The Washington herald., 1908-07-30
KILLED BY HIS AUTO
Yanderbilt's StepsOn Victim
of an Accident.
CAR ovERTURNs AND BURNS
Death Near His Chateau in France.
Chauffeur Is Also Injured by Car
Turning Turtle and Catching Fire.

Paris. July sc. Winthrop Sands. a
stepson of W K. Vanderbilt was killed
IN a frightfuI automobile accident which
occurred at O'Clock this morning just
outside the grounds Of 0ir. vanderbilt's
beautiful country seat, the Chateau ST.
Louis de Poissy, twenty-five miles from
Paris.
Mr. Sands was riding with the chauf-
feur. when, in some manner that has not
yet been cleared Up, the automobile,
which was spinning along at a fairly
high rate Of speed. left the road and
struck a tree with terrific force.
When the car collided with the tree i
tzrned turtle. Mr.. Sands being thrown IN
der It and pinned there. The chauffeur
was more fortunate Although he was
thrown out as the machine Iurched. only
his feet were caught under the wreck
sands Leg Torn on.
Several worzmen who had witnessed
the accident rushed up, but as the ma
chine Immediately took FIRE. they kept
away from it, momentariiy fearing aa
explosion As this did not occur. the
men finally rushed in and exrricated the
horribly nutiIated body Of Mr.. Sands.
literally tearing OF his leg. which was
frnly pinned down by the torn and
twisted machinery Of the blazing wreck.
He was taken Into the chateau, and died
Two hours later
0Ir. Sands left DeaUville al $50 o'clock
this morning 10 come Up 10 Poissy. The
only ether person In the ca was thu
chauffeur, Pfckinss- The pace was fast
all the way. Mr. Sands was at the
wheel When the accident occurred the
automobile had just reached the En-
trance to the chauteau grounds. and was
going at the rate OF sixty-two miles ar
hour
The chauffeur was not gravely hurt.
His boots we're liIeTsiiy es-bonizsd by
the flames. but an examination proved
that the burns and injuries 10 his body
We're slight
Only a mass Of twisted iron remains
OF the automobile which was q con
verted racer Of 10 horsepower Mr..
Mr. Sands friends say he was al expert.
but reckless driver.
Mrs Sands and her two children. the
youngest being only six weeks old. are al
the chateau The Sands family were pre-
pairing TO move into an apartment which
they had just rented and fitted I'd n The
Mr.. Sands retained consciousness U1tf
the end He suffered terrible tortures
from his burns and injuries before death
came
Father Killed at Hunt.
SIr Sands was q son Of the press-.
Mrs W X. Vanderbilt by her first nus
band. Samuel Sands, who was killed al
the Meadowbrook Hunt some years ago.
Mrs. Sands-Rutherford was married &c
W. X Vanderbilt in 1853.
Mr Sands mother Mrs Vanderbilt,
his stepfather. and his brother were al
the chateau when the accident occurred
All were overwhelmed with grief Mrs
Vanderbilt was almost distracted when
the torn and burned body Of her son was
borne renderly indoors.
The members OF the family were ap-
Prised Of the accident by telegraph.
George W Vanderbilt is at Dinard- Har-
old 5. Vanderbilt left here this morning
for London. W X. Vanderbilt j.. is a
AK les Bains-
AIr sands entered Harvard in 1904 an6
a year later was married 20 Miss Tay-
lor Newton. He was twenty-seven years
old az the time Of his death
Duchess StepSister-
M Vanderbnts daughter. the Duchess
OF Marlborough. whose marriage was one
Of the most notable events OF New Eork'i
society history. is in Europe. The
Duchess spent several months IN New
York and Newport last year. durinG
which time she visited her mother, Mrs
I 0. H P. Belmont
/ The mother Of the Duchess obtained 4
divorce from Mr.. Vanderbilt and wa
married 10 O. H P. Belmont. who dieS
recently. Some years after the divorce
/ Mr. Vanderbilt married Mrs. Ann Harri
man Rutherford. who IS now with hin