The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-28
Evidence Of Hasy Visits 10 the
Magnat6s Home Starts
the Reports
CLEVELAND SPECIALIST
SAID TO HAVE ARRIVED
Newspaper Men Are Camped Around
the Hartman Estate Watching
Developments and All Be-
Ieve Magnate Very III.

Arden. N. Y. August 27.-Whatever
may be E. H. Harrimans ailment, what
ever his true condition. the public is not
to know until he and his family decide
that such an announcement is opportune.
He is an isolated invalid with the ma
ture Of his afflictIon a mystery to those
outside his mountain retreat. At the top
of Tower Hill. where the funicular rail-
lar railroad stops, with roads picketed
by guards and all but one telephone wire
and that a private one-severed. he
spends his days and nights in a seclusion
that Is almost absolute.
Scraps of news dropped from the lips
of relative, associate, and an en-
ploye indicated that he spent quiet
day. part of it out OF doors, but there
were other incidents which led those who
are draining the meagre channels of in
formation to believe that all was not so
well There was the arrival at the sta
tion at Turner of two understanding
which may have had no bearing on Mr.
Harriman's illness, but which appeared
significant In that they were recorded on
the bill of lading as Oxygen" Shortly
afterward there came a small cola psible
cot, such is used in hospitals to move
patients between wards
Both were sent UP the incline to the es-
tate.
Coincident with the arrivals of these
requisites to an operation came two
| men from New York one of them carry
ing what appeared to be the black hand
! bag of a surgeon. They were taken up
the incline to the house and rumors that
Mr.. Hartman was to be operated upon
spread broadcast One of the men, ac-
cording to popular rumor is DR.. George
w. Grille of Cleveland. o., an eminent
specialist in abdominal surgery.
According to report he was summoned
from Brenton Woods n. H., to assist
DR.. w. G. Lyle of New York, who has
been Mr.. Harriman's physician through
out his illness.
Rumor of Operation.
All this gave strong color to the
port that there was to be an operation
on Tower HILL but of this confirma-
ton is to be had tonight On the other
hand. those who spoke OF Mr.. Hartman
today were inclined toward optimism
DR.. Lyle declined to make any comment
whatever as did former Judge r. s. Low
ett. general counsel for the Hartman
lines. who has been with his chief daily.
but when Robert T. Gerry of New York.
Mr.. Harriman's son-in-law, descended the
incline railway on a fat car this after
noon. he talked at some length.
81 have just left Mr.. Hartman sitting
on the porch he said talking to some
of his workmen. He has spent a good
part of the day out there in a CHAIR.
Mr.. Gerry denied that an operation was
to be performed and said that DR.. Lyle
was the only physician in attendance
C. T. Ford, superintendent Of the es-
tate, confirmed Mr.. Gerry's statement
about Mr.. Hartman sitting on tho
porch. At intervals throughout the day
he appeared on the porch. he said. and
had talked with the head masons and
others at work on the unfinished part of
the house.
The stories that Mr.. Hartman is in a
critical condition are not founded on fact,
in my opinion said Mr.. Ford. He has
q firm grip when he shakes hands and he
appears brighter He is In competent
hands with DR.. Lyle and Judge Lovett.
and while it IS not my place to ask ques-
tions, | believe he is suffering from a
natural breakdown from overwork and
will rally up here with plenty of rest and
good food and be about again as usual
after a while
Judge Lovett Reticent.
Judge Lovett was urged to say some-
thing concerning Mr.. Hartman condi-
ton. but he replied:
"I have decided to say nothing, no mat
ter what is published l don't want to
appear dscourteous, but l deem 1t best
to keep silent
Ford the superintendent. deprecated the
significance of the arrival of the tanks
supposed to contain oxygen. There is an
ice plant OF the place. he explained. and
there was a possibility that the contents
of the tanks was carbonic acid gas used
in the manufacture of ice. He was not
sure of this, however. The cot, he said,
might have been taken to a camp near
the house where some wrokmen are liN-
ing. But of this he was not sure either.
On the whole the impression grows that
an operation of some character is TO ne
performed Mr. Hartman, but further
details are well nigh impossible to cb-
tain.
The correspondents on the scene are di-
vided into three groups. standing guard
day and night. One camp has been es-
tablished here at Arden, another at
Turner, the railroad station and another
at the base of the incline railway. No one
enters or leaves the estate without being
subjected to inquiry.
Nothing Unusual Seen.
A glimpse of the grounds today failed
to reveal any unusual prepare tions Or
a feeling of unrest among the Harrimsn
family Mrs. Gerry and the two unmar-
ried Hartman girls, accompanied by MIR.
Gerry W. A. Hartman and Roland Har-
riman's tutor were seen with tennis rae
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