The morning call., 1893-03-19
PugiIist Mitchell Is Left
Stranded.
SQUIRE ABINGDON BAIRD DEAD
lie Beat Mrs. Langtry, but for All
That He Was a Perfect Gem
tieman.



was so seriously i'll. When the squire came
here from New YORK with the Hall and
Mitchell party he was in the very best of
spirits and in splendid health. with quick.
elastic step and a bright, rudy face. He
came in excellent condition for long stay.
engaged the best rooms al the hotel, began
+ 10 open wine immed iately for all to whom
he took liking. and spent money right and
left on wine and women. he found New
Orleans very fast, in a sporting sense, and
cut out pace that all who were with him
had 10 follow except Hall. On the night Of
the fight he was selected to 90 into his
corner with Hall, not because he was
thought to know much about handling men,
but simply for the honor Of having been in
The corner. He wore nothing but loose
undershirt, as did the other seconds. Il
was rather warm during the early part of
the evening but before the tight began it
had changed considerably and there were
many dangerous draughts whiZzilg through
The big pine building The squire handled
the ice and bottles in the corner. and made
himself generally useful until the fight was
over and Hall had been taken back 10 his
room.
After the defeated pugilist had been es-
Coried back TO his hotel the entire party
went out for a lark. A general round Of
dissipation was begun then, in which Jim
Hall and the squire played the leading
parts and which did not end until Baird
broke down and had TO 60 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 was given
every possible attention. BE himself did
not believe he was very bad off, and was so
bat he ka nv in Il nv Or
two and able to go East that he insisted that
Mitchell should start on ahead of him for
New York, the Western trip with Bat Mast
erson having been abandoned. Mitchell left
with Hall and Baird expected to meet him
In time to sail on the Majestic on Wednes-
day. The Majestic will carry back to Eng
land the dead body Of the squire, and his
sorrowng friends.
Il was not until a 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 TumOrs
current on the streets yesterday evening
that Baird W as at the point Of death.
DR.. Fitch had originally been called in to
attend the sick man, but when he continued
10 grow worse. DR.. Miles, the distinguished
surgeon and physician of the Charity Hos
pital, was summoned for consultation. At
lave some one with him constantly 10 pre-
vent him doing himself violence.
After the consultation between Drs.
Miles and Fitch, telegram was sent East
that the sick man was suffering with pneu-
monia and that his recovery, despite his
splendid constitution, was regarded as i'm
probable. He had disspated so much in
the past fortnight that his physical vigor
lad been impaired and that the disease had
made rapid inroads upon him.
During all Of his illness. his secretary,
Teddy Bailey, and his valet, William Monk
had remained constantly with him, and he
was given every attention that money could
procure il the matter of trained nurses and
scientific care. During last night the con-
dtion of the patient continued to grow
worse, and despite the unremitting atten-
tion Of physicians and nurses, he was so far
gone when daylight broke that his death
became only a question Of few hours. He
was sinking slowly. and death finally oc-
cured at 8 O'clock. lie had been i'll but
enc week.
Last night Charley Mitchell teleGraphed
that he would come back al once to the side
Of Baird, and would reach here on Monday
morning. He was then at Buffalo. This
morning he was In New York. and the
squire was not yet cold when " ire was
sent On to Mitchell announcing the death of
his friend and arresting his proposed
journey south. kilograms were also imme-
diately sent to various points in the East
and to New York and eablegrams to the
family in England, consisting of Baird's
mother, sister aud cousins. Replies re-
ceived from over the water placed all
arrangements in the hands of Secretary
Bailey. who, with DR.. Fitch as his guide,
started forth ar once to carry out the wishes
of the family of the dead man. Undertaken
johnson was sent for and at $50 O'clock a
van drove up to the hotel and the body was
removed to the funeral directors, where it is
now being embalmed. Bailey has secured
transportation for himself, the valet and
The body over the Piedmont air line. and
will leave with the remains for New York
this evening.
Bailey has secured berths on the Majestic
for himself and Monk, and will take the
remains with him to the beautiful home. Of
squire in Cambridge.
Mitchell is expected to remain in New
York until the party reaches there, and will
go back TO the old country with Monk and
Bailey.
Baird was only 81 years Of &c. but was
millionaire in England, which means that
he was worth more than $1,000, 900. This is
the first time he as ever been in America,
and be was 50 delighted with the country
that he had declared he would return later
in the year with Mitchell and do a general
tour before the big fight in December. His
estates in England are represented to be
magnificent. and his stock-farm one OF the
finest in that country.
Poor Monk, his valet, who has been with
him three years and who was his faithful
attendant during his last Illness is broken
hearted over the death Of his master He
said: Il cannot realize that the squire is
dead. He was one of the best-hearted men
/ ever met. Nothing was too good for those
lie liked. and be was generous to a fault.
He was one of the most popular men in
England, and his death will be generally
lamented, particularly among admirers Of
the turf and patrons Of sport. He took an
interest in all kinds of sport, and spent
money freely in fostering them.
He had a beautiful home at Moulton
Paddocks and training quarters for his fine
stock at Newmarket. He owned some of
the finest broodmares in England and one
Of the speediest horses. He was probably
the best gentleman rider who ever st-addled
horse in England, and his excellence in
that respect was universally conceded. He
had not ridden, however, in the past year,
having met with quite serious accident by
being thrown from a horse. He was also
bitten Dy vicious animal in the leg, and
that bad kept him from indulging his love
for equestrianism recently. He was not
married. but his mother is living and he has
sister and other relatives at home who
will be shocked at the news Of his DEATH"
Baird was the son of very rich iron
founder, and some time ago he came into
international notorety through kicking
Mrs. Langtry in the face. the English
beauty being at that time under his care in
q financial way.
NEW YORK, March 1S.-An evening paper
says Baird was proud of the fact that he
struck Mrs. Lily Langtry while he was under
the influence of drink and blackened her