Charles H Yelton
Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 April 1903, page 12
GRANTS LICK KY
Those who attended the funeral of Chas H Yelton, one of the
oldest residents of Newport Ky. on Sunday will never forget the experience they
had in the pretty Baptist Cemetery at Grants Lick, back of Newport. Services had
been held in the church at Newport and the cortege had slowly wended its way to
the cemetery. The last sad rites were being said at the grave when the ominous
rumble of thunder gave warning that a heavy storm was about to break.
The obsequies were hurried and curtailed, but the minister had scarcely uttered the words, Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust, when the storm broke in all its fury. Most of the mourners rushed to the carriages and succeeded in getting inside. A number of the mourners and two of the drivers took refuge in an old stone vault along with the grave diggers, and there the little party stood and watched the battle of the elements.
Hail stones as large as walnuts fell upon the unprotected backs of the horses which pranced about and threatened to stampede at any moment. Suddenly the little crowd was attracted by an immense ball of blue flame coming from the sky. The flash struck the roof of the vault, shattering it and then passed down the side and into the ground.
The brunt of the storm subsided as quickly as it had come up and the mourners were soon back in their carriages and on their way to their homes, none the worse. The storm did great damage to the cemetery, while the vault was partly wrecked by the lightening.