Evening star., 1901-07-19
FREAKS OF THE LIGHTNING
MEDIEVAL sUPERsTITIONs CON-
CERNING ELECTRICAL STORMS.
In the Middle Ages Men Rang Church
Bells to Warn Away the
Spirits of EVIL.

During the middle ages in Europe church
es were considered as safeguards against
devils, and bells were rung as an additional
inducement for the evil spirits to keep
away. As lightning was supposed to be a
satanic manifestation, the bells were rung
during severe storms until so many people
had been killed by the lightning running
down the rope that the practice IVES finally
abandoned. On one occasion. in the town OF
Chabenil. near Valence, eleven men employ
ed in ringing enormous bell were struck
and seven were instantly killed
Arago. the philosopher tells of the chief
or a band of brigands. who while waiting
execution In the courtyard OF a prison in
Bavaria. was struck and instantly killed by
nash OF lightning. His companions be-
lleving that heaven had singled out their
chief for punishment. became so penitent
that they were finally pardoned A prison.
er was Killed IN a house in Massachusetts.
the other people in the same apartment
with him remaining unharmed. Investiga-
tlon disclosed the probable cause of his
death. 1t was discovered that a saw was
suspended in the attic directly over his
mead, while in the cellar a crowbar was set
against the wall. The lightning struck the
roof and thus found a direct passage
through the house.
Flashes Ten Miles Long.
Flammarion. the French scientist relates
some remarkable instances of the freaks
Of lightning. The flashes. which are some
times more than ten miles in length, have
been known to kill man. completely con-
suming his body but leaving him in the ex-
act position which he occupied in life He
states that in 1888 three soldiers at Vicsur-
Aisne. France, took refuge from a storm
beneath a linden tree. Some time after the
storm had passed peasants seeing them
st.ahuing motlonless and not replying to
hnh rha,..
der, when the bodies instantly crdmbled to
hne ashes There were no evidences Of in
Jury to them, the clothing being intact and
their faces wearing a natural appearance
similar occurrence is said to have taken
place July %, 1881, its truthfulness being
vouched for by Pastor Butler who was an
eyewitness. Ten harveSters seeing a storm
approach sought refuge under a hedge
During the storm bolt OF lightning struck
and killed four OF them. who remained as
II petrifed. one OF the men was lust nut
ting a bit of tobacco in his mouth another
was playing with a little dog which he held
with one hand while he fed him with the
other. After the stroke they retained these
positions, as though they had suddenly
been turned into stone
Life-Like I'm Death.
NJ. Cardan tells how eight harvesters
while taking their MONDAY lunch under a.
maple tree were overtaken by a storm and
all killed by a single stroke of lightning
When their companions approached them,
after the storm had passed they seemed to
be still engaged with their repast one
was raising glass to drink. another was
taking piece Of bread, while a third was
reaching out his hand toward a plate
Many instances are related OF narrow
escapes during electric storms Bracelets
have been melted from a lady's arm with
out injuring the flesh A German writer
tells how a peasant girl had a gold hairpin
absolutely dissipated by a lightning stroke
without injury to her or any damage done
to her hair. Cradles have been tipped over
carpets ripped up and portions Of clothing
torn away without personal injury Sep
tember 10, 1s45. it is related that a house
at Selagnac, France, was struck by light
ming. large ball of fire came down the
chimney and rolled across the floor of a
room in which sat a child and three women
None of these was hurt. The ball then
rolled out through the kitchen, passing
close to the feet of young peasant and
disappeared through a crevice in the wall
1t finally landed In the pig sty the harm
less occupants OF which it despitefully slew
without setting fire to the straw on which
the creatures Law