New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-11
DONOVAN, THE SKATER, DEAD
EXPIRING IN HIS TRAINERS ARMS.

OvEE-ExPosURE FOLLOWING HIS VIOLENT ExER-
TIoN AT THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
People WHO are proof against the roller-skating
craze aud who regard the rinks as de-
vice of evil will have sad example
with which to point their morals in the
death IN this city, yesterday of William
Donovan, the CHAMPION long-distance skater, who
glided over 1902 miles of track at the Madison
Square Garden last month. and took first place in
the six davs' contest. With the wound which his
shoes had chafcd into the bone while Ieeling off
those weary miles, and wasted away to a shadow
of his former self. he died at 1866 a. m, in his
trainers arms at the Putnam House.
Donovan was nineteen years of age, Pennsyl-
vanian by birth, and the son of Timothy Donovan,
now employe of the Erie Railroad at Elmira. 1t
was said at the time of the contest that he wos
relative Of O'Donovan Rossa.. After winning seve-
raj short distance races at Elmira he was induced
to enter the six days contest E this city by the
boys whom he had vanquished at home They
con rIbuted toward the expenses and outfit
which this more ambitious plan
rendered necessary, and sent him of to conquer
new worlds. He was badly used up by the con-
test, winch ended March z. But, according to his
trainer, Happy Jack" Smith, he was pulling
himself together finely" the next week having
strong appetite and gaining strength rapidly. His
admIring friends and relatives In Eliaira would
not be satisfied until their hero returned, and
so, in spite of the opposition of his
trainer, who protested that all the men whom he
had ever coached through slx-days trials OF endur,
ance had been rubbed aud dIeted in the quiet of
their roorns tor ten days afterward. Donovan was
dragged up 10 Elmira on Tuesday Of tho next week,
referred skating match there, was taken from
place to place and exhibited TO thousands OF peo-
pie, often compelled 10 sleep in cold roons, and ex-
posed general y III a reckless manner
On returning TO this city at tae end OF the
week, he was seized with a severe attack
of pneumonia. His wonderful constitutional car
red him through this also, and after being dis
charged from the doctors care he was seemingly
regaining perfect health. Donovan's backer,
"Tom" Davis. had made arrangements for a race
10 take place at the Madison square Garden In the
last week in May with Kenneth A. Skinner. and on
last Wednesday noou the announcement was made
that Donovan would give an exhibition OF
| skating III Emira tonight. At the moment
this bit OF news was being gwen 10 the sporting
world he seized with acute Inflammation OF
tho bowels. Suffering from terrible hts or vohit-
ing his s1opacn would retain no food and he
wasted away IN thirty-sx hours to n mere skeleton
The general debility OF bis system also aggravated
his s Sore, ORE, voo rrh nv ,o0 Jook,s said he to
his trainer yesterday morning, butt needed no sec
ond tOuch OF Happy jacks" pFactised haGd 10 tei
him that tne chli Of death Lad already seized
upOn the patients eXtremlties, and dropping lhe
ointment win a hasty excuse, he raised the boy
up as he dropped his head back dead
Yes, the strain of the race had an und0ubted
lnllutucc III ChuslnH IVY sh'hth' -
= Wood OF No. III West Forty-seventh-st., tho
physician under hose care Donovan had been for
inc last TWENTY-FIVE days Of, Of his nrd.T diie,
mined his constitution, and rendered MIN
a more easy victim than he would otherwise have
been"
tom Davis was much affected by, the sudden
death of his ward. /" / don't know what Willies
folks are going TO do" SAID he, "a he pulled TWO
telegrams sut OF his 30, ket last evening, he
latest IL a dispatch for which had to pay asking
me 10 telegraph them the cause or his death. II
they don't take MIN home snail give him decent
burial m Calvary Cemetery on sunday aiternoon.
Donovan received $500 IN cash aud gold medal.
studded with dIamends as the reward for his vic-
tory in the skating contest at the MADISON square
nalon-