Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-27
A PLUCKY WOMAN.
Nellie Hamilton, = Chorus Girl, Cheerful
Under Severe Suffering.

Under Severe Suffering.
Nellie Hamilton. chorus girl, and as Jolly a
one As Won ever saw. saws the New York Herald
| lies on a bed in . scantily furnished room at
No. 264 Bridge street. Brooklyn, with her
! lower limbs encased in pink muslin-covered
basket and towel spread upon her breast
To see her knitting and smiling one would
| never suspect that she is q sufferer from the
most horrible burns and that her BODY was lit
orally roasted in an accident some seven months
ago.
On January 26 last Nellie, who had been idle
since the summer season of opera at the Grand
Opera House, this city, under the direction of
James W Morrissey. moved with her husband
John f. Cox. repairsr of musical instruments.
into rooms at No 2O3 Broadway. Williamsburg. It
was a stormy rainy day. and Mrs Cox got soak
ing weE- Toward evening she Invested herself
of her vet clothing and started to go to a
lighted oil stove, with two burners aglow to
dry herself. The stove stood Just out from the
brick fireplace, and as she stepped forward her
foot csught in strip Of India mating laid in
front of the stove and she plunged forward
over the stove.
Her head struck the brick Of the fireplace
and stunned her. She lay across the stove un-
conscious for several minutes. while the flames
enveloped her body. Soon the pain of burn
ing flesh drove her to her senses and she man
aged to raise herself free from the stove and
topple upon the floor. where her husband
coming in from Grand found her with two
thirds OF her body mass of burns. Her face
right arm, lower part Of her left leg and her
feet escaped the fire, but the rest of her body
was in a horrible state Of inu.ilation.
A few days later the sufferer was removed to
the Brooklyn Homeopathic Dispsnsary at No.
81 South Third street. where she lay for two
months. She did not improve under the treat
ment there, which was to keep her wrapped in
banGages. Her husband told me that
strip of cloth seventy feet long was
needed to bind her burns. While in the
hospital the process of grsfting flesh was re-
sorted 10. Bits of flesh were taken from her
right arm and inserted in burned portions of
her body. The surgeons wanted to take
piece of flesh from her leg and apply it else
where, but she objected.
Since leaving the hospital Mrs. Cox has been
patient sufferer at No. 264 Bridge street,
where she and her husband occupy q couple OF
rooms ntted for light housekeeping. Lately
MIR. Cox, who IS i'll with jaundice and kidney
trouble, has been too sick TO work at his trade
Of phnoforte making, but repairs at his home
such musical instruments as are brought to
him.
The surroundings plainly showed the couples
vlcls-itudes and learned that they had been
at times without the actual necessities OF life.
Sir. Cox told me that he had been obliged to
pevn their trihes until they had little lett and
that they had finally appealed to the Actors
Fund for AID
DIR. A Ross Matheson, the fund physician in
Brooklyn. Is now attending Mrs. Cox. and she
says that under his treatment she is fast i'm
proving. He keeps her free from bandages
ana her burned flesh amounted with oils and
powders. Her husband built the basket which
serves for her bed clothing. The doctor called
while was i'll conversation with Mrs. Cox. He
said that in = short time lie would graft the I'M
healed burns with frogs skin and he thought
that IN few months lie would have his patient
on her feet
'She was a strong woman he said, land
her vitality saved her lie"
played. isn't it, Nellie?' he said jokingly to his
patient.
Yes" said the actress, land would like to
break my contract"
Nellie told ME tina. she was the daughter OF
Richard Wilkes Ward, captain in the English
navy, anu that she went on the stage when
quite young. She sang with Emily Soldene in
London. and came to this country in 1888 with
the troupe supporting Alice May. She was
two years with the McCauN Opera Company
and for as long time in Geo. o. Harr's Opera
company at the Criterion Iheater. BROOKLYN.
Charles h. Jones, who sings tine part of the
sultan in The Tar and the Tartar ut
Palmers Theater. was with Mrs. Cox in the
MctaulI company and he is interesting himself
In raising money for her among the profession.
subscription was also started for her benefit
III the Wang company and was contributed
TO by DeNolf Hopper and Della Fox, both of
whom We're associates of Mrs. Cox in the Nc
Call troupe.