New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-07
ACCIDENT THAT WAS FINALLY FATAL
HOW MRS. WHITNEY WAS HURT AT AIKEN
HER SOCIAL CAREER


HOW MRS WHITNEY WAS HURT AT AIKEN
HER SOCIAL CAREER.
Mrs. Whitney met with the accident which finally
caused her death while riding TO Thomas Hitch
cocks deerhounds at Aiken. s. c.. in February
1895. The field she riding with was distin-
gushed one, including Lord and Lady Colebrook
who we're guests Of Mr.. and Mrs. Whitney; Mr.. and
Mrs Thomas Hitchcock Jr.. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
F. Havemeyer (Mr. Havemeyer has since died). MT
and Mrs Duncan Eliot Mr.. and Mrs sidney
Smith and other members OF the winter colony al
Aiken pet deer was set loose for the sport OF
the assembled hunters. and the riding was exciting
and hard Mrs Whitney who was capital morse
woman was mounted on a large horse or the
steeplechase build. Her usual mount was sinai
horse. She rode with great spirit close at inc "e.
Of Mr. Whitney until the homestretch' Where tne
accident occurred. At point known as Robinson
Pond there Is a shed and through the archway
underneath this superstructure raced the frightened
deer followed by the dogs and the hunters most oi
whom ducked their heads TO avoid the plate peam
OF the shed as they passed underneath
Mr. whitney. fully realizing that his wife was on
much taller horse than she was accustomeu u
ride turned 10 warn her OF the shed, but 1t was
too late In an upright position with head anu EYES
directed toward the deer and hounds she charseu
stroI9bt NJ the entrance OF the arch She was
sv,cnt backward and her mount galoped rideriess
underneath the shed
Mrs whitney lay upon the grouilu VIII" an ~
wound in the top Of her head. She was uhco"-
sc,ous DR. Valentine Mott one OF the riders was
soon at her side but he could do little for her un
sbo r,os carried to the Jayne cottage Mr.. MT
ravs home quite two miles away. The coha''on
n, Mrs whitney demanded superior medicei anu
surgical skill and Mr.. Whitney wiTed 10 '"'' ~,
o. nv r r Dana TO take special train ana not
N lose a moment" One OF the fastest locoiho'i'e'
o,vnAd nv the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company was
nd q N,
n, n pullman car was soon flying southwark Inc
axnress time bet ween this city and Aiken Is twenty
four hours but the train carrying III Daha Oe"'
the schedule time by ten hours.
4, Mr. Whitney's house DR.. Dana found the p"
ton, IN tho hands OF DR. Mott. DR.. c. s. Bull ana
number OF local practitioners. Eminent speciaiis's
were summoned. and at first were puzzied OWING
% tho a,trere obscurity OF the symptoms IL was
announced that she was suffering from fracture OF
the second vertebra. An appliance rese"o'''e
coge was devised and In this Mrs. Whtneys hedo
rested constantly day and night. She was paraiy]eu
10 a great extent. and could move only her myers
very slightly She improved slowly until the SPRING
when the warm climate OF the South proved weak
ennx ana made Il necessary TO bring her North
Dr. Bull went to Aiken from this city and per
sonally superintended the arranging OF the u'dw-
ing-room car as a perfect hospital on wheels i"e
chief feature OF this was the placing OF d orass
bedstead in the middle OF the car. 40 fixed that
no,h,,e could aisnlace IT, In this bed Mrs Whit
ney was placed upon pneumatic mattress so CON
structed that none OF the Earring or Joitins Oh ra
road travel could disturb ner' In inns Sa' @
patient made the journey from Aiken to this city
Mrs Whitney endured the long trip with remark
able success and continued to Improve "hiie
confined at her home, No "a West Fifty-seventh-
a, until the warm weather began TO rob her OF her
strength and then II was Determined 10 Iens
nar To Mr. Wbiney's country place on the Wheat
ley Hs near wesbury Lons Island NJ, Tnis WSve
vas made in June last In this journey MIS- VIM,
ney had TO be driven two miles through me cry
s,rycets 10 cross the East River on ferryboat, 10
ride Twenty-Five miles by RAIL- and then IN, IN car ar
lie .. he taken three and a hair miles from tne
stafion to her home. Although her meek x. ana ana
shoulders were incased In plaster OF paris anu h
head was held In a steel framework to preveht ne1
moving even the smallest fractional part OF an
inch she did not suffer and the journey was ~
comprshed without bad results ,,h Mrs
The country air appeared 10 agree win nv, w.
whitney but IT WIS not many weeks Wen hi,ne e
heat became too intense for her, ana AT Nni' ~
was advised TO remove her to his cottage o h,s
Journey and il was accomplished With resui ns
ynost gratifying TO the patient Mr. Mhltney anu
the Attending physician. DR. y: r McGahah,. 1904
Throush the summer Mrs. Whitney eryoysd soo9
health but was unable 10 leave her PEG: al anu
Mrs whitney had two cottages-The Anchorage