Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-07-30
CLAIMS
RECKLESS
DRIVER
G. WINTHROP SANDS DEAD
IN AUTO WRECK IN FRANCE
Victim Step-Son of W. K. Van
derbiIt and Famous Among
Friends for FondneSS for
High Speed; Chauffeur Hurt.

/ Special Leased wIreI IBy N

by Morning IanrnaI Special Leased wIrel
Paris, July 29--In one of the most
terrible automobile accidents in man,
years in France, G. Winthrop Sands,
step-son OF w. X. Vanderbilt, was
killed this morning just outside the
grounds Of Mr. Vanderbilt's beautiful
country seat, the chateau st. Louis de
Poissy, twenty miles from Paris.
Mr.. Sands was driving his fifty
horse power car along at a terrific clip
in desire to reach the chateau where
Mrs Sands and her infant daughte.
were stopping. He had always been
known as a reckless driver, and as he
had been delayed at railroad crossings
he opened the throttle wide as ne ap-
preached the chateau grounds.
Almost Immediately tire burst and
the machine crashed into a t-cee,
turning turtle and burying Mr.. S1 ,ds
under the forward part and pinnins
the chauffeur. Pickins, to the groun6
An explosion followed, and in a mo-
ment the car was in flames.
Peasants working In the adjoining
fields were the only witnesses to The
accident. They rushed to the rescue,
but fearing a further explosion Jf The
gasoline tank, and deferred by the
sweep of flames, they stood idly by,
not knowing how to give assistance to
the injured men. Finally they ran
aged to raise the rear of the car and
release the chauffeur, both of wh ose
feet had been held tight, and litsle
later after beating down the fire, ;aey
dragged out the torn, bleeding and
burned body of Sands.
Help soon arrived from the cha. au,
which is in the center of Mr.. VahGer-
bilt's great breeding farm. The in
| jured men were carried to the no j -,
where 1t was found that Sands was
beyond the hope of recovery, but that
the chauffeur was not seriously in
Jured
Pickens later gave the Associated
| Press a graphic account of the accl-
dent.
We left Deauville," he said, al 5
o'clock in the morning, Mr.. Sands hav-
| ing gone there yesterday to see his
two-year-old daughter, who was with
Mrs. Vanderbilt and his brother
stephen. Mr.. Sands was driving, anl
We were going at a rapid pace, prob-
| ably seventy-five miles an hour, as
he was anxious to reach the chateau.
where Mrs Sands and the baby were
The machine was fifty horse power
car and capable of great speed. Two
enforced delays at railroad crossings
had somewhat annoyed Mr.. Sands.
and as we approached the chateau
grounds he asked me the hour. 1t
was exactly 7:15 a. m. We are late
he muttered and at the same time
opened the throttle wider. An explo-
sion followed and in a moment the
car was in flames"
Almost Immediately the right hand
forward tire blew up. The machine
skidded and bumped and then seemed
to jump off the road.
1T struck tree with such force
that il reb6unded against another. lit.
orally climbing up the trunk and top
| pling over backwards, imprisonlng MIR.
Sands under the forward part.
"Only my feet were caught under
the rear portion of the car. and l lost
consciousness for a moment. When
recovered the wreck already was in
| flames, the motor having exploded.
| From where 1 lay l could see that
Sands was utterly helpless amid the
burning wreckage. His right leg.
which was crushed and almost severed,
was bleeding profusely. He was roast
Ing as though on a spit in the roaring
! furnace
Mr.. Sands was groaning in agony.
but kept his nerve | struggled, but |
could not free myself. | turned as far
as | could and asked Are you suffer-
ing much?' and he answered: My
God, horribly
Il again lost consciousness and
when | came To l was lying on the
roadside and the peasants were tear
ing apart the hot. twisted iron. In ex-
Treating Sands. his leg was left In the
Iwreckage, separating from the body
as he was dragged out. The fright
ful sight will haunt me to my dying
day"
The servants, fearing the effect on
Mrs, Sands. concealed from her the
gravity OF the accident and persuaded
her not to enter the room where her
dying husband had been placed. A
doctor summoned from Polssey arrived
soon afterward, but Mr. Sands was be-
yond mortal aid. Never had he seen
the doctor said, such a pitIful human
wreck The stump of the leg had
been burned to a crisp and the face
and body were black and scared by the
flames In addition to the terrible in
ternal injuries. Mr.. Sands right arm
and shoulder were broken. The doc
tor could only try to alleviate his suf-
fering with opiates. Several times this
man regained consciousness and CRIED
out IN agony. his last words being q
cry for water.
Mrs. Sands was not informed AZ once
OF her husbands death. but william
! Duke, trainer Of Mr.. vanderbiIt's rae
! ing stable. advised him by telephone
! and he and Mrs. Vanderbilt. accom-
! panied by stephen Sands. went /,
Polssey By train. arriving there a
, 2:s0 in the afternoon All were over
+ whelmed.
Mrs. Vanderbilt broke the news Il