New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-19
d. d. WITHERS DEAD.
THE AMERICAN TURF'S GREAT LOSS.
4 LOVER OF THOROUGHBRED HORSES. TEE
FOUNDER OF MONMOUTH PARK AND TIE
FOREMOST RACING MAN on
THE COUNTRY

the American turf, and known among hoTSemen as
the Usage of Droold1e, dled al the BreVoort House
OF 90 o'clock Yesterday morning, and by his death
,ho RACING world Of this country suffered one Of the
e.,cre.t losses which could have been caused by the
taking Of Of any one man. His death was sudden ard
wholly unexpected. and the news to his numerous
friends and acqualntances was great surprise and
shock A. they had supposed that he enjoying hi>
nspaI ,,od health BrghGs disease Of the kidneys to
cetbcr with diabetes the cause OF death.
Mr. withers for years had occupied apartments at
the Dr.voolt House, and last Monday when he went
into the hotel Office in the morning he complained to
ocquaintanCc Of feeling little ILL., That afternoon he
called on Dr. Partridge. OF No. 10 Fifth-ave. and re
marked In a Joking way to the physician that he
afraid that the confoundcd grip going to mark
him for its own again" lie explained to the ply
stefan that last winter he had severe attack Of the
Influenza and that he did not wish another dose Of the
same medicine.
Dr. Partridge questioned his patient closely, and
learned that ne was far from being well man. He
advised him return to the Brevo)rt House and TO
20 10 bed hut Mr. Wthcrs declared that he had some
important business to transact in Philadelphia and that
he must attend TO it before Tire grip disabled him.
The doctor again urged his patient to postpone his
visit for q few DAYS. but Mr.. WlthcrS was a man OF
intense energy, and he was so determined that lie
could not he persuaded that 1t was dangerous for him
10 90 to Philadelphia. subsequently at the hotel some
Of b1s friends tried have him put off the trip until he
felt better but ne said that he had made business
enracement with A. ]. Caesatt and he intended
10 keen IT, So on Tuesday morning, Notwithstanding
his serious condition he went to Phladephia anu INC
trip no doubt. FASTENED his death
Mr. WitlerS returned TO New-fork on wednesday
oftornoon and As his condition at that time was most
alarming he was compelled at once 10 take to MS
bod Dr. Partridge sent for and when he reacheo
Ny WitherS AT the BrovOort House he found NM
suffering from kidney complaint This was aggravated
nv a severe cold which lie had caught while on his
Philadelphia trip. DR.. Partridge iouhu .na' ms
rattpt,s condition was critical, and he called Ill Dr.
william Polk of No. East Thirty siXth-st' LOT con
sutation and the physicians soon arrived az 'ie
copcuson that the death Of the veteran turimah was
onN a question Of a few hours.
At 40 O'Clock in the evening Mr.. Withcrs com
pfained Of so much pain in his back tha' IL po''"i'
necessary to place him under the infueh e Oh oa'o'
From that time until his death lie renamed III
sn,ni unconscious condition Ds. Partridge and POLK
and q trained nurse remained at his bedside until the
cd His relatives were informed on wednesday
ren>nr that he could live long lat thew were non
permitted 10 enter the room where he lay
The withers family has been longlivod ana up to
four months ago not death had occurieN III I'e III
mediate family for fortyone years Ihch Nrs'
I,rr,arie % Clason a sister OF Mr. Withers' dleo NJ
roiroeIo Va. soon afterward his brother AiIea d.
d.d NJ Norfolk Va. and not long ago pro'iel in""
~ Mr. Wlthers followed them
A. N1tbers was born Jannry -, 1".2, III
nNric h-St
,r -bat thoroughiare in the most aiistrfauo
non, ~ Sev-YOrk and a little white cottage wh'fi
ra +bon ON the tsr.scnt site OF the W'tsihs'"N h"lV
On Union square, where his father, nauVe OF VII,
.dnl Hved two years before inc oI'" l., .,
punlsam WitherS. was considered 10 "c O". - ,o|1
country He was educated al Dr. MulenoNs S'''o1
a,a was graduated fron that institution beiore nc
- .,oo.,.v ears old As soon lie left scho" lie
80, S,,,th nc r,,ru.ssentative OF Rowland ASmh-
wall a large mercantile firm. ana lie S'ooo'' -
admirably that before he was nj age ne "'S ' 80
the whole southern business OF his empioSe -'u
lv udling large sums of money ior 'heih' "''
,he -onth he acquired interest IN sever'h ooU,o'
',,a,IoDs and mad, considerable money In sPecuIa-
t - ,he cleton market. When he was twenty -lou'
year, old his father Endorsed his ds'eS ioi ''' ,a
- 500 900 and he went into busihe7S on a
.ca,e purchasing a cotton pshtal'oh n,"i -. n
From tl@l time he acquired "'''t-' nod heavy
breakdux out Of the war he hau 'oI
-, interests In the North as wen
a. in the SOUTH and. not desiring 10 thhc '''o ,aa
oi+ler side in the struggle, he went aO'oNO - ~, md
90, the greater part OF the uhe LII i"'''' UNIV
Of the Rebellion A., .t may be said
~, ,v,,bers,s prominence on the tur1 HAY o' w
90 h, heSun in 1866 when he bought NespuS'i'' -O-
10 nav - 1,ho * to-day a central figure among
80, non and who for years had been cloHN d.
..,atad with the sage of BrooHnaIe.
Mr., Hunter said yesterday, WAS one VI ''0 " .
Nv vitbars ever owned. The horse "oI s0' '''' -,
zinc some famous runners. ana rom Ia' S'"'
da,d tbc greater part of his time to r''chs'
- I 40 he began to breed horses. ana U"'' ~
" = - t,,nLdale Is ore Of the besCkno"h l"r"'
~" rir, j., the country. There can be l"un o'o
- -, he.+ collections Of highbred anIial' III '''
country. - sam. hoe had many
ar lcsses by the death Of several OF us a"'It'n
h''''0 Tho deaths OF Senator Hearst. Of Call
,o DO, All Hacgin August Belmont oil Nc"
tO'I' "a w l. scott. Of Pennsylvania, were III
h Gao blow TO the Interests oi i'''ne'
On, If all these men, old turimeh ue'ldiI' - -,
vv1tbers will be the greatest loss. lie s'oO'
w., ,hav cav a hulwark against fraud. II was Ms
go ,reat object TO build up the American turi' oo'' ~
hredine and In racing and to MAKE 1t r"N V"e 'p"'
= -. A. the race tracks ~ name va Il sSHo"N '
H. hable honor and integrity, ana inc Peopo
h. surrorted bis horses had absolute commence u'
a race % far as he was concerned was Dc'nI i"' :,
M .badow Of a sus picon OF u1cKery OF uIi'"''
was TO his love Of "a horse and his deep In'c'o J." -
gairs fiat the building Of the maglihcei' "''' Ne
.tatles ETC. a Monmouth Park was uue, NJ
,.s,od 4 fortune in this enterprise. Inc No''''o''
Iark Racing Association, under Mr. Wither7S in''"ro
mont was conducted different pThlcpIe Ho'" ina
~ other tracks in America. However SUITE
racing season might he, q per cent WINS ''S '"3m.,
aivie,.od which a stos,holder could receive. The
surplus went 10 the racing fund, which was uSeo -
iurave the grounds. Li 6ings, track. etc. ana thc
r,srl. WIS that the grounds Of the Monmouth iH"
Association became noted for their leauty ana cXce
lence. ~
Those facts demonstrate" said old turfman yes
terday that Wthers did not take al hl'cIc''
In racing for the money that was "
it, but simply for the love and eieVa'o'
of the sport. He had hundreds Of tho'sahoS o
dollars invested In the enterprise, but He tiongh' oi'
OF having ideal racing park than he dld OF sS'''
back his money"
Those who knew Mr.. Withers will say that he wa
most temperate and regular in his habits. Even IL
his sleepli-, and eating he recognized ard put m''
practice Il system. In many respects. too he WI
eccentric lie never married. At BroOkdale he ia
n place which he always called home, and 1t was the'
thot he spent the happicst days Of the later years