Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-09-08
LIGHTNING ri ASHES.
peculiar Effects Where Instant Death
FolIcyss Their Strokes.

peculiar Effects Where instant Death
Follows Their Strokes.
D A peculiar feature about lightning,
when IT strikes to kill, IL the Incredibly
short time Id which the body decom-
poses. In many notable instances
where persons were killed By light
ming the, funeral has been conducted
with all the haste possible, owing to
the rapid dfsorg anixation Of the body.
Whether 1t be animal or human, the
same effect Is always noticeable. In
most cases on record where persons
have been struck by lightning and
instantly killed their features show
no visible pain, and death is 50 instan-
taneous that there is not the slightest
change in the muscles, and in many
cases the blood is entirely deorganized
and becomes an adhesive black liquid,
which In a few seconds has taken on
q putrid oder. Il
In one case some reapers were eat
ing their dinner under an oak tree
during Thunderstorm. and all were
struck by lightning. the explosion Of
which was heard far away. z 5s
8 When later some people passed the
tree the reapers were in the act of
eating dinner to all appearances. One
held q glass in his hand, another was
putting a piece Of bread In his mouth,
while a third had his hand in d dish.
Death had come upon them when the
! thunderbolt fell while they were in
these positions. One might have TAX.
en- them for statues carved out OF
| black marble, for their bodies were
perfectly black. I .*a,.st
| Another case was where man had
taken refuge under a tree and was
eating lunch. He had small dog
in his lap and was caressing him with
one hand while he offered him a piece
Of bread with the other. Both the
man and dog were petriied while il
this position, and the paralyzed HAND
still held the piece Of bread, while thu
expression on the animals face
seemed to say, "Give me some more
please give me some more p
In one case where woman wa
struck by lightning the bones and al
were melted in gelatinous mass, an,
her frame had SO fiuidified that the,
were unable to discern the outlines O
her limbs
Several instances have occurred wher
/ persons struck by lightning have, upo
being touched, Immediately fallen t
ctnders, the whole interior of the bod
being burned out SO that only the ski
81 remained. f.
In many other cases the decompo.
ing gases SO extend the abdomen 8
to cause the body to explode within
4 very few minutes after life has passe
ont and the body resembles that Of
person dead for weeks.
It is indeed terrifying to see perso
cease moving who just q second befol
was in the full enjoyment OF life, an
what Is a still greater mystery is
see them stand in apparent life an
action, but to find them to be petl
fed, inert piece Of decomposing ma
J ter.
There Is one peculiar case, where
man was driving along a country roa
during Thunderstorm. He saw
woman start to cross the road lit
ahead Of the horse. The woman wal
ed to the middle Of the road and sto
ped. In vain the driver called to b.
to get out OF the way, and at last, b
coming angry, he gave her cut Wi
the whip as ne passed, when to b
! establishment she fell to the ground
a char Of cfnders.
! She had been struck by lightning al
! her entire body consumed, while b
clothing remained intact.-Denver Pos