The Washington times., 1906-05-30
WOMAN LOSES LIFE
UNDER BIG PIANO
Grand Square Just Bought
Crushes Her to Death.
FELL FROM THE WAGON
Children Who Witnessed Tragedy I'm
able to Give Aid to Victim
of Accident.

Few of life's tragedies are more
pathetic than that enacted at the little
hamlet of Buena Vista Heights. d. c..
yesterday afternoon. when Mrs. Mary
A Dorsey. thirty-eight years old, WAS
crushed to dealt under a piano with
which she intended surprising her hus
band Her twenty-year-old son. Harry.
was within a few feet OF her when the
accident happened.
The woman was taken from under
the piano by neighbors. who found life
was extinct. and the body was taken
into the house.
Mrs. Dorsey was the wife OF J. II.
Dorsey, a salesman employed in Rob
ert Anderson's commission house. 9l9 +
street northwest. They were married
about ,twenty-One years ago. and have
been living I'm the vicinity Of AnacOstia
almost all that time. Mrs. Dorsey came
TO Washington yesterday afternoon 10
pay her taxes. After leaving the Dis
trict Building she walked 10 Louisiana
avenue. near Seventh street where her
attention was arrested by a crowd
gathered around man standing on
table He proved to be an auctioneer.
endeavoring 20 sell a secondhand piano.
The instrument was knocked down TO
Mrs. Dorsey. She paid for the piano
and then boarded a car because she
wanted to get home as soon as possible
and send in for the instrument.
Arriving home Mrs. Dorsey instructed
her son Harry 10 hitch the family horse
to the wagon as quickly as possible and
come TO Washington to get the new
piano. Harry did as he WAS Instructed
and got William Carr. another youth
I 70 IL
city with him.
Several men assisted the youths in get
ting the piano into the wagon.
When they reached Buena Vista and
started TO take the plano out they were
confronted with an entirely different
proposition. The lads were not equal TO
the task. Mrs. Dorsey left the kitchen
where she was preparing dinner 10 come
TO the front yard and see how the lads
were getting along The woman and
boys looked around for help. but there
were no men In sight
Anxious TO get the instrument into the
house and ready for use by the time
her husband arrived. and realizing that
this could not be done if the boys aid
not have assistance Mrs. Dorsey went
out to the wagon 20 lend her aid They
all pulled together end the piano slid
After resting a few moments Mrs Dor
sey again took hold Of the heavy ir@tru-
ment and she and the boys began tug
ging at the plano again.
Mrs. Dorsey was directly IN front Of
the piano while the boys were on either
side. When they took their final hold
on the Instrument fl was on the edge
OF the tail gate. and their ultimate effort
threw II of its balance. Mrs Dorsey
Z Coll a
and thinking il would be broken she
caught hold OF the end and tried 10 pre-
vent such thing happening. IN her
jealous haste she stumbled and fell 10
the ground. The instrument came down
upon her head and back and pinned her
, 10 the earths
She shrieked several times. and the
frightened lads did everything in their
power 70 raise the instrument, but they
were made sick by the sight Of the blood
and the woman 8 piercing screams
The Carr LAD ran TO a nearby house
and summoned two men They hurried
TO the scene OF the accident and raised
the instrument BY that time, however,
the woman had lapsed into unconscious
ness from sGfterinE and loss OF blood
Her mangled form was taken INTO the
house. AID Dr Mundell summoned He
said the woman was beyond human aid
and SOuld live but a few moments. Her
sk:Ill was crushed and the bones OF her
crest and several ribs were broken
olice Of the AnacOstia substation
were informed and in a short time the
unconscious woman was taken 10 Provi-
denCe Hospital. When she arrived there
She vas dead
The body wa taken back TO the house
in the patrol wagon. The husband was
surprised to find his spouse cold I'm
death the bloOd-stained piano in the
yard. and his children gathered around
the bed on which the woman lay He
said he knew nothing Of the purchase
of the piano until informed that his wife
had been injured by IT.
Funeral services for Mrs Dorsey will
be held at her late home tomorrow In
terment Will be made in Congressional
Cemetery.