New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-28
Deadly Bolts Strike Men as
They Run for Shelter
from Downpour.
HAVOC-MAKING GALE
FOLLOWS TORRID HEAT
Suns Toll Tops 20, One Suicide
Then Comes 85.Mile Wind,
with Fires and Many Mishaps.

Three persons were killed by lightning
in the storm that swept over New
York and Northern New Jersey yester-
day afternoon. In Prospect Park,
Brooklyn. man who sought refuge be-
meath tree was instantly killed when
a bolt ran down the trunk into the
ground. Manuel Massaccu, a laborer,
whose home was in Belleville, y. j.,
was struck by bolt of lightning in
Weequahic Park. Newark, and died
from his burns.
Roaring and cracking in midsummer
form, the shower that brought relief to
the city when the temperature had
sons unprepared.
The man killed in Brooklyn, whose
name the police were unable to learn.
was near the East Dale Walk and Sd
ST. when the storm broke. He ran be-
meath tree just as the lightning
struck it. In his pockets were several
drawings and sketches, suggesting that
he was an artist. He was apparently
thirty years old smooth shaven and )
feet : inches in height. He wore
suit of blue material, through which
ran a narrow white stripe black shoes
and socks and derby hat.
Killed as He Runs to Shelter.
Msssaccu was working on the park
lawns with several other employees
when the first drops OF rain fell. They
ran for shelter and he followed, being
only few feet in the rear when struck
by lightning Massaccu was married
and had eight children.
At Singac, y. j., Brice Murray,
thirty-two. employed on the Van Ness
farm. and two horses. were killed by
lightning bolt William Conners. on
the rear Of the wagon. escaped Three
small barns on the farm were burned
by the same bolt.
Damage TO property was reported
storm. In Brooklyn eight buildings
were struck, several being set on fire.
A third death. attributed to the heat
before the storm, was that of Mrs. An
jumping from the window Of her room
at S31 East 9th st. For the last two
days she had complained to Mrs Bes-
sic Fischer, in one Of whose furnished
rooms she lived that she was unable to
sleep because Of the heat. No reason
for her taking her life could be
imagined other than that the warm
weather had unbalanced her mind.
Just when the S5-mile-an hour gale
that came before the rain was at its
height a scaffoding that extended from
the sidewalk thirty feet up the side
Of the Municipal Building was blown
over on an automobile in which was
seated Mrs. Mitchell May. wife of the
Secretary Of New York State, and her
mother. Mrs: Lucy Thompson, of "a
South Portland av, Brooklyn.
heavy timber struck Mrs. May
glancing blow on the head rendering
her unconscious. while Mrs Thompson
was slightly bruised Both women
saw the scaffolding falling and bent
low in the automobile. II took fifteen
minutes to get Them from beneath the
wreckage They were taken 10 the
fifth floor of the Municipal Building
suffering from shock, but had recov-
cred before Mr.. May arrived.
Moro Than Twenty Heat Victims.
More than twenty persons wilted be-
meath the glare Of the sun before the
cooling shower hit the city. At 8 o'clock
in the morning the mercury stood AT
- deg. and by p. m. it registered
81, with excellent prospects of going
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