Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-03
MET A FRlGHTFUL DEATH
The Wife of Gen. James H.
Wilson Died at Matanzas
Saturday Of Burns.
HER Observation-Disclosures
Mrs. Wilson Stepped on a Match
When AIightlng From Car
riage--Her Body VIII be
Brought to This City 5
FOR Interment.

Mrs. Ella Wilson, wife of Major
General James II. Wilson, military
governor of the Department Of Ma
tanzas. Santa Clara, Cuba, died on
Saturday afternoon from the effects of
burns received that morning. She
was out driving with her daughter,
Katherine, and in alighting from the.
carriage, trod upon a match. The
match was ignited and its flame set tire
to Mrs. Wilson'S dress, which was of
light material.
Her daughter, Katherine, and the
coachman, at once endeavOred to ex-
tinguish the flames, and both were in
iured, although not seriously. Mrs.
Wilson was SO severely burned that she
died about 3 O'CLOCK in the afternoon.
Her hands we're SO badly swollen before
her death that it was found necessary
to cut her rings from Ter fingers ir,
order to give her relief.
| Governor General Wood, Gen. Chaffee
and Adiutant-G General Richards tele5
grarhed condolences, and great sym
pathy was expressed by every one,
Cutans and Americans alike, for the
Wilson family.
The news of Mrs. Wilson'S death was
a profound shock to people throughout
this State The first knowledge here Of
the accident came in cablegram to
Henry B. Thompson of No. 1905 Rodney
street, who is son-in-law of General
and Mrs. Wilson. 1t came early Satur-
day afternoon, and about 8 6o'clock a
second cablegram informed him Of Mrs.
Wilson, s death.
Mrs. Wilson was about 30 years Of
age. She Was the daughter of Col.
John Andrews, commander OF the First
Delaware Regiment in the. Civil War.
She was born at Stockford, the family
homestead, on the State Road, about a
mile from Wilmington. She was mar
ried to Gen. Wilson in 1866, just after
the close of the Civil War, in which he
took an active part. Mrs. Wilson was
prominent in social affairs. III
Three children survive their mother,
Mrs. Henry b. Thompson, Katherine and
Eleanor Wilson. Mrs. Thompson is in
this city, the others are iE Matanzas.
Mrs. Thompson visited her parents in
Cuba few weeks ago.
4 One of Mrs. Wilson's brothers. General
4 john Andrews of the regular army,
4 lives at StockfoId, and brother,
Robert Andrews, lives in New York.
n Mrs. Theodore Rogers of near New
Castle, is Mrs. Wilson's sister.
For three years, Gen. Wilson'S family
has had apar rtments at No. S22 Adams
street.
The family has a vault in = Old
Swedes cemetery and the body may be
brought to Wilmington for burial there.
Havana, Cuba, April 30. --Matanzas
| City is in mourning over the death o.
Mrs. Wilson, the wife OF Major Genera
. JAMES II. Wilson, military governor oi
the Department of Matanzas and Santi
Clara, who died Saturday Afternoon
last, from the effects of burns received
J Saturday morning by her dress catching
fire from match. on which she hat
Stepped. Het body has been embalmed
, and Gen. Wilson and his two daughters
: and his aides will accompany it north
! 1t appears that Mrs. Wilson, accom-
J panied by her daughter, was taking he
, daily drive in light wagon when th'
accident occurred. About 10 minutes
after she had started, it was discovered
, that her dress was on fire, and it wu
presumed that she had trod on a match
, which had IgDited her clothing. Th'
! driver Immediately stopped the vehicle
: and, with the aid of Mrs. Wilson
! daughter, uiu everything poSsiple "
t extinguish the flames, but. she wa
badly burned before this could b
: effected. Mrs. Wilson was then plaeet
Q in coach and taken home, suffering
9 terribly.
I Gcn. Wilson, who was at his Office
8 was Immediately notified, and hastene'
y to the side OF his wife. The doctor
: who were summoned did all that wa
possible to relieve her suffefings, an
+ for short time hopes were entertaine
y that she would recover. The burns an
t resulting shock proved too much, how
q ever, and she expired after havin
j suffered from 1910 a. m. to 3. 10 p m.