Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-22
AtreciOus Crime.
THE FIEND ARREsTED-W0NDERFU ES-
CAPE FROM LIGHTNIEG-sToRM,& sc.
Correspondents of the Richmond Dispatch.l
REIM0NT VA Nav Il 122Q

CAPE FROM LIGHTNIEG-sTORM, sc.
BELMONT, VA, May 13, 1889.
The most atroeious crime ever committed
in this neighborhood took place at Belmont
yesterday. Jim Hurt, young mau about
twenty-one years old "a negro) committed
criminal assault on little colored girl.
Hurt afterwards fed, hiding himself in one
of the buildings on the farm of Mrs. B. F.
Groves, where be was discovered this morn
ing and arrested and cent on TO jail at
Spotsylvania Courthouse.
On Saturday last there was fearful
storm of thunder, lig ghsning, and hail at this
place, (Peake's Cross Road and Belmont.)
The rear of the thunder and the flashing of
the lightning was something awful. Julian
Kendall was standing on the porch of r.
V. Groves when an apple tree was struck
some distance off and the shock was so ter
rife that he was knocked down on bis
knees. The stable of P. D. Taylor was
moved by the wind and almost blown down.
There were nine head of norsss in the
stable at the time and several men,
Amongst the men were Munford Johnson,
of Louisa, and Mr.. Estes, of Orange. When
the house began to creak and sway in the
wind it is said that the boys made $40
speed to get out. This morning before
breakfast girl ELLA Jackson) who lives
just ever the river from Holidays mill
was struck by lightning, but, strange to
say, was not killed. She was on visit to
some friends near Mt. Pleasant church, in
Louisa, and had just gotten up and was
dressing. While she was putting on her
corset the house was struck, and the cur
rent stripped her of almost all-of her cloth
l tn 0f Is,1E
The steels Of the corset were completely
| torn out, and what remained of her clothes
took fire, but the flames were put out by
the children, who, strange to say, were less
frightened by the shock, &C., than the old
er persons. Though there were several
other persons in the room none of them
we're hurt. The house itself was badly
knocked to pieces. Thesl htning passed
across the whole width of the house and tore
several sheets of tin from safe in the far
corner. The girl has been brought home,
and is under treatment Of DR.. J. G. Boxiey,
who thinks she will recover. The track of
the lightning is plainly seen on her person.
1t is not perfectly clear which is the work
of the flames and which Of the current. The
| flesh is blistered and torn in many places
| from her head to her heels. Still the girl
can stand up and even hobble about. At
present there is CLASSY film over her eyes,
and she is unable TO see; but the Doctor
hopes that she will recover her sight. This
| is the only case have ever heard of where
any one was actually marked either much
or little and yet stood chance to recover.
| lightning has some curious ways in
Louisa and Spotsylvania along the line of
the mineral belt, running in this direction.
l know of place where tree after tree has
been struck in straight line, showing, l
suppose, the presence of mineral below, and
strange to say, the lightning evidently
struck up instead of down in number of
cases.