Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-19
DEAD IS THE SQUIRE
Excuses Made Him an Easy
Prey to PneumonIa
A CRACK GENTLEMAN JOCKEY
BAIRD Owned . Pine ss~ble and VA.
Also Noted - the fri~sd or
Handsome Women.


Baird. better kro~n az Squire Ahing
dan. died ~ the 81. Charles hotel at
a "a. Baird Was millionaire sports
man. and Is best knoen AZ the hacker II
Charley Mitchell, the English fusslist.O
Since arriving In New Orleans be has
been Healing tlfe u dissipation, aud
since Halls defeat be hardly went 10
bed until he broke down Ia health.
On the night ~ the fight Abingdon
was selected to 20 into the corner With
Han. got because be Mas thought 10
know much about handling a man. but
simply sor the honor ~ having been Ia
tho eorner. tie wore nothing but
Isno-e underShift. a. did the other sec
onds. I, x~s rather warm during the
early part IL the evening. but before the
hight began il hai changed consider
ably. and there were many dangerous
,lFsughts whlxzing through the blg pine
building. After the defeated pulalist
bad been escorted hack Ia the hotel the
entire party went out for lark. ard a
general round ~ dissipation was begun
then. ia which jim Hall and the squire
played the leading parts. and which did
not end until the squire broke down and
had 10 90 81 bed.
Too Much Dissipation.
TIE squire was only 81 years II age.
but Was a millionaire in England. which
means that be Was worth more than five
millions of dollars. This was tho first
time he had ever heen in America and
he was 10 delighted with the country
t.4f he. h.. lar
IN the year with Mitchell and do gen
rrai tour before the big fight in Dceem-
Der. Ills estates In England are repre-
scented 20 he magnificent and his stock
farm l. one az the finest in that country.
His illness al first vas not considered
10 be- of serious nature. and wis r.
gafsied merely as cold. resulting from
dissipation. However, a physician was
called in. and the sick man was given
every possible attention DIR. Fitch had
originally been called in 10 attend Ia
the squire. but when he continued 10
grow worse DIR. Miles. the distinguished
surgeon and physician ~ the Charity
hospital. was summoned for consulfa-
tloB. AZ that time the squire was de-
lirious and violent. and had 10 have with
him constantly some one 10 prevent him
FROM doing himself violence. After the
cousuitatinn between DIR. Miles and DIR.
Fitch. the telegram was sent Ia the east
that the sick man was suffering with
pneumonia. and that his recovery, de.
spite his splendid constitution, was re
garded as improbable. lie had dissi
pated 50 much in the past fortnight that
his physical yigur had been impaired
aud the disease made rapid inroads
upon him.
As Don Jaun.
Squire Abingdon was one ~ tho best
all round sporting men 81 England. tie
was a gentleman jockey 81 Great
Britain. having ridden against the best
men ~ England and Scotland Ii was
only within few years past that pugil-
ism began 10 divide his attention with
racing But since ne took enthusiast
calls % fighters Abingdon has backed
nearly all the lighters of prominence In
Great Britain.
The squire was exceedingly affable
and made many friends He was rich
iron master. with an income q $4,000
a year.
He ran away with Dolly Lester. ex-
ballet dancer and wife OK the marquis II
.Aisie=bury. few years ago. and paid
tHf fttA~ LAN'-A'"t ~ TAAAit tAtt fiiet-
ter. He vas az one time on friendly
terms with the notorious Bessie Bel
wood aud was named "a co respondent
IN a divorce suit brought by Mr. Lam
caster. whose wife was stage beauty.
known as Agnes Hewitt. Once. too. the
papers cautiously referred 10 "A partner
snip between the squire and Mrs. Lang
try.
Nnw Y0rK. March Is Charlie
Mitchell and Jim Hall arrived at tho
Grand Central depot az l0..E5. A tele-
gram vas awaiting Mitchell, which read
a. follows
squire died at 5 o'clock this morn
ing
When Mitchell was asked II the
z3uires death would affect the fight. be
replied that II would not; that the squire
hai given him money 10 bet. and u be
Ven he was 20 keep H. Mitchell then
spoke icelingly shout his friend.