New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-06-25
LIGHTNING KILLS
II YEAR OLD GIRL
LITTLE ESTHER SCHLEUDER OF
NORTH STATE STREET is
VICTIM OF STORM.
LARGE CROWDS ATTEND BURIAL
OF CHILD, ON MONDAY
MORNING.

daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Hermann
Schleuder of 416 North State street, was
killed by lightning Saturday noon short
ly after twelve o'clock. The child had
just left the house of her parents to run
across the street to get some change
at the Ben 1. Vetter grocery store when
heavy flash of lightning followed by
a terrible crash struck her down on the
sidewalk and cut off her young life.
Hit On Back of Head.
One of the Sisters in the convent
near by saw the girl fall and she and
some of the other Sisters ran out to see
whether they could be of any assistance
to her. The child was dead, though,
when they and other people from the
neighborhood arrived. The child had been
struck on the back of her head, her
hair being burned at the spot where
she was hit. On further examination
it was found that blue and red stripe
ran down her left breast to her heart
where her body showed a large spot
of dark color. It is further stated
that the soles of her shoes were torn
off entirely and that one toe on her left
foot was all black. The electric stroke
must have left her little body by this
toe after it had done it's terrible work of
destruction.
Thrown To Gutter.
Mrs. Joe Domeier and her two little
children had just passed the. Schleuder
house when the flash came that killed
the child. She did not see Esther fall
but she turned around to seek cover at
Schleuder's and then saw the body in
the gutter. The child was thrown about
six feet from the center of the sidewalk
where she was hit to the place where her
body was found.
Many Sympathize.
The news of the death of the child
went around town like wildfre and SYM
pathetic remarks were made on all sides.
The grief of the parents was deepened
by the fact that their daughter was
to have received her first communion
at the Catholic church the following
morning.
Herman Schleuder, the father of the
child, is lineman of the New Ulm Rural
Telephone Company. They have three
other children, Lucille, Otto and Ora.
Monday morning at half past o'clock
a very large crowd gathered at Holy
Trinity church to attend the funeral
services of the little storm victim. The
day before many had called at the house
to show their sympathy with the be-
reaved family, the flower donations
filling large part of the death chamber.
Esther's class mates appeared in their
communion dresses and attended the
services in body. Rev. Robert Schlink-
ert gave short sermon fitting the sad
occasion. Burial took place in the
Catholic cemetery. Those present from
out of town were: Mrs. John Mueller,
Springfield, an aunt of the child: John
Schwerzler, Morgan, an uncle: Miss
Schwerzler of Comfrey, N
House Struck.
During the same thunder storm Satur-
day noon the huose of M. Hopping on
North German street was struck by a
flash of lightning. The family was at
the dinner table when the flash entered
the house at some unknown place and
went through five different rooms. No
body was hurt and the rooms visited
showed only several black lines at the
wall. The electric spark finally left
the house by forcing it's way through
one of the walls tearing a big hole on the
outside of the house.