HURT, Thomas - Putnam

Thorntown, June 15 – Lightning killed two youths and injured three others not seriously Sunday afternoon as they walked across a field during a brief rain and electric storm.  The accident happened a mile northeast of here where the youths had been swimming.  The dead are:  ROBERT C. YOUKEY, 16 years old.  THOMAS HURT, 14.  The injured are: Keith Leonard 12; Rex Hurt, 10, brother of Thomas Hurt; Lewis Youkey, 10, brother of Robert Youkey.  The youths had finished dressing after their swim and were hurrying to their homes ahead of the storm which overtook them.  They were in the open when the bolt struck killing two of the party instantly and hurling the others to the ground.  Those who were injured suffered from shock, but were believed to be recovered tonight.  Coroner GA Owsley of Boone County investigate.  This was the second lightning tragedy in Boone County in recent months, two farm workers having been killed when lightning struck a tree under which they were standing for protection from a storm.  --- transcribed by  kbz