The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-09
SENATOR DARBY HURT
A Horse, at Richmond, Va, Threw Him
and Broke His Right Leg-He Is Getting
Along Very Well

We take the following from yester-
days Richmond Dispatch:
Hon. T. A. Darby. of Palatka, Fla.
a distinguished membe OF the PENN
sula states senate and a most inflUen-
tial gentleman, both in political and
business life. met with a serious acct
dent in this city yesterday. which may
result in the loss of one Of his feet.
He was thrown from the back OF 4
spirited horse at the corner of Twen-
ty-first and Grace streets, n SuS-
tanned a compound Potts fracture OF
his right leg just above the ankle. One
OF the bones Drotruded through the
flesh, and naturally the injury caused
the unfortunate gentleman great suf-
fering, though he bore his pain with
a fortitude which bordered on the
heroic.
Mr.. Darby is interested in a number
of commercial enterprises, among them
the development of some gold mining
property in Buckingham. He came up
from Florida recently to attend the
meeting of the company which owns
this property, and of which he is a
large stakeholder, and at the reorgani-
cation meeting held recently, at which
DR.. Taber, of this city, was chosen
president and Mr.. Judson Cunning
ham a director, Mr.. Darby vas made
general manager. He had been for
! some days in buckingham getting
things in shape for prospecting, and
came to Richmond to purchase sup
| plies. Among other things he needed
was a horse, and seeing a handsome
| animal being led past the store of Mr..
Cunningham, where he was at the
! time, he made a deal with the owner
| for the purchase of the horse.
The animal was subsequently being
led up to a stable by a boy, and Mr..
Darby ak along looking at him.
| The horse became frightened at some
thing, n reared n jumped consid-
| erably. Fearing that the boy could not
manage him, Mr.. Darby, who is an
experienced hoTseman, ven to his as
| sistance, and mounted the back of the
fiery steed, which proved to be an un-
I broken colt, and no sooner had it re-
ceived it's burden tina it began to buck
in a frightful manner. Mr.. Darby main
tanned his seat in the saddle, however,
until the strain became SO intense that
the bit in the horses mouth broke.
| Then, finding himself no longer able to
control the maddened animal, the gen.
tleman attempted to dismOunt. In so
doing, the horse obtained the mastery,
and in the twinkling Of an eye the rider
was thrown to the ground, and had re-
celved a kick from the maddened beast.
1t was this kick that fractured the
bones in the ankle.
"Mr. Emmett Taylor, of the Society
for the Prevention Of Cruelty to AMI
mails, was a witness to the accident,
n rushed out into the street and
picked the injured gentleman up and
a him sent to his home, No. 21O9
East Broad street. There he was
made as comfortable as possible, and
while he awaited the coming Of DIR.
Taber. whom he sent for, he calmly
smoked a cigar. The ambulance,
which had been summoned, responded
in the mean time. and after DIR. Taber.
accompanied by DR.. Corey, arrived, he
had his patient removed in the ambu-
lance to the Retreat for the Sick. At
the Retreat DR.. Mclean dressed the
injured limb. 1t was at first thought
that the foot would have to be ampu-
tated, but h ankle seems now to be
yielding to treatment, and the physi-
clans have strong hopes that they will
be able to save the member"
Senator Darby is a Wilmingtonian
and his mother, Mrs. James Darby, re-
sides here. His friends regret to learn
OF his misfortune, but we are glad to
learn from a telegram to his mother
yesterday that though he is badly hurt,
there is no cause for alarm, and that
he expects to be out in three weeks.