The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-03-19
BACKBR DEAD.
Pneumonia Carries off George A
Baird, Squire Abingdon
HIS PACE WAS VERY RAPID.
A Splendid Constitution Breaks Under
Dissipation, the Result, Death.
Els Remains VIII Be Taken TO England
for Interment-His Taking OF
VIII no Doubt End the Cor
bett-HIitche1 Match.

NEW ORLEANS, March 1S.-George A.
Baird, better known as esquire Abing-
don, - the friend and companion of the
English pugilist, Charlie Mitchell, died
here this morning. The death created
something OF a sensation here, as it had
not leaked out that he was so seriously
ILL., When the squire came here from New
York with the Hall and Mitchell party he
was in the very best of spirits and
splendid health, with quick, elastic step
and bright, rudy face. He came in ex-
cellent condition for long stay, engaged
the best rooms in the hotel, began to open
wine Immediately for all to whom he took
a liking and spent money right and
left Tor wine and women. He
found New Orleans very fast in sporting
sense and cut out pace that all who
were with him had to follow, except Hall.
On the night of the fight he was selected
to 60 into the corner with Hail, not be-
cause he was thought to know much
about handling man, but simply for
the honor of having been in the corner
He wore nothing but loose undershirt,
as did the other seconds. It was rather
warm during the early part of the even
ing, but before the fight began it had
changed considerably and there were
many dangerous draughts whizzing
through the big pine building. The
squire handled ice and bottles in the
corner aud made himself generally useful
until the fight was over and Hall had
been taken back to his room.
After the defeated pugilist had been es-
corted back to the hotel, the entire party
went out for a lark, and a general round
OF dissipation began then, in which jim
Hall and the squire played the leading parts
and which did not end until the squire
broke downIand had to go to bed. His i'll
ness at first was not considered serious and
was regarded merely as a cold resulting
from dissipation. However, a physician
was called in and the sick man given
every possible attention. He himself did
not believe that he was very badly off.
and was SO confident that he would
be up in a day or two and be able to go
east that he insisted that Mitchell should
start on ahead of him for New York, the
western trip with Bat Masterson having
been abandoned. Mitchell left with Hall
and the squire expected to meet him in time
to sail on the Majestic Wednesday. The
Majestic will carry back to England on
Wednesday the dead body of the squire
and his sorrowing friends.
1t was not until dispatch came here
from Buffalo TO the effect that Mitchell had
received word that the squire was dying,
that any faith was placed in the rumors
current on the streets yesterday evening
that the squire was at the point of death.
DIR. Fitch had originally been called
in to, attend the squire, but when
he continued to grow worse DR..
Miles, the distinguished surgeon and
physician of Charity hospital, was sum-
moned for consultation. At that time the
squire was delirious and violent and had
to have with him constantly someone to
prevent him from doing himself violence.
After consultation between DR.. Miles and
DR.. Fitch, telegram was sent east that
the sick man was suffering with pneu-
monia and that his recovery, despite his
splendid constitution, was regarded i'm
probable. He had dissipated so much in
the past fortnight that his physical vigor
had been impaired and disease made
rapid inroads upon him.
During all his illness his secretary
Teddy Bailey, and his valet, VIM. Monk,
remained constantly with him and he was
given every attention that money could
procure in the mattel of trained nurses
and scientific care. During the night the
condition of the patient continued to grow
worse, and despite the unremitting atten-
ton of physicians and nurses he was SC
far gone when daylight broke that his
death became only a question of few
hours. Sinking slowly death finally &C.
CURED at 9 O'Clock. He had been i'll but a
week.
Last night Charley Mitchell telegraphed
here that he would come back at once to
the side of the squire, and would reach
here Monday morning. He was then at
Buffalo. This morning he is in New
York. The squire was not yet cold when a
wire was sent on to Mitchell announcing
the death of his friend and arresting his
proposed journey south. kilograms were
also Immediately sent to various points in
the east and to New York, and cable
grams to the family in England, consist
ing of his mother, sister and cousins.
Replies were received from over the wa
ter placing all arrangements in the hands
of Secretary Bailey, who, with DIR. Fitch
as guide, started forth at once to carry
out the wishes of the family of the dead
man.
Undertaken johnson was sent for, and
at $3.50 o'clock a van drove up to the hotel
and TIE body was removed to the funeral
directors where it is now being en-
balmed. Bailey secured transportation
for himself and valet and body over the
Piedmont Air Line and will leave with
the remains for New York this evening.