New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-27
KILLED BY 4 FLASH.
LIGHTNING STRIKES A CONEY ISLAND Bath.
ING PAVILION

AND SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED.

INSTANT Death OF MAN-HIS COMPANIONS
AND SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED
During the storm yesterday afternoon four bathers
at Coney Island, who had left the water when the
lightning began TO play around the bathing houses,
were struck by bolt. The party consisted Of three
men ana woman One man was killed the two
other men and the woman severely injured. and
number OF other people were knocted down. The
lightning did not damage the bathing houses, except
to knock few splintcrs tho sides and floor Of
them.
The party consisted OF John LOOMS. about forty
five years old; John Howard, Charles Wilkinson, all
OF No. 42O Fulton-st, Brooklyn. and Nellie Moore,
twenty four years old. Of No. 35I West Twcnty-ffth-
St, this city. They went to the Mclrosc House.
Ihompson'S Walk. They stayed there until about 4
o'clock In the afternoon when they went to the pavll
ion OF L. Gebhardt. Nellie Moore and Lille Ericl1
son, daughter OF Mrs. Erickson. OF the Melrose
House. accompanied the three men.
They were assigned to rooms as follows Miss Moore,
room No. % Wilkinson. No. "a; Howard, NO. 23,
and Looms, No. 26 Miss Erickson refused to go
into the water at the last moment. She stood on the
platform and watched the Others after they had en-
tered the water. When the lightning began to play
about the hous.s they came ont OF the water, and
went into their TO dress. There at least
dozen others dressing at the same time bnt all
were out before the bolt struck. except the four
victims They took long time to dress and Miss
Erickson went to the doors Of the rooms and told
them to hurry She then went home About FIVE
minutes after she left the place vivid flash Of
lightning struck the occupied by Loomis running
along the floor into No. % occupied by Howard
From there 1t went into No. "a and then along the
floor into 23, and through the rest OF the rooms.
1t did not set the place, hut than
of persons who had seci II strike ran to the spot
They found A. j. POmgdestic, young man. lying
under the pavilion unconscious, Edward Sculcn, en-
Al. ofy md
Gebhardt and his wife in tie Office in dazed con
dition They were soon revived and all went to see
how the occupants of the bath houses had Jared. Not
a sound came from them, and 1t not thought they
were hurt.
When the proprietor had knocked doors sew
cral times without receiving any answer. he opened
the one occupied by Loomis, who had fallen forward
ag ,inst the door and fully dressed except his
shoes which he was putting when struck. He
was bending over, and the bolt entered little siX-
inch diamond about five feet from the hoor in the
back of the house. The lightning entered on slant
tearing splinter from the wood ana entered
Loomis's head at the base Of the SKULL 1t went right
through him, coming out al the top OF the chest bone
and continuing downward to his stomach, where 1t
entered at the navel. He killed instantly, but
those present rubbed him until tn marks turned bacK
4 messenger at once sent 10 Poncc neao-
quarters and Drs Ward and I'LL were soon on thc
spot. They said Loomis had been killed instantly
and turned their attention 10 the others who We're
stin unconscious despite the efforts made by inc
spectators to revive them.
The woman was first carried TO the Office OF Inc
pavilion and revived. Her body was terribly burned
and her lower limbs were paralyzed. Her breast
and abdomen were streaked with black, showing
plainly where the fash had travelled. A large hole
was burned in her right leg, and the left was also
marked.
Howard, who was in the next to LOOMS
was about 10 put on his coat wher struck. The
lightning hit him the hight arm, burning IL from
the elbow the wrist. II then passed across MS
body TO the right leg. tore of his right shoe, passed
TO the left tearing that one or, and burning bis feet
badly
Wilkinson was tho least hurt OF the four. He
received the shock In the back II passed down his
legs to the ground.
The two doctors worked hard and revived all
three. Carriages called, and the Injured ones
were conveyed the Melrsc House, where they were
put 10 bed. The doctors thought at first that the
woman and Howard were fatally iraured. but the
latter was soon found to be less seriously Injured
than at first reported. Miss Moore. however. was
completely parayzed below the waist and the doctors
said her recovery doubtful.
Word wa, sent to Coroner Kene, OF Brooklyn. who
instructed Urdertaker -stillwe 10 have the injured
people taken to the Flatbush Hospital and the body
OF LOoms The mOrglie at Gravesend. When The
ambulance arrived the two refused to 60 In II,
and Mrs Erickson would not allow Miss Moore 10 De
carried from the house, although told 10 do 50 by
the doctors The body put into the waeon and
taken TO the m0rgue. Later in the evening" ho""'u
and Wilkinson were taken 10 Brooklyn in carnage
The dead man about forty-fvc years o'u'
His hair was gray and he wore gray p'''N
,ustoche 4 small sum Of money and Two more,
hooks were found In his pockets lie hau n THE "i
his finger with red stone In IT, III was I"P",n tnai
thn, Tie man was a New York policeman, anu ,la'
his companions were also connected WIN lhr Io,,'
II is not believed that the natncS glv"h Dy w. H.
tf.afr rid
body had the Initials II F. L.. cut III req "rr nr"rr
which was in setting Of peculiar MAKE. a 90,
the ring did not belong TO him. a ponUG'nam '"a, as
he thought the Now YORK poiltc' n ID
was court officers badge and said tiat ne W. c
ploved In tie Court OF General SESSIONS W" 'o'h