The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-08-01
FRICNTFUL DEATH
FOR 6. ". SANDS
Vdnderblli'S StGpSQn Roasted
Under Overturned Auto.
HIS BODY BADLY hUTILATED

Was Penned Under Blazing Wrccksg,
After Car Struck Tree Near Paris
leg Was Torn or Before He W..
Reieased-His Body and Face VA
Scared From Flames. Ia Addition {,
Terrible Internal lnluries-wss CO
ing IS Miles An Hour-chaUNcur
Not Seriously Injured.
Paris. July 30.-ln one of tae mos
terrible automobile accidents ia many
years in France. g. Winthrop Sends. q
stepson of ". X. Vanderbilt. was kluo,
Just outside the grounds OF MI Van
derbilts beautiful country scat. th,
Chateau St Louis de Poissy. twenty
miles from Paris
Mr.. Sands was driving his afy
horse power car along at torribl,
clip. in desire TO reach the chateau
where Mrs. Sands ana h,r infant
daughter are staying He haI alway,
been known as a reckless driver. AN,
as he had been delayed at railroad
crossings. ne opened the throttle wii,
as he approached the chateau ground 3
Almost Immediately tire burst an,
the machine crashed into tree turn
ing turtle and hurying Mr. Sands under
the forward psrt and piuling IN,
chauffeur. piciin.. 90 tho ground Al
explosion followed. and IN momcn
the car was Ia flames
Peasants working i'm the adioinln.
fields we're the only witnesses 20 IN,
accident They rushed 90 the rescue
hut fearing further explosion OF th'
gasoline tank and. deferred Ply "a,
sweep Of famcs. thoy stood idly by
not knowing how 20 give assistance {,
the injured men. Finally they man
aged 90 raise the rear part of the ca
and release the chauffeur. both @
whose feet had been held tight. and ,
little later. after beating down the fire
'hcy dragged ont the torn. biecdin,
and burned body OF Sands
Help soon arrived from the chateau
The injured men were carried To- th,
house. where il was found that sand.
was beyond the hope OF recovery. bui
that the chauffeur was not seriously
injured.
Picllins later gave a graphic account
of the accident
Mr.. Sands was driving, and W,
We're going at rapid pace. probabl,
scvcnty-fve miles an hour. Th,
two enforced delays at railroad cross
inss had somewhat annoyed Mr.
Sands. and as We approached the
chateau grounds he asked me ths
hour. IL was exactly 715 a. m. Were
late he muttered. and at the same
time opened the throttle wider. Almost
Immediately the right hand forward
tire blew up. The machine skidded
and bumped and then seemed 10 iumr
on the road.
1t struck tree with such force that
II rebounded against another literally
climbing up the trunk. and then top
pling over backwards. imprisoning MI
Sands under the forward part.
only my feet were caught under
the rear portion OF the car. and lost
consciousness for moment. When /
recovered the wreck already was in
flames. the motor having exploded
From where lay could see that Mr.
Sands was utterly helpless amid the
burning wreckage. His right leg
which was crushed and almost sew
cred, was bleeding profusely He was
roasting as though on a spit in the
roaring furnace.
Mr.. Sands was groaning in agony
but keeping his nerve. struggled. but
| could not free myself. turned as far
as | could and asked: Are you suffer.
ing much?' and be answered: My
God, horribly
Il again lost consciousness. and
when | came to ! was lying on ths
roadside and peasants were tearing
apart the hot twisted iron. In extricat.
ing Sands. his leg was left in the
wreckage, separating from the body as
the man was dragged out The fright
ful sight Will haunt me to my dying
day"
A doctor. summoned from Poissy. ar.
rived soon afterward. but Mr.. Sands
was beyond mortal aid Never had he
seen. the doctor said. such a pitifu'
human wreck. The stump of tho I.r
had been burned TO a crisp. and the
face and body were black and scared
with flames. In addition TO terrible in
ternai injuries. Mr.. Sands right arm
and shoulder were broken. The physi.
clan could only try to alleviate his
sufferings with opiates. Several times
the man regained consciousness and
cried out in agony. his last words be.
ing a cry for water.