The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-09-10
LIGHTNING FLASHES.
Peculiar Effects Whore instant ossAh
Follows Their Strokes.

Follows Their Strokes.
peculiar feature about lightning.
when 1t strikes TO kill is the incredibly
short time In 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 disorganization Of the body.
Whether It 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 so 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
a prtrid odor
In one case some reapers were eat
Ing their dinner under an oak tree
during a thunderstorm. and all were
struck by lightning. the explosion Of
which was heard far away.
When .u,cr some people passed the
tfcc The rcapers were In the act OF
eating dinner to all appearances. one
held glass in his hand. another was
putting piece of bread I'm his mouth.
while third had his hand I'm n 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.
Another case was where man had
taken refuge under tree and was
eating lunch He had a small dog
In his lap and was caressing him with
one hand while he offered him n piece
of bread with the other. Both the
man and dog were petrihed while In
this position. and the paralyzed hand
still held the piece OF bread. while the
expression on the animals face
seemed 10 say. give me some more,
please give me some more"
In one case where woman was
struck by lightning the bones and AL
were melted In a gelatinous mass. nd
her frame had so fuidifed that they
were unable TO Discern the outlines Of
her limbs
Several Instances have occurred where
persons struck by lightning have, upon
being touched, Immediately fallen to
cinders, the whole interior OF the body
being burned out 30 that only the skin
remained.
In many other cases the decompos-
Ing gases 30 extend the abdomen as
TO cnuso the body to explode within a
very few minutes after Nfe has passed
out, and the body resembles that Of a
person dead for weeks.
II Is indeed terrifying TO see person
cease moving who Just a second befors
wns In the full enjoyment Of life, and
what In still greater mystery IL TO
See them stand In apparent life and
action, but TO find them to bc n petri
fed. inert piece OF decomposing mat
ter.
There IL one peculiar case, where
man was driving along "A country road
during thunderstorm He saw q
woman start TO cross the road little
ahead OF the horse. The woman walk
ell TO the middle OF the road and stop
ped. In vain the driver called to her
90 get out of the way, and at last. be-
coming angry. he gave her n cut with
the whip nJ he passed. when TO his
establishment she fell to the ground In
char OF cinders.
She had been struck by lightning and
her entire body consumed while her
clothing remained intact--Denver Post.