The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-09-01

oTA.fTHURsDAY, ST
|LI6H'FlNGs DEADLY WORK.
N. N. Bpwers, Of Mankato, Killed on
the Clark Farm Sunday Night.
Emil Murset and VIM. Mullen Knocked
Down-A Horse Killed.
II don't know but I feel as if some
thing is going to happen me; if there
does, I have some money in the bank
over yonder that I want you to give to
my wife in Mankato," spoke M. N.
Bowers to one of his acquaintance
last Sunday forenoon.
Twelve hours later he was dead!
Without moments warning, ex-
cepting that superstitious feeling, a
bolt Of lightning from the heavens
above him, descended through a barn,
struck Bowers on the head, and
knocked him lifeless to the ground.
Two companions, Emil Murset and
VIM. Mullen we're knocked to the
ground senseless.
The scene of this terrible tragedy
was at the immense barn on the Clark
estate just eight miles west of this city.
George 4Clark's threshing crew, of
which Bowers, Murset and Mullen
were members, was stopping at the
farm over Sunday. 1t was about $50
o'clock when the bolt descended, and
three-quarters of an hour later the
Clark boys were in the city, notifying
Coroner Pease, and giving the bare
facts to the GAZETTE for it's bulletin
boards. DR.. Pease at once left for the
scene, not returning until Monday
forenoon, when he furnished the Ga
zErTE reporter with an excellent and
exact statement of the occurrence.
1t appears that Bowers, together
with Mullen and Murset we're attempt
ing to close the stable doors at the
north end of the barn, and while they
were thus laboring the bolt fell, first
striking the cupola of the barn, pass
ing down to, and following the iron
rod on the hay track that extends from
one end of the barn to the other, leav-
ing this to strike Bowers directly on
the top of the head, singeing the hair,
and passing down over his body with
out injuring it, entered one of his
shoes, tore it open badly and left the
body at the toe. Bowers dropped in
simultaneously and without uttering a
word.
The bolt, after striking the iron rod
to the hay track, evidently separated
and passed in either direction to the
ground. The arm was properly dressed,
and the patient, later on, sank into a
profound sleep, in which condition he
remained during the night, awaking
Monday morning to find himself near
ly we'll, and to iimpart his tale up to
the time that he was knocked uncon-
scious. Mullen suffered all highland
when DR.. Pease left Monday morning
he was resting uneasy. There is a rare
possibility of his case being fatal as
epilepsy or lock jaw may set in.
The other two men, as above stated,
were assisting in closing the doors,and
not over from four to six feet from
Bowers when the bolt fell. They we're
both knocked to the ground uncon-
scious and remained in that condition
for several moments. Mullen was TAX
en- into the house and for long time
suffered with cramps and peculiar
and disagreeable numbness. Murset
was unable to walk, and was carried
into the house. He complained of his
right side being paralyzed, and on the
right arm DR.. Pease discovered marks
and bruises, which we're probably
caused by the force of the fall to the
ends ofthe barn; thence downward,
badly splintering the large doors at
either end, and breaking the windows
on the south side. A large hole was
knocked through the gable, directl J
above place in the hay loft, where,
with heads not over foot distant from
the wall, lay three men, one, VIM.
Sherin, another Eliza Gilbert and the
thirds name unknown. These three
we're not harmed, although the light
! ming splintered the beam directly un-