Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-07-08
DEADLY BOLTS.

Three white men ard two negroes
killed, one white man and one negro in
iured was the result Of severe thunder
storm at Oherman, Ga, yesterday.
The men were all employed in the con-
struction department. of the Southern
Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company
and were stretching wire when struck
by lightning. The construction force
was working in two sections about five
miles apart. Three white mon were
killed and one injured in one section;
ywo negroes killed and one injured in
the other One lightning bolt killed
the five and injured the two. The
white men killed were N. G. Hawkins,
+. h. Sluder and A. II. Rymer all of
Alexander n. G.. Rymer has wife and
10 children in Alexander.
A terrific storm swept Delaware, yes
terday, causing considerable damage 20
property in some sections. At Smyrna
Landing five persons were struck by
lightning. Mrs. J. ID. Scout, one of the
victims, will probably die. The light
ming burned her badly and one other shoes
was torn from her foot She was walk.
ING down the stairs when she was struck.
Her husband found her lying uncon-
scious, with nearly all her clothing burn
ed off. Not far from the Scout home
Mrs. William Watson was Estruck and
rendered unconscious. The house was
badly damaged John lnman, William
Burke and George Rash took shelter in
the ice plant at Smyrna Landing. The
| building was struck and the three men
were knocked senseless. The wind un
rooted outbuildings and wheat crops were
scattered about prOmiscuOusty. storm
of cycl0nic proportions passed over the
country south of Wilmington Saturday
evening, damaging barns, levellng
wndmills and uprooting corn and other
crops. Lightning struck an electric car
on which Frank l.. McClintock and his
sister, Miss Elizabeth, were riding, and
Mr. McClinyock's hat and cuff were
burned and Miss McClintock's veil and
dress were set on fire. 1t is supposed
that the feed wire was struck by light
ming and that the bolt entered the car.
The barn on Charles, Becket's farm, near
Mill Creek Meeting House, was struck
by lightning and burned
A 4-year-old son of John HudOck, a
Russian miner at Glen Lyon, near
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Sunday night was
struck by lightning as he lay in his
cradle The bolt came down the chin
ney. hitting the child first on the right
shoulder. 1t circled about the body to
the left hip, went down the left leg and
then out across the right foot. Part OF
the way it burned the flesh, and in
other parts the flesh is cut as by
knife The parents found the child
apparently dead, snatched it from the
burning cradle and rushed out with It,
Russian settlers gathered around and an
odd ceremony was performed. Women
took all the clothes from the child, pray
ing over it as they did so, while the
men with all speed dug grave two ieet
deep and long enough to leave the head
of The child exposed. Then without
any protection the child was placed on
the damp earth and two feet of the soil
placed in mound above it, reaching as
far as the neck All this time the others
were praying around the grave, and the
child remained in it, For half an hour
the praying continued. although the rain
beat furiously upon the uncovered heads.
At the end of that time the child show
ed signs of life, and soon was conscious
Physicians say it will recover. The
Russians believe that the lightning is a
devil within a body it has struck, and
that it can only be frightened ont by
burial and praving.