The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-07-26
KILLED BY BOLT.
Five Meet Instant Death at Ball Park
Last Sunday.


were seriously injured and a score or
more partly stunned or slightly injured
by bolt of lightning which struck the
roof of the grand stand at the west side
ball park, Sixteenth and Wollmer streets,
at 1:5O o'clock last Sunday afternoon.
About eighty people were on the
grounds, and of these less than twenty
were in the grand stand. A base ball
game was to have been called between
the Plymouth team and the Schreiharts
of this city, at 2:30 o'clock. The two
teams were practising at the time the
bolt descended. The ball of fire tore its
way to the southeast corner of the
structure and then descended along the
post at the entrance. where it spread in
such way that it instantly killed five
persons, injured and rendered uncon-
scious four others, and knocked to the
ground and partly stunned many others
"a score or more.
The dead are: Albert Skuhra, Walter
Handl, Irving Woellert, Tony Klauk,
and Willie Knutzen. The seriously
injured are: Theodore Burmeister, aged
sixteen, lame boy, who was thought
to have been killed; he was burned on
the legs rendered unconscious; recovered
at his home on North Sixth street:
Walter Boehm, aged seventeen, stun
ned and slightly burned about the body
recovered at his home on Franklin street;
Frank Boehm, aged fourteen, cousin
to Walter; burned on knee and calf of
leg; stunned; recovered soon after being
taken to his home:
Harvey Kono, aged eleven years,
injured about lower limbs at first it was
feared that he would be permanently
paraly yzed; was removed to his home on
Eighteenth street. All OF the injured
will fully recover.
Great excitement followed the fatal
occurrence. The news of the catas-
trophe spread rapidly through the city,
and within short time after the ac-
cident thousand or more people had
hurried TO the scene of death and suf-
fering.
A half dozen or more physicians
were called by telephone Immediately
after the sad occurrence, and the
medica, men hastened to the grounds in
autos and carriages during the heavy
rain that followed the electrical storm
that -aged at the time of the fatal event.
Many willing hands assisted the doctors
in their work over the bodies of the
victims. The physicians made an ef-
fort at resuscitating the seemingly life
less forms; but it was soon seen that
five were beyond all earthly help. The
physicians then gave their undivided
services to the injured. While they
were at work relatives crowded around
the bodies of the dead and injured. The
wife of Albert Skuhra appeared on the
scene, and she was almost prostrated by
grief at the sudden death of her husband.
The scene was a sad one.
Albert Skuhra's body was taken to
the home. Skuhra was we'll and favor
ably known in the city. He was a
prominent labor leader, being a member
of the Manitowoc Labor council, deputy
organizer of the state federation, and a
member of the Longshoremen's union.
The unions met Monday evening to
make arrangements for his funeral. The
decedent was also a member of the local
lodge of Maccabees. Skuhra met his
death by being struck in the lower ex-
tremities by part of the scattering bolt
as it descended on the post near which
he stood His death, like that of three
of the other four victims, occurred
instantly. Skuhra was born in this city
Feb. 5, 1876 He had resided here con-
tinuously, with the exception of one
year, during which he resided at She
boygan He attended the north side
school during the days of his boyhood
He was married about two years ago
He is survived by his wife and one
child his mother, three brothers and
four sisters. The funeral was held at 2
o'clock Wednesday afternoon from the
res idence, the Rev. Oliver G. johnson
officiating. The Maccabean lodge and
members of the other organizations with
which the decedent had been affiliated
had charge of the funeral. 1nterment
took place at Evergreen cemetery.
The bodies of the other four victims
we're also removed to their respective
homes soon after the fatal event
Walter Handl, aged seventeen years,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Handl,
South Thirteenth street, had been en-
ployed by Frank Schaefer, butcher,
Washington street, for several years
past, as delivery boy. Previous to his
employment in that capacity, he at
tended the west side school. His father
is employed on the steamer Carolina as
a carpenter. The father was on the
steamer Whitehall when the fatal event
occurred. He was notified at Chicago
Sunday night, and Monday morning he
arrived in the city. The funeral was
held Wednesday morning from the st.
pop;faca church the Rev Fafhar pail