New-York tribune., 1909-10-09
DIES AFTER Is YEARS
pICTIM OF TRAIN WRECK
VAS II BRIDE.
Mrs. Mary q. BaId1cin a SightIess
and Mutilated InUaIid after Ac-
cident- Caused Reform.

Mrs. Mary G. Baldwin, wife of Homer R.
Baldwin, wire rope manufacturer, of No. $50
West both street. died yesterday as the direct
result of an injury received on Christmas Eve.
in 1891 in rear-end collision on the New York
Central Railroad. at Hastings. in which thirteen
persons were killed. The cause of her death is
given as necrosis of the skull bones
Mr. and Mrs Baldwin had been married sew
eral months before the accident and were TAX
ing belated honeymoon to Niagara Falls
companied by Mrs. Baldwin's mother her sis
ter. who was her bridesmaid. and Thomas NJ.
Tolley, of Boston who was the best man. She
and~her husband were the only survivors of the
party. and for months her own life hung in the
balance. When she finally recovered'i it was with
the loss of both eyes both ears, her left hand
and all the fingers of her right hand.
The honeymoon party started from the Grand
Central Station on the Niagara Falls special TO
see the falls in winter all the members of the
party having seen Niagara in summer. At
Hastings the special was stalled because OF
wreck of a freight train in the Croton tunnel.
Baldwin and Tolley went forward to find out
the cause of the delay. and the former found a
fellow Mason in the smoking compartment Of
the rear car, in which they were riding Hav-
ing learned why the train stalled, Tolley
then went back TO inform the of the
party.
A moment later Baldwin thrown out Of
his seat by tremendous crash. The st. Louis
express, which left the Grand Central Station
short time after the special, had run at full
speed into the stalled train. Baldwin ran back
to the rear of the car and found that the
press had ploughed half way through it. His
mother was dead when he extrcated her from
the wreckage His sister and Toney were
badly injured that they died a few hours later.
His wife was also badly injured, and it was
thought that she would share their fate.
Mrs. Baldwin was rushed to St Johns Hospi-
tai, in Yonkers, where il found that she
had been crushed by the wreckage and had
been severely scalded by escaping steam from
the engine of the express. The hospital physi-
clans held out no hope for her reco-ery, but she
began to respond to treatment and after several
months was able to return to her home in this
city. For nearly eighteen years she has been a
sightless invalid. trying to be cheerful and COM
planning only the intervals when troubled
with splitting pains in the head.
Last July she complained of a more severe
headache than usual, and the family physician
advised that she be taken to ST. Luke's Hospital.
There her case was diagnosed cancer, and
specialist that disease called into con-
sultation. He said that the diagnosis was wrong
and that Mrs. Baldwin really suffering from
necrosis of tie skull bones he advised that she
be taken to the hospital connected with Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore. This was
done, and while she remained there her case at
tracted widespread attention from the medical
profession OF the country. She was treated for
several weeks, and returned to her home feeling
much better. Her death only a matter Of
days, they said, but she lived until yesterday.
The BaIdwins recovered $4,000 from the New
York Central the result of Mrs Badwin's
injuries Joseph H Choate was their attorney
Shortly after the wreck the railroad installed
block system, from which the system now in
use was evolved.