The morning call., 1892-02-29
A LIVING DEATH.
Frightful Injuries of Victim OF the Col
lision at Hastings.
A Boston Globe special.

Boston GLOBE special.
Mrs. Homer r. Baldwin, who was ininred
in the New York Central collision at Hast
ings last Christmas evening. has been re-
moved from st. Johns Hospital in TOnkefs
to the Geduey House in New York. -:
Some day this week she will undergo the
operation of skin grating, the lntegumenE &:
to be obtained from the arms Of her h US
band. e,5.
My wife is perfectly conscious and has
been suffering the intenseSt pain ever snce.
the accident" said Mr. Baldwin to a Globe
reporter at the Gedney House, = -.
YOu know my mother, my sister, my
wife and myself were all on our way to
Niagara Falls. We had been locking for.
ward to the trip with great delight, and had
set our minds upon it. We came very near.
missing the train-we just caught it and:
that was all. :: ..-
"Our berths were in the last car. The
ladies were in their seats. i was in the
smoking compartment. Somebody had said
let's go 10 bed but / had pack of cards
in my hand and insisted upon having Ona
last game Of whist. just then the. crash
came. o.. '..
"The steam was so thick l could not get
into the main part OF the car. threw my
self on the floor and CROPPED my way out.
At the place where l knew my family had
been | saw three pair OF feet protrudlng
through the side of the car.
'As the locomotive teiesc0ped the car and
was putting and Kissing 10 one dared go near
for fear of an explosion. But Isdid not care
for anything, and recognizing my mother.
sister aud wife by their clothing l said 3: II
you are alive kick your feet
Il thought that il they were dead would:
60 and help some one else. We got them
out one by one. Ny poor wife was aliYes
but horribly burned. Poor John PAlen
was taken out and placed beside my wife.
He said to ME hGSkily L N dying, / IA
dying He died in a few moments
My wife is only 20 years old and was
always in splendid health. Her youth and
good constitution, together with her Won
derful pluck, has kept her alive. Her lett
arm has been amputated just above the
wrist but another amputatiOn viii nave to
be made. She was perfectly conscious when
the arm was amputated because the doctor
was afraid she would die from the effects OF
ether. o.:
Her right hand win be amputated, too.
The bones of the fingers are protruding.
Her ears are both gone and her eyellds are
severely scalded. she las saved ner sight,
but special operation will be necessary to
restore her eyelidS to proper condition.
THE whole lower part Of her face is all
right Her teeth were not injured. But
from her eyes, right back over the top and
to the back of her head, the flesh is raw.
There is also a space about the size Of the
! palm OF your hand on her hand from which
the skin has been torn away. =.
For weeks my wife had to lie upon Ice;
| BAGS" continued Mr.. Baldwin, ito cool the
blood. She has so far progressed toward
normal condition now that this is not neces-
sary What the doctor feared most. and
what he fears yet, is that the inner plate OK
the skull may have been injured and that
pus may form there, causing congestion
| which would prove fatal
"The skull was burned, and is white and
chalky. All this will have 10 be 3craDed
if the inner plate is not injured, skn-gl aft
Ing viii be undertaken then, Bat it is the
large surface from the eyes to tie back OF
tie head that wI equire the most grating
and ii is this injury too that causes her the
most agony.
Owing to the large surface exposed the
| application Of antiseptic dressing has to be
| made frequ entity, and with the utmost care
| in its preparation, to prevent blood poison
| ing. II my wife had died at the time Of
| the collision it would not have been so
| hard, but if she should die now, after all
! these weeks of eXcrucating pain,.it would
seem to be a most unjust ana cruel Yisi-.
| tation. ).
"She has shown the most remarkable
fOrtitude. OF course she is at times de-
spondent but for the most ofathe tins
she is bright and cheerful, in spite Of her
agony" -'.-. s...>