The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-08-23
THE HICKMAN HEROINE.
MISS NELLIE COFFEE DETAILS THE
AoeS OF THE GOLD DUsr-AN IN
TERVlEW WITH THE MINIS.
TERING ANGEL OF THE
CATASTROPHE. ETC.

- CATASTROPHE. ETC
e. Inc City of Alton, with its caro-
= OF dead and injured, taken from tn
unfortunate Gold Dust, arrived a
$, the wharf last evening. A corlo
u police kept back the curiou
: crowd while the injured ware :,
moved III the city ambulance, whicl
we're In waiting on the lcvec. Cant
'hcCord of The Gold Dust, was see,
shortly after his arrival At ,,e
''me OF the explosion be was in hiv
caoin and was rendered nncon sc;,,,s
ny the shock. He was carried in
'h's state to the hotel. H. knew
noln'ng OF the dreadful scene TINT,
followed.
Mss NELLIE COFFEE.
'he heroine of the disaster, was seen
'hIs morning at her residence .917
A'''enrelner avenue. When the re
porter entered the whole family were
IN tue parlor, where Dr.. Rober, !
Hill was dressing the scaldcd hand.
OF MIR. James Coffee, Miss C,f,ce,x
orosher' victim of the disaster,
Hiss Coffee is as modest as she is
brave, and she was very 10th to talk
about the matter for publication.
on the way up she has been the can
S'ant nurse Of the wounded, never
resting one moment, day or nigh,
when her services were rcouirea c
She received quito an ovation nj, ber Il
'fr'va' at the wharf yesterday. She r
md her brother were on a visit f. f. r
lister in The South, and were return. c
ng on the Inflated Gold Dust. Il
MISS 20 flee said: 81 was in nv '
when l heard the noise h
knew what had happened. l made IN
y toilet as quickly as could. Pa b.
says did not forge, to look in al
'e glass, but l did, because the al
'rror was broken to pieces in the pc
lock. Then l came ont and no tr,
gut was terrible. The cabin was tn
Fe"n with corpses and people man. on
- IN every way. They were ih'
'ao'ns and crying for water, bu, POI
IRE was none to give them. The col
~ thing | did was to look toward anl
ofo1ler's stateroom, No. IL. I sin
at once that that part of the pat
IL was gone. 1t had sunk dow Chi
. the wreck. ! was Mortified, tue
he' arount for Jimmie, but per-
ia ma him nowhere. The stairs G
sone' SO that l could not eel cral
u 10 that way. Then men took long
and handed me over the decks. like
. one down to the other. Tha, defe
the only way we could be takon gooe
All the time there was LARGE driy
"a on the bank at Hickman. and Stat
were shouting drop her in the corr
> that's the only way to save Take
rule
ere you frightened?" cond
90 not know. l was princi- mini
anxious about my brother. serve
gave NE credit for great pres. chan!
OF mind, but l know NOTHING been
that. They also say that ! this s
~ across the hot furnace. Orlea
Is were laid across that place,
was the only way of getting .,,iuo
When ! ont ;n,o -, VIZ lower drag .
+or,;,,o '"iA count
terrible cries, and somebody which
mere were people under the w.
was in agony, and was mo. ),
was James. AS l approached a e :.
~ saw him then for the first o,oa
waving his poor, burnt hands U.s.
,.,a Al, Janus worn q
ana then | was happier than naa ;,
was in my life." "aS oe
/ tho scono, profess
don,t ,oo.,, 'p' rious f
, remonho never ton is
81: m' '"e" OF TO see known
again. They were terrible, Female
Louis Post Dispatch.
RI