The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-14
A DEADLY THUNDERBOLT.
Family Killed by Lightning in Con.
necticut-Father, Mother and Child
Found Partially Consumed In Their
burning House.

"A Rh1eO " AAShSAAhS IA CoAA.
nectfcut-Father, Mother and Child
Found Partially Consumed In Their
burning House.
BRIDGEPORT, July II, 1874.
The thunder storm which passed over this sec.
ton between five and SIX O'Clock on Saturday ar
ternoon left in its track OF the saddest scenes
ever Witnessed This occurred In the town Of
Trumbull, and was nothing less than the killing Dy
lightning OF father, mother and child, constitut.
ing an entire family. After the storm had
passed Mr.. Blood, residing at the northern
end Of Daniels Farm street, about mile
east of Long Hill, discovered dense
smoke issuing from the house OF Mr.. Levi S.
Harrison, who lived nearly opposite. He imme-
dately sent word to Mr.. David Hail. brother In
law OF Mr.. Harrison, who entered the house at
once and found it full OF smoke. In the bedroom.
adjoining the kitchen. the bed was burning, and
after extinguishing the fire with q few pals OF
water,
THE DEAD BODY OF Mr.. HARRISON
was found witt the lower limbs hanging over the
edge Of the bed and the head and shoulders among
the burning bedcIothes, which had fallen through
TO The floor by the burning of the bed cord. The
bed was pulled OF and thrown from window, and
search was made for the wife and chld Of the IN
fortunate man. They were found on the floor, be-
meath the window, the woman dead, with the
child in her arms. The woman lay partly across
the Child. which was not quite dead when dis
covered but soon expired, IN spite OF all efforts to
restore it,
The family, OF which these three persons consti.
tuted the entire number, had been killed BY light
ming, and were probably sitting on the bed when
the bolt came. Mr.. Harrison was badly burned
about the head and face and one wrist was burned
half of, while his clothing was entirely burned
away; but there was
NO VISIBLE MARX OF THE LIGHTNING
upon him. Mrs. Harrison was struck upon the
breast. and the electric fluid had evidently come
out at the foot, while 1t is possible that the child
might have been. sunOcated as 1t lay, stunned,
under the mothers body. but one OF Its arms was
badly gashed open. The house, a small cottage,
stood near tall tree which first received tne
vided, part gong down the tree into the ground
aud part into the house, passing through the pas-
ter and leaving hole in the ceiling the size OF
stove pipe directly over the bed. About half the
end OF the house was torn away, and there were
marks in several places showing where the light
ming entered the ground.
Mr.. Harrison was twenty-Seven years OF age, his
wife was twenty-slx and the child was about two
years old Mr.. Harrison had purchased the house
but a short time before, and had OF course, not
place on Sunday at Easton, WHITTIER the bodies
were taken for interment. and was largely at
tended, the sad event casting gloom over the en-
tire neighDOrhood
ANOTHER HoCSE STRUCK.
Beside the above the house OF Charles s. Bruns-
struck and badly torn, but no one was hurt,
although windows were broken, the siding OF the
house torn Off aud the hinges drawn from cellar
door, which was found thrown into the cellar.
There were lightning rods on eacn OF the chlmneys
Crops were beaten down, and the HOusatonic hall
Trumbul as to necessitate the slower running OF
trains till repairs can be made.