The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-21
Poor Louis Gimm at
Deaths Door.
PLUCKY RACER A WRECK
UGLY RUMoRs OF TRICKERY
ARE WHISPERED ABOUT.
Unfortunate Wheelman Said to Have
Been Dragged to Save Money of
Gamb lers Wagered on
His Opponents.

The six-day bicycle race is thing Of
the past The contest of brute physical
endurance has ended, but it has left In
its wake an atmosphere of odium sug-
gestive of trickery and crookedness, that
Is as alarming as the exhibition was dis
gushing. Louis Gimm, one of the riders,
who for the first three days of the race
bid fair to defeat Miller and capture first
money and the wreath of championship,
now lies at the point of death in his apart
ments at the st. Nicholas Hotel. When
Gimm totally collapsed about o'clock
on Sunday evening he was carried to his
quarters and later taken to his rooms
in the hotel. DR.. William c. Hopper was
Immediately summoned and his first eX-
animation of the rider showed that he
was in d very precarious condition. To all
appearances he was a complete physical
wreck. Yesterday morning DR.. Hopper
called in Dr.. Clark Burnham in consulta-
ton. The two physicians found Gimm s
temperature at 105 degrees, while he is on
the verge of typhoid fever. At present he
is attended by two trained nurses, but the
chances for his recovery are slight. No
one is allowed to see him by the order of
DR.. Hopper.
In speaking of his condition yesterday
DR.. Hopper said GtInm was threatened
with typhoid fever as a result of the race.
He thought his system was in a predis
posed condition when he entered the con-
test. In addition to this Gimm has what
is known as the dilated heart That is
his heart became so weakened by the de-
mands made upon his constitution that it
was unable TO pump the blood through
his veins properly and in consequence it
has collected in the valves of the heart.
DR.. Hopper did not hesitate to say that
Glmms condition was precarious in the
extreme. He admitted that it was the
result Of the race.
These are the facts that are generally
known to the public. but yesterday it was
rumored that Gimm had been drugged for
the purpose OF clearing the road for Mil
Ter while others assert that If this was
done 1t was to make the place money
easy Tor Aronson DR.. Hopper when pre-
sented with this view of the case admit
tea that ne was going TO make an exam
ination of Gimm's condition again for the
purpose of endeaYoring to ascertain this
very TACT He said that at present he
could not tell whether Gimm had been
druggeo or not, as the symptoms in his
present condition would be similar to
collapse such as he had suffered.
Very naturally, the managers of the
race, Messrs. Brady and Kennedy, boot
the idea OF Gimm having been drugged,
ana yet Brady says that while the race
was on he discovered suspicious man in
Glmm 5 tent, who said that he was q doc
tor ne had placed CUP Of coffee in the
once elected from the Pavilion by Brady
Brady also declares that he told Leonard
Gimm trainer, that he should move
Gimm from the same tent with Miller
Instead of doing this Aronson was TAX
en- into the tent. At this time Gimm was
far in the lead. John West, who trained
Miller, also assisted Leonard in handling
Gfmm. Every one vOuChes for the hon
esty, of West, who, they declare, is be
yond suspicion. Leonard also speaks in
high terms of West. but he admits that
he made mistake in having West assist
him in handling Gimm.
1t was on Wednesday afternoon, accord
ing to Brady, that Gimm suddenly be-
came deranged, and after that time he
was never himself and gradually began TO
go to pieces. When the race began Gimm
was in perfect physical condition. and the
only apparent trouble with which he suf
fered was a badly swollen knee, up to the
time he suddenly seemed to lose his Tea-
son: 1t is known that Miller was heavily
backed in New York, while when the race
began Gimm could have been bought at
alluring odds.
Brady speaks of some mysterious bet
ting. He declares that he is as anxious
to get to the bottom of any dirty work
if there was any, as any one. He also
admits that he was surprised by the man
ner in which Gimm suddenly seemed 10
become deTanged.
It may be possible that If Gimm was
drugged, his food was used as the means
through which to administer the poison
This Idea is hooted by the bicycle men
at the Pavilion, but they admit that 1t
was possible. 1t may be that Gimm S col
lapse was due entirely TO outraged nature
rebelling against its own abortion, but
this will be definitely proven by the ex-
animation which is TO be made by the
doctors. If they discover that the plucky
rider was drugged for the benent OF the
books, there may be an investigation ana
there NAV not. If it is necessary to hold
one there is little hope of anything oelng
proven or of anybody being implicated
Miller rides an Eldridge bicycle.