 The Denison Daily News
Wednesday, May 22, 1878 pg. 4 THE DEADLY LIGHTNING Two Colored Men Killed on Judge Porter's Place From Mr. Barbour, a relative of Judge Porter's family, we learn of a terrible fatality which occurred on the Judge's farm, near Preston Bend, about 10 or 12 miles from Denison, between 9:00 and 10:00 Tuesday morning. Several hands were engaged in a wheat field, when a heavy shower came up. Two colored, Jasper Gray and Robert Bohannan, the former about 40, the latter about 25 years of age, sought shelter under a tree that stood just outside of the field. There was a vivid flash of lightning followed by a tremendous thunder clap. The other hands, who were not more than 30 or 40 feet away, felt the shock, and saw the men fall. They immediately ran to t heir assistance, and found Gray lying on his face 8 or 10 feet from the tree, quite dead. Bohannan was lying on his back, and on being taken hold of showed signs of animation. He soon recovered sufficiently to talk, and asked if they hadn't been struck by lightning. Mr. Barbour said, "Bob, you are all right. "Yes," said he, "I am all right," and asked for a drink of water. It was offered him in a jug, but he could not drink. While some one was going after a cup, he said, "Boy's straighten out my legs," and then with his tongue protruding from his mouth died immediately. Strange to say the lightning left no marks of violence on either body, although the tree was considerably shattered. DEATHS Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |