Putnam patriot., 1917-08-24
SOLDIERS CAMP
BONBARDED
Thunder and Lightning Ierrorlze Rifle
men at Wakefield, Mass, When
Three Men Are Hit
Newton A. Ballard OF Putnam Takes One
Soldier TO Hospital

During a heavy thunder shower and
cloudburst at Wakefield, Mass, last
Friday afternoon, three soldiers at the
Bay state Rifle Range were struck by
lightning aud rendered unconscious.
The camp stood a foot deep in water
and mud and for a time was a sorry
sight.
Pdyates Charles Kennedy and Bar.
tholomew F'innerty were struck and
rendered unconscious and DR.. A. b..
Holman, who went to their aid, Was
struck and also rendered unconscious.
Two Of the men were taken to the MAI.
den hospital where they subsequently
recovered.
Newton A Ballard, who happened
to be in Wakefield at the time, took
FinBerty to the hospital Mr. Ballard
tells the following story:
accompanied by my wife / started
last Friday morning for Middleton,
Mass, to visit my former partner
Arthur Clark When We reached
Wakefield | noticed a small black
cloud coming up 1t was not large
enough to hide the sun which shown
on each side Of ii. Soon it began to
rain and / put the curtains Of the car
down. Then we got il. never saw
it rain so hard in my life and we
couldn't see across the street. There
were sharp bolts OF lightning and
heavy peals of thunder The lightning
seemed TO be all around US. had
stopped and started 10 drive on. |
had not gone far when | came 10 forks
in the road. There was an ice wagon
stalled and | stopped and asked the
way to go.
/ had no sooner started on again
than three men came out from beside
the road waving their arms rs If they
were crazy. Before | knew il two Of
them had jumped in back of the car.
/ didn't know whether it was hold
up or what. How they got In SO
quickly with the sides down don't
know, but they were there. They kept
telling me To "Speed it, speed il, and
said they would pay me anything |
might ask. | didn't know what 10
make of it at first. Then | noticed
that one OF the men wore khaki and /
Gained them somewhat and asked
them what ali the excitement was
about. They told me that three sol
diers in the camp nearby had been
struck by lightning and were uncon-
scions but breathing and they wanted
me to go for doctor 1t had stopped
raining somewhat SO turned around
and we drove to Wakefield Center and
found where there WAS doctor. As
soon MS we arrived one man jumped
out and was at the door In bound
The doctor came out pulling on his
coat as he ran We then drove To eamI
and | thought | was out of 1t.
The camp WIS Hooded but the mer
did not seem TO mind it. They wer,
all greatly excited They asked me L
take lone OF the men TO the hospita
aud OF course / couldn't refuse
drove into the camp and the water ane
mud was up To the hubs They brought
cut "a big fellow, finnerty was his
name, and loaded him in the ear rheA
asked my wife II she didn't think sht
had better get out and remain in CAM
but She stuck to the ear,
After we got started found that
was to drive to Maiden, ON the way
there we reached a steep hill, At tn,
foot Of il another began 10 rise forming
basin. The bottom was filled with
water and a long line of electric car.
were stalled. | did not know whether
or not | could get through When ",
reached the bottom OF the hill aud sho
out into that pond we were COINS
twenty miles AN hour. The waite
came up in front in sheet and Wen
clear over the top OF the car. We wer,
all drenehed. But the engine didn'
stop and we got through all right ant
made the hospital.
Ii was some experience and one Of
the worst storms ever saw. We
reached Middleton all right about $50
On the way back | stopped at the
camp and learned that the men came
ont FL ught.n
Mr. and Mrs. Ballard arrived home
Monday night.