The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-07
The Headless Trunk of Mrs. Flora
LOreIla Identified BY u Former
Companion.
The Strange Superstition Of the LO-
rcllas Come to Pass-BOth Died
Violent Deaths.
Ii is Thought More Lives Than Those
Reported Were
Lost.
still Searching the Ruins.

PHILADELPHIA, April 29.--John Nit
chell, a brother of Mrs. Flora Lorella,
who lost her life in the Central theatre
fire, visited the morgue where lay the
headless trunk recovered from the ruins
this morning. Mr.. Mitchell. after a
shudder OF horror, turned away, his dis
belief converted to conviction that he
was not looking on his sisters corpse.
NO. he said. that is not Flora: the
bones are too small. Although my Sis
ter was of low stature and plump, her
bones are heavy and large" Mr.. Mitchell
next visited the boarding house at which
members of the company were stopping
and told them of his conviction. Mrs.
Overpeck. wardrobe keeper, assured him
that he was in error. At noon William
and Coleman Lorella, who were partners
of Thomas Lorella in their speciality act,
came in from the ruins and also declared
their belief that the remains were not
those of Flora. 1t was suggested that
the best authority on the subject was
the speakers wife and word was sent to
her asking her to come to the morgue.
While waiting her arrival Mr.. Lorella
narrated some curious coincidents. of
which every member of the company has
heen talking since the fire. ''Thomas
Lorella,' he said, was my partners
stage name. His real name was Thomas
Alexander Ross. He was born in London
and went to San Francisco when he
was a boy. He and ! went to school to-
gether and he was my partner on the
stage from the year 1874. My first part
ner bore the name of John Lorella. He
and Tom and were playing in the
devils Auction at the Chestnut
street theatre in 1883, when it was pro
posed that we have u pictures taken.
John was reluctant to do so. NO." he
said, IF have my picture taken ! am
likely to die before my engagement is
over He was over persuaded. how
ever, and the pictures were taken. In
two days he was stricken with paralysis
same unwillingness to be photo |
graphed. Not long ago in San Francisco
we were asked for our likenesses. but
Tom said, Il don't want to. II | do I'll
go the same way John did. But in Co
lumbus, o., two weeks ago he concluded
to have his picture taken, and when he
received the photograph he remarked: |
Nov Ill go to Philadelphia and die.
And he is dead now. Philadelphia has
not treated the Lorellas well. Mrs Lor
ella entering, a description was given of
the lace on tine corpse. That is It," she
cried. IL know that pattern. Flora and
l had lace shirred on undergarments
heavily because of the character of the
act We performed. Let me go the
mOrgue. Nobody but myself can
be sure of seeing it." At 12:45 Mrs. Lo-
rella stood before the screen of the dead
house trembling and crying. Supt.
Good considerat -ly refused to permit her
to look at the corpse. and her agitation
at the sight Of the bib of trimmed
linen spread or the brick floor proved
that his caution had been wise. She
broke down completely. sobbing: 'Yes.
that is the lace we wore" There can be
no doubt now. Identification was posi-
tive and Mr.. Good notes down official
record of it: Flora Lorella, aged -.
years, l25O North Eleventh street, Phila
delphia. Identified by Mrs. William
Lorclla."
At | o'clock this morning wolkmen
uncovered the charred body of a man
lying upon his face with his hair and
clothing entirely gone. The man, who
is supposed to be Thomas Lorella. was
evidently under the stage and near the
opposite side from that on which Mrs.
Lorella was found. His face was turned
away from the exit which might indi-
cate that he was e~ndeavoring to save the
women who remained inside when over
taken. a few minutes after the mans
body was uncovered, another was dis
covered, Just behind him. Early
Jnof ntn,.rr , .I
flesh and a piece of a skull
with the hair still intact were unearthed.
while near by a diamond bracelet which
had scarcely a scratch was found. This
was identified has having belonged to
Mrs. Lorella.
The last body recovered was soon as
to be that of Sarah Goldman,
another Of the Inflated company.