
ance. There are reports of more deaths,
| but they are not credited.
AT various points along the river dwell
| lings and barns were destroyed. Near
Poughkeepsie two barns were burned :;
near Fishkill another; at Fishkill Landing
a dwelling was struck twice, but not con