The South western news., 1888-07-25
FLOYD'S FATAL FLASH.
Particularly Sad Features Of the
Double Fatality by Lightning.

AAtV ASouiC 10. AAANNS
the following account of sad oc-
currence, Sam Formby WAS a
sturdy young farmer. sallie Form
by W his pretty wife. He was
10 and she was Is. They were
married last Christmas, and have
since resided in Chulio district, II
miles from Rome.
Their happy lives are ended.
A bolt of lightning was the death
dealer, Thursday afternoon about
3 O'Clock Sam Formby and his wife
were hoeing cotton in field near
their home in Chulio district
They were side by side, she on enc
row and he on the other. There
was heavy cloud overhead. but
they took no notice of it, and
worked on. Suddenly a brilliant
fash came. The young man and
his wife were feiled to the ground.
Then followed dea 'ening thunder
clap. Mr.. and Mrs. Formby were
instantly killed. just ten feet
back of them was Mrs. Formby'e
sister. She was knocked down BY
the stroke. Still further back was
a younger sister who was unhurt.
A farmer blowing in field near
by saw something was the matter.
He left his pillow and went to them.
The alarm was given and the bod
les were tenderly removed to the
house. There were no trees with
in hundred yards of where the
bolt hit. 1t was a perfectly open
cotton field. The nearest trees
were scrubby pines forming a thick,
ct about the distance mentioned
above and none of them very tall.
There was no rain accompanyin.
the lightning, and it did not begin
to fall until after the bodies were
removed to the house. There was
a large gathering of friends as soon
as the news was spread. These of
tered every sympathy to Mrs
Cheney, who is Mr.. Formby's sis
ter and who was in the fielJ at the
time of the accident. 1t has only
been week ago that Will West
sold the funeral goods upon the
death Of her husband. Young
FOrmby and his wife wished to
cheer her in her loneliness, and on
Wednesday morning they went to
live with her. They only resided
with her day before death came.
The poor widow is lonelier than
ever. Last night about II o'clock
Farmer r B Cheney came to the
city to buy the necessary articles
for the funeral. About the effect
OF the lightning he said to a repor>
ter of The Tribune.
1t struck each of them on the
top of the head, and singed the
hair off the back part OF their
heads. l helped to dress Sam,
The lightning seemed to twist
around his neck, and then down
his back. The mark it left was a
needle points scratch. except in
one or two places the skin was
badly torn. On the lower part of,
his back a place as large as my
hand was torn of. The lightning
made another turn and came
around to the front part of his
person. It then continued down
his left leg, and went into the
ground. On his foot the skin was
torn up again, like on his back,
only not SO large. After we dress
ed him the body began turning
purple"
This narrative from Mr.. Chem
ey, who is a very intelligent man,
wSs given in a straightforward
manner. He told what he saw,
and told it in thrilling manner
to the reporter and another gen.
tleman who was standing near
by.
This afternoon the young farmer
and his wife, to whom life was so
sweet, viii be buried.
One grave will serve for both
Into it the two cotiins will be low
cred and hidden from sight under
the soil they titled.
1t is seldom so pathetic story
must be told.