Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-16
THEIR VERY ILL LUCK.
A Sad Climax to a Long List Of Theat-
rical MiShaps.
THE ANDREWS OPERA COMPANY
Completely Dsmoraliled in Pacific Railroad
Wreck Near St Paul-Ths Leading Lady
and Her Maid Burned to Death.
Other Members Injured.

Il
Andrews Opera Company was wrecked
in bad railway accident seven miles
east of Brainerd to-day, the wreck
seeming the elimination OF set OF
troubles that have well nigh over
whelmed them during their stay OF sew
eral months in the Northwest,
They came to Minneapolis early In
in the fall and played there for several
weeks, but owing to poor business or
bad management were barely able to
get away from that city when they
again sought to 60 on the road. After
playing week at Mankato, several
weeks at Duluth and a week or more at
West Superior, they started for Winni-
peg yesterday, from there intending to
make a trip to the coast, playing on the
way. They were on special train, on
the second section Of the Northern
Pacific.
Near Jonesville the train struck
broken rail, the engine and baggage
car passing over in safety, but the sleep
ing car was derailed and ran some 300
feet on the ties, when it topped over,
breaking loose from the train, and went
down an embankment some five feet
high, lying on its side.
In minute all was confusion. The
pullman conductor, Herbert c. Scott,
was one of the first to get outside, and
when he did so, no fire was visible, but
as soon as the windows were broken TO
liberate those inside flames shot out and
in very short time the car was enyel-
oped.
Willing hands Of trainmen soon liber-
ated those who were unable to extricate
themselves, but none were able TO save
their clothing, and the night being the
coolest Of the season, the thermometer
reaching 46 below, the suffering was
terrible.
At this time it was discovered that
Mrs. Ed. Andrews and Lizzie Wallace
were missing, but no human effort could
render them assistance, as the car was
mass of flames.
Conductor Ball says the catastrophe
was sudden, and without shadow OF
warning. The train was running
smoothly and not faster than twenty
five miles an hour, when there came a
terrific lurch, which suggested at first
q
plunged through a culvert. Every one
in the baggage car was pitched against
its sides and more or less hurt.
When the full extent OF the wreck be-
came apparent organized efforts were
at once made to save the occupants Of
the sleeper. Twenty were taken out,
most of them badly injured. There was
no outcrY from the end berth occupied
by Mrs. Andrews and her maid. 1t was
thought they had escaped, and before
a second effort could be made In their
behalf the car was enveloped in flames.
Conductor Ball believes that both were
instantly killed when the car capsized.
All the members of the opera COM
pauy were asleep when the crash came.
Terrible shrieks and groans were heard
from within the wrecked car. As soon
as the wreck could be reached it was
found that the car had taken fire and
was burning furIously.
1t was not until the terribly excited
survivors had been able to compare
notes that the absence of Mamie Will
kinson Mrs. Andrews) was discovered.
Ed. Andrews, the missing woman's hus-
band, who had saved their little child
and then had been looking for his wife,
became convinced that she was still in
the burning car with her maid. A rush
was again made for the car, but IL was
mass Of seething flames. The two
bodies were found after the car was
nearly burned out, horribly distigured.
The list of dead and injured is as fol-
lows: Killed.;
Mrs. Ed. ANDREWS.
Miss LILLE WALLACE, OF Minneapo-
lis.
Injured. Florence Joy, chorus girl,
severely burned on back and head; May
Douglas, chorus girl, burned on head
and arms; Miss Letitis Fritch, prima
donna, burned on hands and arms; Mrs
L. L. Barker, shoulder dislocated; Miss
Marie Roe, soprano, burned; George An
drews, baritone, burned; Miss Lou Har-
ris, chorus girl, burned back and arms;
Jay A. Taylor, tenor, cut and bruised;
Howard Allen, burned about the neck;
Fred. Allen, chorus, badly cut; Miss
Josie Shearer, slightly burned; w. L.
Baker, son OF Mrs. Baker, burned on
the hands ami arms; W. A. Wirth,
ClOTlSItIi sllkubiS DuiuCu, Dci bluNOlHp
arm fractured; u. +. Moody, leader or
chestra, slightly burned; Mrs. Al. Wake
field, feet frozen; c. w. Andrews,
business manager, badly burned and cut;
Miss Grace Hill, chorus girl, slightly
burned, Willie r. Rhyse, orchestra,
slightly burned; Miss Enbear, badly
burned; c. A. Parker, comedian, back
injured; J. d. Watson, feet frozen.
1t is thought none Of the injured will
die. The accident was unavoidable,
the rail breaking in pieces. The MEM
bers of the company lost everything ex-
cept their stage clothes, including mu-
steal instruments, watches and money,
The cause OF the accident may be
given as the weather, since IL seems that
the broken rail to which is attributed
was probably the result Of last nights
extreme cold.
The stage name of Mrs. Andrews, one
OF the dead, was Mamie Wilkinson, and
she was one OF the brightest and most
popular members Of the organization.
OF which she was the soubrette
she was native OF Pittsburg. from
which city she removed 10 Sioux City,
Iowa, where she met and married Ed.
Andrews, the comedian OF the COM
pany.