The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-01
SAVES Her HUSBAND
Mrs. Proctor, of Detroit, Aids
i'll Rescue Work.
TELLS A THRILLING STORY
On Ground Two Hours with Hus-
bands Head in Lap Before Arrival
of the Cars 10 Take Home the In
jured-Praise for the Physicians.
Was in Total Darkness.


who was coming to Washington on
visit. yesterday told a thrilling story OF
her experiences. With her husband. who
suffered a fractured leg. she is in the
George Washington University Hospital
She was not injured in the wreck. her
only hurt being a few slight bruises about
the body.
Notwithstanding the fearful ordeal she
has been through, this plucky little
woman positively refused to 90 TO bed.
saving that she wanted 20 be up in case
her husband might wish TO see her. When
the reporter entered the room. she rose
and greeted him with bright smile.
We had absolutely no warning Of the
impending danger" she said. My hus-
band and I were in the second car; 1 was
next TO the window The train had started;
am sure Of that. The first ! knew there
was a crash, and I was thrown clear out
Of my seat. felt myself hit the top of
the coach and then ] fell, landing be-
tween two seats AS ] fell. ] reached
behind me in the hope Of finding by hus-
band. so that when I was caught, seri-
ously injured but still alive, between the
two seats Of the car my hands were di-
rectly behind me and I was unable "a
help myself
Was in Total Darkness.
Il was in total darkness; all around me
I could hear the cries and screams OF
men. women and children. My mouth
and nose were filled with the dust and
SCOT Of the car. and I feared / was about
/ TO suTocate While I was in this position
/ there came a second bump and the cal
/ IN which / was pinioned started 10 move
along the track.
How escaped is a miracle. Ny body
/ was so far down that I could feel my
/ shoe touching the wheels Of the car.
/ suppose that my being 50 tightly pin.
/ Toned by the two seats was the only
| thing that prevented me from falling un
/ der the car. When the car stopped NOV
/ ing at last I cried again ana again fol
4 help and after a time men came and
! extricated me from the debris. I was aft
erward told that IL was my hands pro
truding from the wreckage, with dia
mond rings attached 10 them. that frs
+ attracted the attention of the searchers
Upon being released. I ran Immediately
in search Of my husband. Oh. what ar
awful sight met my eyes, I cannot tel
[ YOU what I saw-words cannot describ.
/ il. ] cannot see now how 1 ever stood u
ION my way IN search Of him I alrnos
( tread upon the body Of q little child, -
riously injured, but still alive
Finally Finds Husband.
I found my husband some distance Vi
the track, writing in agony. With TIT
| assistance Of some Of the men, We go
him aboard the baggage car in which tn
injured were brought into the city.
For fully two hours ! waited. Wit
Mr.. Proctor's head in my lap. for tn
coming Of the relief train. Il seemed a
though we would never reach the city
Finally q train came. and when at las
all that could be found had been put oi
board. We started. All in the car wer
terribly mangled and hurt. Some begge
for water and some cried for whisky
and some begged 10 be killed AS "
drew near Washington the cries grad
uaIly grew fainter and fainter, and b.
the time We had reached the city Oh
Injured were comparatively quiet.
Mrs Proctor spoke of the physician
who were on the scene Of action in tn
highest terms. She seemed 20 be Of IN
opinion that but for their prompt an
efficient service the death list would hav
been much larger than 10 was. She lai
especial emphasis upon the kindness Wit
which they treated the victims Of II
accident.
Praises Physicians Who Helped.
Among these awful scenes of disaster,
said she. there were "A few men withOu
whose services I feel sure many more G
the injured would have died. I speak O
the physicians who went Immediately I
the scene Of the wreck. They SCENE
to be everywhere; now administering
hypodermic injection; now bandaging
cut-doing all in their power 70 relieve III
sufferings Of those injured"
Mrs. Proctor seemed inclined to blam
those who failed 10 have more relic
trains for the accommodation Of th
hurt
"Of course I may be mistaken sh
said but IL seems as though sOmethin
more might have been done by the raj
road authorities in assisting US. OF course
I realize that il would have been inhuma
TO have left any Of those injured behind
but il does seem to me as though Oh
company might have had more train
r on the spot