Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
Wilt vi vMuuVn
Serious Property Damage Re-
suits From Electrical Storm.
BIG CROWD AT A PICNIC
More Than 5000 People at Jennie
Smith Gathering.
WORSHIPERS IN A PLIGHT
varnish Had Not Dried, and They
Stuck Fast to Pews-Look-
ing for Painter.
BIG CROWD AT A PICNIC
WORSHIPERS IN A PLIGHT
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


most terrific and disastrous electrical
lower Shenandoah valley Wednesday
afternoon. doing a great deal of damage
in many sections of the northern part
of the state. Eight horses belonging to
William Hess. who was threshing for
Mrs. Mary Mckown at Gerardstown,
were killed by lightning The horses
had been taken into the barn when the
storm approached for safe keeping, but
the lightning struck the building, killing
the horses outright and burning up the
structure and all it's contents.
The barn on Marion Smiths farm, near
Winchester, was struck and consumed
with all its contents, including a fine
driving horse. The science hall building
of the new state normal group of build
ings at Harrisonburg was struck by
lightning and over 100 young women in
attendance were thrown into panic for
some time. The damage. however, was
not serious. Lightning struck and tore
down many old trees in the woods and
fields which had been standing for gen.
erations, and scores of outbuildings were
demolished. Hail accompanied the storm
In some localities. and growing crops were
battered and pelted severely. The ap-
Piles. however, are said to have escaped
with slight damage.
Reunion at Harpers Ferry.
Between 5000 and 5000 people, mostly
railroad men and their families and
friends. from all points along the Balti-
more and Ohio system. gathered at Har-
pers Ferry Thursday to attend the
twenty-nnth annual Jennie Smith picnic
and Y. NJ. c. A. reunion. Special trains
were run from Washington, Baltimore,
PittSburg, Cumberland and other main
furnished by Zimmerman's Band Of Balti-
more.
Miss Smith, who is known as the Little
Mother Of Railroad Men, came from
Washington and delivered an address,
which was the most notable feature of
the occasion. Another feature was the
presence of many veteran employees, now
retired, who attended the first Jennie
Smith picnic in 1881.
large water main which passes
through the Shenandoah river at Castle
mans Ferry, by which the town of Ber-
ryville, Clarke county, Is supplied with
water from the Blue Ridge mountains,
sprung large leak this week, and
serious water famine is imminent in that
community. New supplies have been de-
layed, and as a consequence all the peo-
pie have to depend upon cisterns and
wells for water. and wash tubs have taken
the place of the porcelain bathtub for the
time being.
Farmers Hold All-Day Meeting.
A general all-day meeting of the Mutual
Farmers Club of Frederick county was
held here today, the club being entertain
ed by 8. l. Lupton Of Washington at. the
Winchester Inn. There was a. large at
tendance. and addresses on good roads
were made by DR.. l.. w. Page, United
States road commissioner of Washing
ton. and ST. Julian Wilson Of the Viz
ginia state highway commission of Rich
mond.
Mountain View. one Of the oldest es-
tates in Clarke county, and which was the
home OF the famous Bishop Meade of the
Episcopal Church, has been sold for $25,-
900 by the heirs to Henry w. Frost, jr.,
OF South Carolina, who recently married
Mrs Dorothy Henry Henderson The es-
tate is situated near White Post.
Fight in Department Store.
A panic followed in Winchester
department store this week when two
young married women engaged in a
fierce fight at a bargain sale China
ware was being sold at marked down
prices. and the women fought desper-
ately at the china counter. but it was
stated that jealousy and not the bar
gains was the cause. Hair puffs rats
and shirt waists were torn into shreds,
and both women left the store in a
rage after being separated by the man
ager and number of clerks. The
widest excitement prevailed for some
time, and 1T was with great difficulty
that the men got the Infatuated women
apart
While police officers searched Hag-
erstown, Martinsburg and other places
several days for Isaac c. Arnold. want
ed here on the charge of embeZzling
funds from Luther Kremer. a meat
Arnold was secreted in his
house, where he was found by a plain
clothes officer and taken to jail to
serve six months.
Will Start Life Anew.
Miss Dora Smith, the Shenandoah
girl who was sent to the penitentiary
on her fathers evidence, after she had
signed his name to a note for 1915 for
a new hat, and who was pardoned by
the governor after he had heard of her
case, declares she will not return to
her old home, but will go somewhere
where she is not known and make a
decent living.
Mrs Nancy Brill, aunt of NJ. " Rich
ards, land and industrial agent of the
Southern railway of Washington, and
the last member Oh the family or val
entine Sechrist, a Virginia valley pio-
neer. died few days ago in the house
near Grant Capon mountain in which
she was born seventy-six years be-
fore. Her husband, Thomas Brill, died
year ago.
William G. Solenberger. a dairyman,
member Of the well known Solenberger
family of Winchester, was thrown from
runaway team a few days ago and
fell on his head, fracturing his skull.
from which he died in the hospital at
Chambersburg. He Is survived by his
widow and a large family connection.
Overton Mansfield, the negro who shot
and killed Philip Peyton, also colored, at
the Grove lime works at Stephens City
last Saturday evening. has been captured,
and has been held for the grand jury. He
told the Jailor here that the shooting was
accidental, although eyewitnesses de-
clare Mansfield pointed the revolver d.
rect at Peyton and fired. Mansfield had