The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-11-29


1llstNs 1JAsir Strokes.
y peculiar fs4turs about lishtniae
I when II strikes to kill. b the incredibly
sAcet 49, Il which the body decom.
poees In many notable. instances
whers persons were killed b. light.
Ming the funeral has been conducted
with all tho haste possible, so
the rapid disCrssnisatton Of th w.
Whether It y animal or human, w
same effect q always noticeable. In
most cases on record where persons
have been struck by lightning and
Instantly killed their features show
no Visible pam, alsa death Is so tnstan.
taneous that there Is not the :s...zhtast
change IN the muscles. and in many
CAGES the blood is entirely deorganized
and becomes an adhesive black liquid.
which in few seconds has taken on
z putrid Guor.
I 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,
when later some people passed the
tree the feaIers were In the act Of
eating dinner 10 all appearances. One
held q. glass In his hand. another was
putting piece of bread in his mouth
while third had his hand in a dish.
Death had come upon them when the
thunderbolt fell While they were IL,
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 CNde- a tree and was
eating lunch. He h"d small dog
In his lap and was care ICING him with
one Land While he offered him Il piece
Of :ead With the ether. Eoth the
man AID cog We're petrised while in
this position. ana the paralyzed hand
still held the piece Of bread. while the
expression on the animals face
seeEed to say. ,"Give ME some more.
p!ea:e give me some more.'
In one case where woman was
st:ut,; by lightning the bones and all
We're melted in gelatincus mass. and
he: frame had so fuidifed that they
We're unable to discern the outlines of
her limbs.
Several instances have occurred where
persons strack by lightning have, upon
beia. touched. Immediately fallen to
cinde-s, the whole interior of the body
being burned out so that only the skin
remai2ed.
In many other cases the decompos-
ing gases SO extend the abdomen as
to cause the body to explode within q
very few minutes after life has passed
out, and the body resembles that of q
person dead for weeks.
1t Is indeed terrifying to see person
cease moving who just second before
> was in the full enjoyment Of life, and
what is still greater mystery is to
see them stand in apparent life and
action, but to find them to be a petri-
fed, inert piece Of decomposing mat.
ter.
There is one peculiar case, where q
man was driving along a country road
during a thunderstorm. he saw q
woman start to cross the road a little
ahead Of the horse. The woman walk
cd to the middle of the road and stop
ped. In vain the driver called to he1
to get out Of the way, and at last, be.
coming angry, he gave her cut with
the whip as he passed. when to his
establishment she fell to the ground in
q char Of cinders.
She had been struck by lightning and
her entire body consumed, while her
clothing remained intact-Denver Post.