The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-10
MRS. DeWEES NEAR TO DEATH Terrible Experience of Montgomery Woman. MRS. HARRISON WAS KILLED Trap Door to Pullman Was Left
 Open. Mrs. Harrison I'Iunges to Her Death, But Mrs. Dewees Manages to
 Save Herself by Grasping the Brass Rails.

Mrs. I. H. Dewees, one of the best
 known ladies of Montgomery. had the
 narrowest possible escape from death
 on the morning of September 3. in the
 tunnel of the Washington Terminal
 Company at Washington, D. c. At the
 same time Mrs. Lottie Harrison, a
 wealthy resident of New Orleans, was 1 fatally injured, and Mrs Dewees only
 saved herself by her strength and pres
 ence of mind in clinging to the brass
 rail of the Pullman.
 | The ladies had finished breakfast in the diner and were on their | way back to the next Pull.
 man. In the meanwhile the Pullman porter had opened the trap of the tunnel Mrs. Harrison was un-
 able to see the open trap door. She fell through and sustained injuries
 from which she died a short while later
 in a Washington hospital. Mrs De-
 Wees, who was immediately behind her.
 also plunged through the open door. but In some inexplicable manner she | grasped the brass rail and this saved
 her fife.
 The negro porter. Carl White, who | opened the trap door. was held by a Washington jury for criminal negli- genee. After testifying Mrs. DeWees
 continued her journey to Norristown, Pa, where she is visiting her sister,
 Mrs Eva Dewees. She suffered greatly
 from the shock of her terrible experi- ence, but her Montgomery friends will
 be glad to learn that she has now re-
 covered.
 Mrs. DeWees' Account.
 Mrs. DeWees' terrible experience was
 recounted in a statement which she
 made to the Washington authorities who were investigating the death of her friend, Mrs. Harrison. My home Is in Montgomery" she
 said. but had been stopping few
 days with friends in Atlanta, and that
 was where I boarded the train. My
 section was directly opposite the one
 occupied by Mrs. Harrison. and we soon
 became acquainted.
 l Thursday morning we had break fast together in the diner. and were chatting pleasantly, when Mrs Harri-
 son said we had nearly reached Wash | ington, and had better hurry. I had
 not even thought about being in tun- l nsl. and I don't think Mrs. Harrison re-
 alized 1t. either. When we finished ] breakfast. Mrs. Harrison led the way
 as we left, the car. Our Pullman was
 the one next to the dining car.
 ~As we enered the small passaseway leading to the platform, it began to get dark. There were no lights in this aisle. When we reached the plat. | form 1t was so dark that could see | nothing, end I told Mrs. Harrison that could not see and had no idea as to where was going.
 "She said: Follow me; will find the way. Just. keep close behind me- At the entrance of our Pullman, there was a sharp turn to the left. | leading to the small aisle feneIfl- bered this, and supposed Mrs. Harff- son did too, for she turned suddenly to the left.
 T supposed I was inside the car. and also turned to the left. The. next thing I knew Mrs Harrison had dis appeared---it seemed to me as if the | bottom of the train had dropped out. Then, before I had a chance to realize what had happened, I plunged head- long into space. Tn some remarkable manner I managed to grab the brass rail. and pulled myself back to the platform. The sensations are more than 1 can describe. I saw death staring me in the face. and can hardly real ize that am here to tell the story. My cries brought several of the passengers. We searched the car to make sure my friend had really met
 with an accident don't know wheth- CT the door and trap were open when we walked from the, Pullman to the diner before breakfast"
 As . result of this and other testi- mony. Carl White, the negro Pullman
 was held to be "criminally responsible" for the death of Mrs Harrison. He
 was held without bond.
 On Mrs. Harrison's person was found
 s4.ooo worth of jewelry and $500 in cash.