The Washington herald., 1909-03-22

A dramatic climax to a tragic accident
which has held the attention of Washing
ton for nearly week occurred in the
Naval Hospital Saturday afternoon. when
Lieut.. Semmes Read, t. ). y. explained
10 President TAFT the manner in which he
was nearly killed.
II Will be remembered that Lieut.. Read
was crushed beneath his horse when the
animal fell while cantering along a bride
path in Rock Greek park. Ensign Dowel
and DR.. Grayson. companions Of the ma
val officer. were several hundred yards
in advance when the accident occurred
Speculation has been rife as 10 how the
horse slipped. and an element OF mys-
tery entered into the story.
Doctors. nurses. and relatives could not
elicit information concerning the accident
from Lieut.. Read, and it was thought his
serious injuries had temporarily deprived
him of memory. Because Of his critical
condition physicians allowed no one 10
question the patient beyond few words
heclGHI n1 the story.
But il remained Tor President TAFT TO
hear the recital OF the story from the
fever-parched lips OF his naval aid. When
the President called AT the hospital IT was
at first deemed dangerous for him to see
the lieutenant. as Il was thought the
sight Of the Chief Executive might ex-
cite Lieut.. Read. After a consultation
among physicians the President was al
lowed 20 proceed % the room where the
patient lay.
A nurse stood by the cot whom Presi-
dent Taft entered. but she quietly left
The room. and the President stood in her
place. The sight Of the naval officer.
notee for his physical strength aud flee
physique. lying ia bed. his back broken
in two places. his limbs paralyzed. and
his face and hands cut and bruised. Wis
ibly affected the President. with whom
the aid had long been a favorIte
Lieut.. Read glanced up at his visitor
and when he recognized the familiar fea-
lures of the President a smile replaced
the worn look Of the sufferer The train
ing he received at Annapolis in the good
old Academy days came 20 his relief, and
in the presence Of his superior officer
Lieut.. Read controlled the paroxysms Of
pain which trembled through his body
He spoke, not IN the ercited voice Of
deiirium. but as a week before when he
wore the uniform Of the executive officer
OF the Mayfiower at the White House.
His voice was low, but he formed his
wo.ds carefully, and enuncieted them
correctly.
Thinks He Was HurdlinE.
What words passed between the Pres
ident and his naval aid is known only to
them, but In short conversation Lieut..
Read told how his horse slipped, fell, and
crushed him. As afterward repeated.
the lieutenant said:
I aas hurdling FIVE bars when the
horse went down. lie slipped as he left
the ground. and did not go clear fell.
and that Is all I remember"
It Is thought the injuries have some
what impaired the memory Of Lieut..
Read, as there was no hurdle near the
scene Of the accident. but it was re-
membered there was a huge bowlder on
the side of the bride path, not far from
where DT- Grayson and Ensign Dowell
found the PROSTATE figure of their COM
panion.
To is thought Lieut. Read. a horseman
known for his daring and skill attempt
ed TO clear the bOWlder with the horse
he rode, an animal he had hired from a
livery stable
There was a new light in the eyes Of
the patient when the President left the
cot. and from that moment physicians
say there has been a perceptible change
F0r hnffnr IN ho oonGfffor, n +f,o
injured man. The muscles In his paraI-
yzed legs were slightly responsive yes
terday, and ti:fs first sign that the lieu
tenant may recover their use elated phv-
sicians attending him, and was heard
with gledness by all who have had the
pleasure Of knowing the genial naval
officer.
Condition Is Improved.
Physicians say It will be week before
II can be definitely determined whether
the lieutenant viii be able to walk again.
They admit his general condition is i'm
proved. and that he is recovering more
rapidly than was expected They at
tribute the Improvement in the condition
OF the lieutenant to his unusual strength
and stamina.
Miss Katherine Read, OF Brooklyn. sis
ter OF the injured man. arrived in Wash
ington Yesterday, and went directly TO
her brothers cot, where she will remain
until his recovery. Miss Read Is a trained
nurse II is regarded as a singular coin
cidence that Miss Read has attended
three patients in the last few years
whose injuries were almost identical with
those from which her brother is suffering.
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