Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-08
ONE FREAK OF LIGHTNING
AN OLD NEW JERSEY FARMER
STRICKEN DOWN.


Singular Occurrence Near Paterson
A Gold Ring Straightened Out by the
Electric Bolt-The Effect Upon Demar-
est-He Lay Full Length in the Bot
tom of His Wagon Unconscious, but
Soon Restored.
From the Neao York Tribune, Ju,le G.
AS Barney Demarest was driving with
his wife in an open spring wagon on the
Haledon road, three miles out from Pater-
son, N. j., yesterday afternoon, he was
struck by lightning. The case is re-
markable one. Demarest is farmer and
lives in Pompton Plains, about nine miles
from Paterson. Some years agohis father
died, leaving him a number of houses and
other real estate in Paterson. Mr..
Demarest visited the town regu-
Iarly about the first OF every
month to collect his rents. This was his
errand yesterday. He came early in the
morning and made haste to dispatch his
business, fearful less the sultry weather
would bring rain. About O'Clock he
started hOmeward. His way lay over the
Preakness Mountain, which rises behind
the city at a short distance. A wide
macadamiZed road has been built over the
mountain, and large part OF its fOunda-
ton was taken from a great mass Of sand
stone which crowns the hill This rock
was cut down when the road was built,
and in order to make the ascent as easy
as possible the road at the base was raised
as much as was practicable.
Mr.. Demarest had nearly assembled the
mountain when the rain began to fall.
The wind blew with great fury, and the
thunder crashed frightfully. MIR. Dema-
rests horses soon became unmanageable.
he had reached the entrance of the noun
tain pass, but he could not induce the
horses to enter the cut. They stood i'm
movable in evident terror, and whenever
urged to 90 forward, despite a vigorous
use Of the whip, they only responded by
rearing and plunging desperately. In the
meantime the storm increased to a hurri-
cane and the rain fell in sheets.
Attached to the seat of the wagon
and running through its bottom
was stationary umbrella, designed to
serve as sun shade. This had been
hoisted despite the wind, and was afford
ing the farmer and MS wife some prOtec-
ton. AS there was no possibility of get
ting the team to advance, MIR. Demarest
concluded to turn them around and seek
shelter at neighbOring farm house until
the storm had passed. He had his left
hand firmly clasped about the handle of
the umbrella, and with his right he held
the reins and endeavOred to turn the ter
rihed and piungiug horses.
Just at this moment a binding glare
flashed directly overhead, there was
tremendous crash, the horses stood stock
still and trembled, the umbrella was torn
out from the wagon seat and the farmer,
swaying an instant, plunged headlong into
the road. e. Ii. Nelson, of Paterson, was
coming through the cut and saw the
whole occurrence at distance of about
100 feet He sprang from his wagon and
hurried to the assistance of Demarest.
The old man, for he is nearly go years of
age, was lying on his right side motion
less, as though dead. The left side of his
face was blackened and swollen, and his
lett arm hung rigidly at his side. His
BODY seemed TO be extraordinarily heavy,
for Mr.. Nelson, who is a strong, vigorous
man, could, with his utmost exertiOn,
barely hit him up. When finally he
was raised up and laid at full length in
the bottom of his wagon, he showed no
sign OF life. Mrs. Demarest, who sat only
few inches from her husband, was
hardly stunned. She complained, in an
swer 10 Mr.. Nelson's questions, of a pam
around her waist, but said it was slight
Near by was the farm house of IL. T. Hill
man, to which Mr.. Demarest had intended
TO drive. Thither Mr.. Nelson led the
horses, with the body OF their owner. On
the way Mr.. Demarest began to show
signs Of returning activity. He tried to
move and uttered a short moan. When
the farm house was reached he was placed
upon a couch, and DR.. Porter S. Kinnie,
of Paterson, his family physician, was
sent for.
After the first sign of life had mani
Tested itself, Mr.. Demarest quickly grew
10 n
shock. and his entire body was numbed.
As this feeling of rigidity died away,
shooting and singing pains coursed
through him, as if every inch Of flesh was
being pricked with needles. His left arm
was entirely without feeling, and his left
hand. which had claspad the umbrella
handle, had been cut by the lightning
clear through the flesh of the palm for a
distance ofan inch and half. The hand
was swollen to twice its natural size
and was almost entirely purple. Upon
the little finger of this hand Mr.. Demarest
had worn heavy light gold ring. Itwas
gone and the spot it had circled was per-
iectlY white. AS the ring could not have
been torn of the finger without taking
the finger with it, there was much curt
osity as to how it was removed. A man
was sent back to the spot where the acct
dent occurred. He returned with the
ring, which had been rendered perfectly
straight by the thunderbOlt. He found IL
standing upright in the mud.
BY this time DIR. kinnie had arrived.
The patient was still suffering intensely
from the singing, darling pains, though
they were growing gradually less fire.
quent and less severe. He could scarcely
speak, for the muscles Of his throat were
affected. lie complained of pain in his
spine and chest ana of the general rigldity
of the lett side Of his person. His pulse,
however. was normal. DR.. Kinnie said
last nlght that he would recover.