The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-07

lightning Crashing into dwelling nnd End
iug InVniid's sunvrings

In the rain storm of Thursday evening II
holt of lightning struck the house Of Mr.. Ed
gar l.. Morrison. who keeps a groc0 ~ IN a-mall
two story frame house IN Douglass street. near
Sehnortady avenur. Brooklyn. Some of the
family were Just beginning their supper in n
back room on the first floor. while Mrs. Nor
rison with 20 young friend ~ the family WIS
watching beside the sick bed Of her son. Bcnia-
min +. Morrison. aged 90. clerk. who had
been ccniinod to the little low room over an cv-
tension " the house. with consumutlon in its
final stugos. The bed was close to the further
wall of thereon. but It's hcadhoard WAS about
two feet from tho side wall. As hr lay nc faced
the only window in the room. through which he
could scc the lightning. llc spoke mt intervals
to the young friend who had called in to s"c
him. His mother sat by the tahlca f'w icrt
from tho bed and u lilhtcd lamp was h"sidr
her The young man WIS speaking TO tn Wis
tor when su denly thcrc was sharp crack
AMI thu, hia4, OF lightning, war IN, ihc
room. The bolt struck the tuuble-doWn chine
nny ia the centre of tho roof lust oN p thH &c. nm
where BENJAMIN MORRISON lay, ran down Tho
chimney knp-scl ont the tin covering when
was plugged tightly IN the sinVpipr hvlr,
hurptnd through the wall. carrying away the
pa-l"rou both sides Of the partition Jump d
iefpdn Anothrrurmol il followed thrchiinncy
to the floor below. lHap'd To- tine table whore
iour - r-gus wore az supper turned over me
away. IL did not set lire 10 anything. bat II
= 'ur'hrd The lath~ Wlrrr the clustering WIS
torn Oh. and burned tue dashboard. Mrs. Nor
rison WAS thrown from her scat in her son x
bedroom against the wall down which the lAht-
ming ran. The lamp WIS cNtinguisird ana
overturned. anl the hat Of the Young visitor
Was blown from her heal. Mrs. Morrison 3lNa
She WIS completely dnz"d at first and Thought
that the roof had fallen. On rclghtIng the
lamp. she found that her son had been killed
she looked in vain. though for amy mark which
the lightning had made. The body was not the
least bit dscOlOrrd, and he seemed e. have
fallen asleep. Iur lightning did uni touch his
bod hut ran along the dashboard by the side
OF il.
Tho moal Of those who were at the table was
rendered unfit to eat II smeed strongly ~
burned gunpowder. They fen an electric shock
as the lightning flashed 10y, but beyond this they
wre not disturbed 10y II.
Frederick Gundalph. u German. who was In u
room down stairs sitting ON lounge with a
little grl. lraucd from his scat M though shot.
and falling 10 the door, rolled over md over.
crying murder and that nr was shot. II WIS
two or three minutes before he recovered hiu-
self. ana It WIS some time totur' hr could 10"
persuaded that ne was not SHOT. tn" chimney
on the top of the house WAS demolished, an !
almost a square yard of clustering WIS torn on
OF each wall.
The Physicians who examined the body 81
young Morrison SAID that while the lightning
had doubtless, caused his death. vet n had Mt
touched his body They conciuded THAT tnc
shock Occnsioncd hy II proved too fnueh forth"
cpu~umptiN's weak nervous system. Inc
huus" Is the ta,lcst OF "a little cnmp ~ small
buildings which are comparatively ispiut"d.
They are on the top 81 hill overlooking the
penitcntiury. and part ~ Fhthush.