The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-14
LIGHTNING PLAYS
.FREAk|sH PRANK
ELECTRIC FLAME AND REM
DEEED UNCONSCIOUS.
tgE
HUSBAND ALSO FAINTS
FALL OF LATTER AROUSES AND
SHE Is FOUND UNINJURED.
OTHER VIOLENCE
OF STORM.

Temporarily blinded and paralyzed
by "a bolt of lightning which coiled
about her like "a snake while in the
kitchen of her home at 62f South Bel
Videre street yesterday afternoon,
Mrs. Ida Wyatt, thirty -four years old
staggered into the next room, dis
patched one of her children for help
and collapsed on sofa regaining
consciousness about an hour later
when her husband, Policeman Joseph
Lee Wyatt, tainted and fell to the
floor at sight OF the unconscious fig
ure of his wife.
Preparing pitcher of ice tea for
supper and alone IN the Kitchen. Mrs.
wyatt thought only OF her six small
children. all under ten years OF age,
at play In the hall when the bolt en-
twined her In vivid flashes and darts
of electricity, and it was this mother
love which prevented her from los
Ing consciousness until she had seen
that the children were safe.
Notified that his wife had been
struck and dangerously hurt by light
ming. Policeman Wyatt, who was on
duty at the Main Street Station. aoan-
doned all thought OF street cars or
other Vehicles in the anxiety for his
wife, and ran at top speed the long
distance 10 his home, collapsing from
exhaustion and fear that the woman
was dead when he saw her at fuli
length on the sofa surrounded oy h
group of neighbors.
1t was the sound of her husband :
body striking the floor that revived
/ her and restored her faculties. says
Mrs. Wyatt and her first question
when she raised herself partly from
the sofa was: What is the matter.
Joe, are you hurt7* Wyatt recovered
In d few seconds and was him self as
soon as he saw Mrs. Wyatt had not
/ been badly injured by the lightning
Assured that she was practically an
harmed, the husband sat down by his
wife and listened TO the story of the
frea klsh bolt.
Mrs. Wyatt was preparing supper
while the electrical storm was al Its
height and she was standing near a
window looking over the back yard
when lightning struck telegra ph
pole In Church street, aboat iifty yards
from the rear of the house. At the
same instant" said Mrs. Wyatt last
night. Il felt violent sensation OF
;ingling all through my body and
myriad circles of white flashing around
me.
Il realized y had been struck OF
shocked by the bolt and my. first
thought was OF the children who were
Mt play in the hallway. / staggered
into the next room. and through the
open door saw that none were hurt
Then ! shouted To Joseph. who Is
eight years old 10 Summon Mrs. Susie
! Wyatt. Of go South Belvidere street
who Is my mother-in law. then
lost consciousness and fell to the
sofa
Mrs. Susie Wyatt sent Jaeaue Chan
der twelve years old, of $40 South
Beividere street to find Policeman
Wyatt and Joseph Pearman, of s29
South Belvidere street, sent for DR.
j. b. Simmons, who was visiting Mrs
Angel. wife Of Policeman Claude An
gel. at els Belvidere street. The
physician res ched the house In shori
time and began 10 try to revive Mrs
Wyatt
Jacque Chandler ran IL the BYRD
Street Station and told Policeman
Warrener 10 tell Wyatt his wife HAD
been struck by lightning Warrenel
notified Desk Sergeant Jeter at tn.
Second Police Station. and Policeman
Griffin was sent to find wyatt. A.
soon as the husband learned OF hi:
wifes predieament he started FOL
home. racing through the streets. Th'
physician says Mrs. Wyatt Will no
suffer any i'll effects from re shock
and viii be able TO perform her house
hold duties to- day.
Lightning played pranks ali through
the storm. and AZ the homa of Rich
ard Duckhardt, In Broad street road
about three and half miles from tn,
Lefty, struck a large oak tree, peeiins
the bark from the trunk and sending
shattered fragments hfty feet Al
though the tree Is near the house
none of its inmates were affected b,
1.-THE bolt.
There was much excitement among
merchants and pedestrians when
bolt struck pole at Fourteenth ant
Main streets. firing the pole and send
ling fragments in every direction. Non,
of the buildings near by were dam
aged. and the fire was extinguishes
in q short time.
Wind felled a large tree ar Eight
and Bowe streets, and traffic on tn,
CLAY street line was delayed for SONS
time.