The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-05-15
Was that Received by q Sec
ton Hand on the Branch
Yesterday.
Struck by Lightning While
Seeking Shelter Under
q Small Tree.
The Unfortunate Mans Fellow
Laborers Left the Scene on
the Double Quick.

oiSCiuOOu, CiOCh,
DR.. w. e. Overstreet, county coroner, re-
ceived a telegram from Constable GrOOms,
of fayetteville, stating that a man had
been killed by lightning, on the branch
read, six miles northwest from Sedalia,
and that the body would be found where it
fell
There was but one thing for the coroner
to do and that was to proceed to the scene,
view the body and get such additional par
ticulars as possible. 1t being evident that
the body would have to be brought
TO this city for interment, Doctor
Overstreet deemed il best to take along
Lesure's undertaking wagon, SO that no
time would be lost or the expense of a
guard incurred.
A representative of the BAzoo, a paper
that never spares expense or trouble in Sc
curing reliable information concerning
events Of this character, accompanied DIR.
Overstrse. on his mission
As will be remembered, not a drop Of
rain fell yesterday in Sedalia, although a
heavy black cloud passed around
as to the north between one
and two o'clock in the
evening. The first evidences of ram
Storm were struck four miles north of the
city, where a slight shower fell. but from
there on the evidences grew stronger until
finally heavy mud was encountered. Proof
Of high wind having accompanied the
rain storm was also visible at every hand
limbs being torn from trees, and rail fences
laid level with the ground. Going north
the storm seemed to increase, ami in the
neighbOrhood of the Daniel Buckles larus,
seven miles north of here, it assumed more
the character uf tornado than an
ordinary wind storm. The root from
one Of Mr.. Buckles tenant houses, occupied
by q family Of negroes, was torn OFT and
carried full hundred feet, when it was
deposited ON top IF fence. The fences il.
this locality were all out Of shape, some Of
the rail, b.ing carried several yards from
their original position.
Ii was at The Ruckles farm that the cor
oner learned the exact Locations OF the body
of the man ki.led-near the siX-mile post,
or the branch railway track, on the old
General Thompson plsce-and a y-road
was taken leading TO the point
George Hughes, who lives on the Gener-
al Thompson place, and his brother,
who is visiting INN, were standing guard
over the body, which had not teen touched
from the time it fell. The dead man was
lying st..the foot of small scrub oak tree,
on his LETT side, with his hat, which was
Tied on by a red cotton handkerchief, drawn
tightly over his head He was in his shirt
sleeves, just as be had run from his work
for shelter from the storm. His face was
as black as that of negro, his sandy hair
which fringed his neck vas terribly singed,
the clothes on his LETT side were torn
inlo shreis, aud bis right boot
was completely torn and riddled. A
close inspection of the body BY DIR. Over
street developed the fact that the man,
while in an upright position. had been
struck by the bolt, which evidently split,
one fork passing down his back of the right
foot, while the other fork passed down his
left side, tearing away his left shirt sleeve
and his left pants leg. The current which
passed down the back of the unfortunate
man entered the ground at his feet and
plowed up the earth for yard or so in a
nc rtheasterly direction; the other fork en-
tered the ground and ran along about
the same distance in south
westerly direction. The tree at
the foot OF which he was standing when
struck was not even so much as barked.
There was nothing on the mans body to
give clue to his name or residence
After assisting in placing the body in
the undertaker's wagon, the BAzOO reporter
went to the nearest house, that Of a Mrs
Thompss n, about $50 yards north Of the
spot where the man was killed, to obtain
all possible information. From q son of
the lady the reporter learned that the boss
of the section, . Mr.. Koran, with four
men, was engaged in repairing the track
when the storm came suddenly up at
about 1:3O. Three Of the section
men took refuge under the hand
car, while deceased and another Of the
hands climbed the railroad fence and
sought shelter under the small scrub oaks.
about thirty feet from the track and twenty
feet from eachOther. When last seen by
his comrsde, deceased was leaning up
against the northeast side OF the tree, 30 as
to shelter him from the storm which came
from the southwest. A minute after tiere
was keen fash of lightning followed BY .
quick. sharp report like that Of = twenty.
pound parrot gun. All of the gang and
some OF the family of Mrs. Thompson
experienced severe shock and
knew that the lightning had struck close
by. Il was not until the storm, which
was of short duration, had subeided, that
il was ascertained that the bolt had fallen
upon the head of human being. When
the section men crawled out from their
cover, it was observed thst deceased did
not put in an appearance. A search was
instituted a; the place where be was last
seen, and his lifeless body was fOu-d.
Mr.. Koran informed young Thomp-
son that deceased was employed in
his gang only the day bxiore-last
Tuesdsy-and that he hailed from
Lexington, where he had three chill
dren, his wife having died several years
ago. The section boss had the name OF the
deceased in his book, which was at the
station house, but he could not remember
it.
The section men, on finding that one of
their number had been killed, lost no time
in boarding their hand-car and pulling out
for fayetteville, without even so much a.
leaving q man TO keep the hogs and birds