Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1903 — A FARMER'S CLOSE CALL. [ARTICLE]

A FARMER'S CLOSE CALL.

8.-nlon County Man Struck By Lightning ard Burned From Hi d to Foot. Thos. P. Gray, a prominent farmer of Benton county, met with a close call by lightning during the electrical storm on Wednesday of last week. With his son he was engaged in hauling tile from Percy Junction to a farm he owns in that vicinity, each driving a team and wagon loaded with tile. Mr. Gray was standing up in the . wagon when a bolt of lightning struck him on the temple, starting the blood, and passing down the body burned the flesh clear to the foot. He was thrown from the high wagon, his hat was torn where the bolt started, also the .clothing torn the entire length of the body and the shoe torn from the foot. His watch chain was melted in two places, the ring of the watch was melted and the crystal was roughed up by the heat, but the watch was still running when be was picked One of the horses was thrown to the ground. Mr. Gray was found to be still alive, though unconscious, and was taken to the residence of Jacob May, near by, where he received medical attention and finally gave indications of recovery. He was removed to his home near Wadena Wednesday, we are informed, and is making very satisfactory progress toward recovery. This is probably about as close a call from death by lightning as a man ever had and lived to tell about it.