The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-13
LIGHTNING BOLT
II Strikes a Tent at the
PeekSkill Camp.
Corp. Mcdonald of Twenty
Second Regiment Killed.
Many Of His Militia Comrades Were
Seriously Injured.

NeW fOrK, July io.-l$iBntnlnB struck
the state camp at Peekskll yesterday
afternoon. selecting the Y. u. c. A. tent
as it's object. One man was killed and
many others were badly hurt. The
storm at Peekskill was a terrific one.
Rain fell during the entire day and as
a result the men did not have many
duties TO perform. great number OF
them gathered in the Y. NJ. c. A. tent.
which was commcdious and occupied
generally by those who had reading or
letter-writing to do.
About 2:30 score or more Of the men
had gathered here. The storm was at
its height. The rain fell in torrents
and the thunder crashed. Suddenly
there was binding flash OF lightning.
and in a moment the tent was down and
in flames. general alarm was sound
ed and the guardsmen and ambulance
corps came at double quick Almost
every man who had been under the can
vas was shocked by the lightning. Cor
poral j. j. Mcdonald of company A,
Twenty regiment. was dead.
Half dozen of the men were uncon-
scious. The body of Corporal Mcdonald
was the first taken from the mass of
ruins. The surgeons worked over 1t
for an hour or more, but their efforts
were fruitless. Those who were knocked
unconscious were revived, some of them
only with great difficulty, and one or
two Of the men are still in a serious
condition. Those who suffered most
from the effects Of that fierce bolt OF
lightning were:
Private II. Pringle. company T.. The
bolt struck him on the right leg above
the knee. badly marking il. The flesh
at the ankle was blistered and the shoe
torn off. The whole leg was paralyzed.
Private A. Sylvester, company I.
Struck on the left leg, badly burning it.
Private A. ID. Schaffer. no visible mark.
but suffering from shock.
Private j. w. Crafford, company A.
General shock. He was seated beside
unconscious.
Private ]. +. Lutz. company c.
Burned along the right thigh
and ankle. Was unconscious when
taken out He is suffering from shock
and nervous prostration.
Private j. l.. Duncon. Fourteenth sep
arate company, burned on the left fore
arm and hand right wrist burned.
Private Wagner. Sixteenth separate
company. right side and foot burned
Private Fred Gerber, Forty-seventh
separate company. right side and right
leg burned Shoe torn from right foot.
Walter Francis. colored. badly bruised
and left arm burned. Francis was
thrown through the tent by the shock.
Manager Sheffield of the Y. NJ. c. A.,
general shock.
Benjamin Stearn and J. Owen, both
colored, walters in the restaurant. suf-
fering from shock and slightly burned
Everything was done hastily to make
the men as comfortable as possible and
most OF them are progressing favor
ably. For a short time the whole camp
was in an uproar and il was feared that
the fatalities would number more than
one.
Corporal McDonald's body was taken
charge of by the coroner. Lateri was
placed in a tent and a guard assigned
To do duty over IL. The colors were
placed at half-mast. Corporal Nc
Donald lived with his mother at 447
West Thirty-fourth street this city. lie
was % years old He had been a mem-
Der Of the Twenty regiment since
1893, and was looked upon as an ex-
omplary soldier. He was 10 have been
married next Saturday evening upon
the return of the regiment from camp.
There was another heavy thunder
storm at PeelSskill last night at o'clock
and the streets were flooded. AS a
consequence there was no evening
parade