Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-14
MOLINE FARMER
is KILLED BY A
LIGHTNING BOLT
John Stark, 43 Years Old, Meets Death
While Standing in Door Of Barn
During Storm.
TWO C0MPANI0Ns ESCAPE FATE
II Thought That Fatal Stroke Was In
duced by Electric Wires In
Shed Body Badly Burned.

For the first time in many years a
death in this vicinity was caused by
lightning at O'Clock last evening
when a bolt of electricity snuffed out
the life Of John Stark, lifelong resi-
dent and well known citizen Of Rock
Island county, while he was standing
il the doorway Of the Meersmau barn
at Thirty-fourth street and CoIona
avenue. Moline. Two of the Meers-
man boys who were with him at the
time were knocked down by the bolt
and one was temporarily deafened
Nr. Stark had been assisting his
ueiahhors. A 3. and A r Meersmau,
% put in some hay The barn is on
the south side Of Colona avenue and
the doorway in which the men were
standing faces the east. The building
is wired for electric lights. which
mag account for drawing the light
ming One Of the lights was suspend
ed almost directly over where the men
were standing. Stark resided at TWEEN
ty-uiHth street and Tweuty-third ave
nue.. Moline.
just before the bolt came one of the
Neersman brothers made a remark on
the severity of the storm. Scarcely
had the words left his lips before the
crash came Mr.. Stark was killed in
stantly His two companions were
Knocked down, but recovered them
selves at once and carried the vic
TINS body into the house. State
ment was made by A r. Meersman
this morning that he believes life was
extinct when the man was carried into
THE house.
A hurried trip TO the Meersman
home was made by DIT. A. H. Beam OF
Moline. The doctor found life extinct.
The remains were taken to the Rose &
Barnard undertaking parlors, Moline.
The arm, neck and one side Of the
body were burned severely That the
current Of electricity passed through
the whole body was shown by burned
spots over the limbs and body. Verdict
OF accidental death was returned by
the coroner's jury this morning.
Born Here in 1871,
Mr. Stark was born Sept Is, 1871,
ON the old Stark homestead in South
Moline township, which is still the
porperty of his aged mother, Mrs. 10
hannah stark. He was married March
8, 1899. to Ida Tartan, who with five
children is left 10 mourn The child
reu are Ivy. william, Cora, Clarence
and John. ranging in age from ; to
16 He is also survived by his mother,
Mrs. J0hannah Stark, one brother and
two sisters. Oscar of Moline is the
brother. while sisters are Mrs. Ernest
Ha}mer Of East Moline and Mrs Mitch
eii Barry Of Port Byron.
Mr. Stark always took an active in
tera5t i'm civic affairs and had sew
eraI times been honored by public
office. He served faithfully on the
school board in his township till last
year and was deputy sheriff under the
game warden law. At the time Of his
death he was deputy assessor. He was
a member Of the Court of Honor.
Engaged in Farming.
Previous to the laying out of High /
land addition In lots Mr. Stark farmed |
that land and had been engaged in ag- !
riculturaI pursuits since the addition /.
was laid out in lots He had a wide /
acquaintance and was known as a /
gcod ueiRhbor and friend Friends |
without number mourn his tragic /
r-.zetr,r-