Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-09
WATERRURY EVENING DEMOCRAT. FRIDAY. AUGUST 9 1907
BRAVEFACINC DEATH
Miss Braasch, Both Legs Sev- cred, Calmly Directs Relief.
ANOTHER, IT IS BEAUTIFUL TO DIE"

Young Girl Commuter on Erie, Man
 gled Beneath Train, Causes Strong
 Men Tears-Dying, Says, .Pm
 Not Afraid"
 PASSAIC, N. J., Aug. 9.-With her legs almost severed by an Erie train, at the Rutherford station, and her head and body terribly cut and bruised from being dragged along the ties, Miss Matilda Braasch, stenographer in the New York offices of the Wells Fargo express, coolly directed every step in her removal to the General hospital here. Then realizing she was near to death, she had her relatives and friends called to her bedside and bade them goodby. After she had been taken to cot from the operating table she made will and, conscious to the last moment, continued to talk to her mother until, with great sigh and dropping of the head, the last spark of life fled the mangled body. It was Miss Braasch's birthday, and her vacation had just come to an end.
 The girl is deeply mourned in Ruth erford and at her home town.
 Miss Braasch lived with her mother and sister in Carlstadt and took train at Rutherford She was mos ment late in reaching the station and the train had just got in motion when she ran through the waiting room. The ticket agent shouted:
 Don't attempt it, Miss Braasch. There'll be another local in few min utes."
 "Oh, can get it." she replied, quick ening her pace. There was a blind baggage car at the rear of the train, and this led to the tragedy. With great effort she endeavored to run alongside the rear platform of the sec ond last car. Two men were on the platform and they reached down to assist her. She caught the handrail and attempted to jump to the step. But she was without strength for the feat, and before the men could seize her wrists she shot under the train and the front wheels of the baggage car passed over her legs. A projecting bolt in the bottom of the car caught her skirt and she was dragged for several hundred feet.
 Almost all the passengers were men, and many of them broke down in grief at sight of the woman who bore up so bravely. The girl never lost her composure. When men bent over her to carry her to the waiting room she said:
 Tt can't be helped now. I am not afraid"
 Although her face was splashed with blood, Miss Braasch tried to smile, and whispered she was thankful she was permitted to live long enough to take leave of the world.
 She ordered that an ambulance be summoned from the hospital, and gave the telephone number of her phy- sicfan and requested that he meet her in the hospital. She also asked that her sister be informed by telephone, and warned that the news of the tragedy be kept from her mother Afterward she murmured she felt death was stealing on her, and ex- pressed wish that her mother go to the hospital to await her there. When the ambulance arrived some tried to cheer the girl with hope of recovery, but she gently chided the we'll wisn- CTS. who at heart shared her own con- yiction.
 Please don't attempt that" she said. ''I do grieve to leave all behind, but I never thought before 1t was real ly beautiful to die" Her mother was kneeling at the bedside, and she put a hand on her head.
 ''It is beautiful, mothcr," she said, because I've always tried to do just what was right, and that's my con- solation now. May it be yours"
 A few moments before her death the girl spoke in low and distinct voice to her mother. The doctors said the loss of blood was so great she was without strength to rally from the shock.