Etta Johnson Spindler

Ella B. Johnson Spindler was the daughter of James G and Eliza (Berry) Johnson.  She was married to John H Spindler on 24 Dec 1890 in Cook County, Illinois. They were the parents of three sons, Raymond, Burdette and Cecil.

"Edgar C. Frady, president of the Strohber Piano company, is prostrated over the loss of his wife and his only son, Leon Edgar Frady.  When Mrs. Frady gave a theater party she was accompanied by her son [Leon], her mother Mrs. J. G. Johnson, two sisters, Mrs. Jennie E Rife 645 45th street, Mrs. J. H. Spindler of Lowell IN and Mrs. Spindler's son Burdette.  Of the party only Mrs. Johnson escaped death and she is in critical condition at St. Luke's Hospital." (Chicago Tribune)

From Lowell Public Library History pages:

"Our people became highly excited when it became known the Mrs. J. H. Spindler, wife of our townsman J.H. Spindler, and son Burdette, were among the missing. We have never seen our people so worked up as they were last Thursday, and the climax was reached when it became known that Mrs. Spindler and her son Burdette were both dead. The great sorrow of our people was still further augmented when it became known that Mrs. J.G. Johnson, mother of Mrs. Spindler, and Mrs. Frady and son Leon and Mrs. Rife, sisters of Mrs Spindler, were probably among the dead. The ladies were through visiting here with Mrs. Spindler, well known by quite a number of our people. At the time of the entertainment at which so many people gave up their lives, Mr. Spindler was at Chicago Heights and knowing that his wife and son were there, hastened to that awful scene, only to find that his loved ones were no where to be found. Then began the weary and sorrowful search by himself, Mr. Frady, Mr. Rife, and several others, which lasted from Wednesday evening till Friday at 10 a.m. when the last one, Mrs. Rife, was found and identified. Mrs. Spindler was found at Jordan's morgue at 10 a.m. Thursday; Burdette at Carrol's morgue about 1 p.m. same day. Mrs. Frady at Sheldon's morgue about 1 p.m. Thursday and her son Leon in Carroll's morgue a short time afterward. Mrs. J.G. Johnson, the mother was found at St. Luke's hospital badly injured, but will probably recover. Mrs. Johnson was one of those who crawled across a ladder laid by some painters from the burning theatre to the North-Western University building and thus saved her life. She declares she does not know how she ever did it, but she reached the other side safely, terribly burned and scalded. She had not, however, been informed of the death of her daughters and grandchildren."

"Mr. and Mrs. Spindler's youngest son, Cecil, being somewhat indisposed did not accompany his mother, but remained home with his grandfather Johnson, and was thus saved to his father. Mr. Frady is rendered wifeless and childless by the catastrophe, while Mr. Rife has a fifteen-months old babe left him and Mrs Johnson lies in the St. Luke's hospital in critical condition. If she dies Mr. Johnson will have been bereft of his entire family with he exception of one son, who was not in the ill fated building."

"The bodies of Mrs. J.H. Spindler and son Burdette, Mrs. E.C. Frady and son Leon and Mrs. William Rife, were brought here by special train Sunday, January 3, 1904; the train arriving at 10:45 a.m. About 125 relatives and friends of the deceased accompanied the remains from Chicago. Five hearses--three black and two white, met the train at the station."