The Daily News Batavia, Genesee County, New York State July 29-1896 BIG AS SILVER DOLLARS. Hailstones of Huge Proportions Fell in Batavia. Fierce Storm Early Last Evening--It Did Immense Damage Near Bushville, Completely Destroying Field Crops and Tree Fruits--Man Lifted Out of His Wagon by an Umbrella--Dwelling in This Village Struck by Lightning. A few minutes before the whistles blew for 6 o'clock last evening the most severe thunder storm of the season struck this town. It lasted about twenty minutes. Rain filled the gutters and in a few instances caused cisterns and bath-tanks to overflow. Lightning flashes were numerous. Hailstones of irregular shape and unusual size fell in profusion. Some of the largest ones in this village were flat, about a quarter of an inch thick and an inch across, but in the north-western part of the town they were much larger. At different points in the village the storm differed in character. Rain fell everywhere, with hailstones, and in most parts of the village the wind was very strong for a few minutes, suggesting a tornado. At the Swan street ball grounds there was no wind at all. The storm did not reach as far south as the Fargo tavern. The center of the storm seemed to be at Bushville and north of that hamlet. The storm came from the northwest and cut a swath about 1 1/2 miles wide, causing a vast amount of damage. It started in many miles away, because Bushville farmers heard it nearly an hour before it broke upon them. But there was no hail in Alabama, although there was some rain. The rain further east came in torrents, 1 1/8 inches falling in twenty minutes on Charles PRATT's farm, north of Bushville. Four chickens, six weeks old, were drowned on level ground. Hailstones of immense proportions covered the earth. Mr. PRATT measured the biggest one he could find. It was 2 1/2 inches the long way, about three-quarters of an inch wide and half an inch thick. This morning Mr. PRATT scraped up a pile of hailstones, placing them on the north side of his house, and they had not entirely disappeared at noon. During the storm the wind blew a gale, and thunder and lightning were almost continuous. At Mr. PRATT's the wind laid crops to the south. At Walter H. CHADDOCK's, east of Bushville, crops were laid to the north. At 10 o'clock this morning hailstones in a mass over an inch in thickness were still visible on the north side of Joseph H. POTTER's house. The storm in its fury did not extend more than half a mile west of Mr. PRATT's. All through the district visited by the storm the scene this morning was of almost utter devastation. The combination of wind and hailstones wrought havoc. Oats were cut off, and beans, corn, and buckwheat were cut down. These crops were totally destroyed. Potato tops were slashed to pieces, but the tubers may come along all right. Apples and pears suffered greatly. The hailstones attacked them with such vigor that the skin was broken and the fruit ruined. The damage is very heavy. Chauncey FORWARD of East Pembroke, while returning from Batavia in the midst of the storm, raised his umbrella. When the wind struck it he was lifted out of his buggy and deposited at the side of the road. The horse ran into the fence where Mr. FORWARD captured it. Ray FISHER was on the road at Bushville riding on a hayrack. A sharp blast of wind came and FISHER felt the rack move. He jumped and an instant later the wagon was turned bottom side up. The house of Milk-dealer M.B. HUTCHINSON on South Swan street was struck by lightning. The bolt destroyed the chimney, knocked the plastering off the ceiling of two second-floor rooms and then passed out of the side of the building, running down and splintering a veranda post. Members of the family were in the sitting room, but none of them was effected[sic]. The shock caused several lengths of stovepipe in that room to fall. A piano in the same room was badly damaged. The bolt did not set fire to the building. The damage is covered by an insurance of $1,000 with Oren C. STEELE. Three wheelmen arrived in town from the west late in the afternoon covered with mud. They reported a thrilling experience just the other side of Bushville. They were wheeling through the mud and had arrived at a point about fifty feet from a tall poplar tree when a lightning bolt struck it and they were nearly blinded. They sought shelter in a farmhouse. North Pembroke.--About 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon there was a severe rain and wind storm, accompanied by hailstones. The ground was covered with hailstones and some of them measured 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The storm injured crops quite badly. + + CRAZY MAN FROM INDIAN LAND. George COON in Jail Again--Robbed Jacob DOCTOR, an Indian--He is Insane. On July 7th George COON, a German, was discharged from jail, to which he had been committed by Justice CLARK of Pembroke under a sentence of twenty days for vagrancy. This morning COON was brought to Batavia from Alabama by Officer Willis WALDRON, having been committed to jail late yesterday afternoon by Justice SMITH of Indian Falls. COON is now about as near being a raving lunatic as any ordinary mortal ever was. Officer WALDRON received word from Jacob DOCTOR, a prominent Indian on the reservation, yesterday afternoon that his services were needed. He went to the Indian's home and discovered COON sitting on the front steps without a particle of clothing on. COON had in his possession an overcoat, undercoat and a pair of shoes which he had stolen from DOCTOR. He was arrested and after arraignment was confined in the officer's barn all night, during which he gave vent to most horrible demonical shrieks. This morning he escaped and commenced tearing down fencing of a hen yard. He was corralled and brought to jail. The man is irrational, but attempted no violence on the officer. He constantly claims that his home is No. 426 Main street, Buffalo. + + JOSEY'S STRING OF RACERS. He Left This Morning For the Medina Track--To Hornellsville Later. R. JOSEY of Lockport, the professional trainer of trotting horses, who sometime ago leased the County Fair grounds on which to get his horse flesh in form, left this morning with a string for Medina, where a number of red-hot races are to be pulled off. After the races are over in that place he will return to Batavia and later take the racers, who are now in splendid condition for trotting, to Hornellsville. JOSEY is not the owner of the trotters himself, his line of business being simply the caring for and training of the racers owned by lovers of horseflesh, and the fact develops that there are several enthusiasts in Genesee county who are now indulging in this somewhat expensive luxury. Under JOSEY's careful manipulation a number of crack animals have been turned out who have made excellent records. Those taken with him this morning were Maud 91, a green mare of whom many things are expected and who is owned by Frank OTT of Batavia. She will be entered in the 2:30 race. King Stanton, with a record of 2:32 1/4, owned by Dick ASHFORD of Lockport, will be entered in the 2:30 race also. Tom Shannon, a green horse owned by George H. DENNISON of East Pembroke, is expected to make a good showing in the 2:26 class, and T.C.B., owned by W.W. FAUNCE of Le Roy, with a mark of 2:27 1/4, will also take part, but it has not yet been decided in which race to enter the last named. JOSEY also took along a green pacer to work. + + WILD WEST AT THE FAIR. One of the Attractions at the September Exhibition. Secretary Albert E. BROWN is engaged in making arrangements for special features for this coming County Fair and the novelties which it proposed to introduce will far exceed those of any previous year. There will be no balloon ascension, but for the particular benefit and enjoyment of the younger generation he has secured Captain R.E. LAWTON, who is known as "Oh-ne-wa-ho," or "The White Chief," and his reckless band of redskins, daring cowboys and bad men of the west, with the usual accompaniment of bucking bronchos, etc. This news will gladden the heart of the small boy. There will be scalping parties, fake murders, sham fights and revolver shooting galore, in which this cowboy will prove victorious on all occasions. Aside from this an elaborate programme of bicycle races is to be carried out, and the local wheelmen will be consulted regarding its make up. Handsome prizes will be offered for all events. + + CASINOS BEATEN AGAIN. On Friday the Casino baseball club of Rochester was defeated by the Batavias in an interesting game by a score of 7 to 1. Yesterday afternoon a fair sized crowd at the Swan street grounds had the pleasure of witnessing a very close and exciting contest in which the Batavias came out ahead again, this time by a score of 8 to 7. The visitors had strengthened their nine, among their new men, being "Stumpy" WIEDMAN, an old-time National League umpire. He is a brother of Andy WIEDMAN, Batavia's catcher. Batavia had the same nine in the field as at the first game, with the exception that MOSIER replaced PETTYS at short. The visitors brought F. O'LAUGHLIN of Rochester with them to act as umpire. Batavias: O'BRIEN BENNER McCORMACK WIEDMAN MOSIER ANGEVINE DAILEY McGAMWELL TUMALTY Casinos: OLDFIELD FRANK WIEDMAN STONEWALL MATTHEWS FITZGERALD MURPHY KARLINE FLYNN + + For Sale! International Cyclopedia. Leather Bound. 15 Volumes. Cost $60. Will sell for $20. W.S. & J.J. PATTERSON, 102 Main Street. + + Why Don't You Get a New Clothes Wringer while G.B. WORTHINGTON, Son & Co. Are Almost Giving Them Away? + + submitted by Linda C. Schmidt