The Washington Republican Washington County Friday May 15, 1896 Shocked by Lightning. Last Saturday, Frank DITMERS, living one mile east and two and a half miles south of this place came to town and told of his narrow escape from death by a bolt of lightning. About 10 o'clock he was in the field listing in corn, when it began to rain. Thinking the storm woul dbe severe he quit work, hitched his team to the wagon and was standing up erect just ready to gather up the reins and start home when a heavy bolt of lightning struck somewhere near him, so close that he was stunned and was unconscious for a few minutes. When he came to he was on the ground eight feet one side from where the wagon stood, and his team had run on about 40 rods. Mr. Ditmars' head was somewhat bruised by his fall, his nerves were badly shattered and he had considerable pain in the head, and some of the spine. His call was a close one indeed. He said just a minute before the lightning came he looked into the angry clouds and the thought came to him that there had been no lightning yet.