The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-10-16
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an Erie train at the Rutherford sta
tion and her head and body terribly
cut and bruised from being dragged
along the ties, Miss Matilda Braasch,
stenographer In the New York
Office of the Wells-Fargo Express,
coolly directed every step in her re-
poval to the General Hospital in this
city, writes the Passaic IN. J.) cor
respondent OF the New York Press.
Then realizing she was near to death
she had her relatives and friends
called to her bedside and bade them
goodby one BY one. After she had
been taken to cot from the operat-
Ing table she made a will, and, con-
scious to the last moment, continued
to talk to her mother until with
great sigh and dropping Of the head
the last spark Of life fed the mangled
body. It was Miss Braasch's birth
day, and only yesterday her vacation
Of two weeks came to an end.
The accident was deeply mourned
In Rutherford. The girl was known
to the majority of the commuters on
the train which struck her, and all
alighting were stricken with grief
when they identified the victim, and
pressed forward to offer assistance.
Although her face was splashed with
blood, Miss Braasch tried to smile,
and whispered she was thankful she
was permitted to live long enough !,
take leave Of the world.
Miss Braasch lived with her mother
and sister in Carlstadt and took
train at Rutherford. She was mo-
ment late In reaching the station at
$50 o'c' 1ck this morning. The train
had just got in motion when she ran
through the waiting room at the
western door. The ticket agent caw
her make a dash for the train, and
shouted:
Don't attempt 1t, Hiss Braasch.
There'll be another local in a few
minutes"
"Oh, I can get It," she replied,
quickening her pace. There was
blind baggage on the rear of the
train, and this led to the tragedy.
With great effort she endeavored to
run alongside the rear platform CT
the second last car. Two men were
on tn, platform, and they reached
down to assist her. She caught the
handrail and attempted TO jump to
the step. Dut 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.
A dozen men approaching the sta
tion saw the accident, and raced
frantically after the train, waving
and shouting for the engineer to stop.
The men on the platform pulled the
emergency cord, but Miss Braasch
was terribly battered against the ends
OF the ties before the train was
brought to standstill.
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:
1T can't be helped now. am not
afraid"
She was laid on bench, and found
the position uncomfortable. At her
direction empty mail bags were
spread on the floor for her. She Or
dered that al ambulance be sum-
moned from the hospital, and gave
the telephone number of her physi-
clan 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 trag-
edy be kept from her moth.r. After
wards she murmured she felt death
was stealing on her, and expressed
the wish her mother go to the hos
pital to await her there. When the
ambulance arrived Miss Braasch
asked that she be shifted several
times In stretcher until she said
she felt at ease. Then she asked fer
drink of water. There was none
In the station.
Then please stop at the first houce
IN the road" she said. "I'm sure they
won't refuse me drink"
The stop was made, and a woman
suppressing her emotion for the mo-
ment, held glassful of water to the
girls lips. There, now, / feel 20
much better" said Miss Braasch,
Aand thank you very much" From
the ambulance she was carried direc
to the operating table. She asked the
physicians IL they were sure she
would come from under the infiu-
ence of the ether.
Are you sure now?" she persisted
Because If you are not J want to
talk to mother and sister first" She
forced smile when after the amputa.
ton she revived in a cot. $50 the
doctors were right" she said; "I did
live through it." The physicians an !
nurses went quietly out of the room
and for ten minutes the door was shu,
on the dying daughter and ne.
mother. Then the door was softl,
1