The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-01-22
INTERVIEW WITH DR.. ANDREWS

DR.. j. W. Andrews was just about
leaving his home last Tuesday to visit
the sick when FREE PRESS reporter
rang the bell and was ushered into
his presence. In relation to what
he saw and heard at the scene of the
horrible disaster in which his
brothers wife was killed is best told
in his own words.
He said: George told me that he
had often planned what he would do
in case of just such wreck, and
therefore was perfectly cool and
collected. Just as soon as the car was
at rest he used cushion to break the
windows and even went so far as to
remove the small pieces Of glass so
that anybody who made their escape
in that way would not be cut. AS
soon as George had crept through the
window sash he cried out for all to
keep quiet and come out one by one.
Hardly had the words been ut
tered when gust of wind blew
through the car and in a moment it
was mass 81 flames.
my brother Ed. had also thought of
wrecks SO the moment the sheck came
he threw his overcoat around Bessie,
the dear little baby-girl, and protect
ing her with his arms took her to the
exit made by George and cried in a
loud voice: Somebody take Bessie"
Charles was out by that time and he
cried back. 'I'll take her. The bbay
was then handed over to chorus
girl who had been eXtricated from the
wreck. Ed. inquired three times as
to whether Mamie, hisswife, was safe
and on being told that she had gone
to the baggage car, he continued 70
rescue the others. Not until he went
to the baggage car himself did he dis
cover that Mamie was not there.
''The scene that was then enacted
can better be imagined than described.
In regard to Mamie and her maid
may say that l am confident they
were killed instantly when the car
struck the telegraph pole, every in
dication points that way. The last
ones to be taken out were Mrs.
Barker. sister of Miss Fritch and Mr..
Moody. Mrs. Barker had shoulder
dislocated and was pinned down in
her berth. Her cry for help brought
a Pullman palace car conductor to
her aid, who made an unsuccessful
effort to eXtricate her and finally he
said: Help YOURSELF and left her
to her fate. The flames were now all
about her, burning her hair and
clothing and brother George, though
naked and with blood streaming
down his legs, in the words OF Mrs.
Barker, jumped into the fiery flames
and with heroic effort, eXtricated her
and threw her out a burning mass in
to the snow.
"Mr. Moody had now fallen back into
the fire and all seemed lost. George
seized him and with almost super
human effort, threw him into snow
bank. No, it is not true that any
body's feet are SO badly frozen that
they will have to be amputated.
1.-THE railway officials, with their
Superintendent at the head, are doing
all in their power to make all of the
members of the company comfortable.
They have excellent medical and sur
gical skill present who are doing
everything that can be done to ease
their pain.
Gas to dear Mamie, let me say that
is like bringing home an empty
coffin, as nothing remains but por.
tion of the body, the head, legs and
arms being all gone.
''The scenes | witnessed while uL
there and the recitals poured into my
ears | shall remember as long as
live"