Sun, November 29, 1892
MR. CLEVELAND HURT.
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A Slight Accident While Gunning on Hog Island.
HIS THUMB PAINFULLY INJURED.
The Wound Not at All Serious, But It and Bad Weather Interrupted His Sport for the Day -- Extensive Preparations for Shooting Today.
EXMORE, VA., Nov. 28. -- The sky was darkened by heavy clouds today, although there was no actual fall of rain. Owing to the prospects of continued disagreeable weather it was decided not to try any duck-shooting today.
This afternoon Mr. Cleveland went out on the beach for the purpose of hunting snipe, but met with an accident which necessitated his return to the cottage. In attempting to cock his gun the President elect hurt his thumb. The wound was not in the least serious, but quite painful.
Mr. Ferrell, president of the Broadwater Club, who is by profession a surgeon, dressed the injured thumb and somewhat alleviated the pain.
Shortly after noon Mr. Cleveland took a stroll on the beach and afterward quietly remained indoors, devoting his attention to reading and writing.
Extensive preparations for gunning have been made for tomorrow.
The future plans of Mr. Cleveland are still matters of uncertainty and conjecture. It is stated tonight that Charles B. Jefferson will return to Exmore tomorrow morning and rejoin the President elect on Broadwater Island. He is said to be bringing with him a plentiful supply of ammunition. This is held to be an indication that Mr. Cleveland will remain for eight or ten days yet, extending his visit into next week.
Mr. Cleveland today received a telegram from Mrs. Cleveland denying that she had been injured by a runaway while out driving. The dispatch came at the time he was reading an account of the alleged accident, and he was at once relieved from all apprehension regarding his wife's safety.
Mr. Cleveland's mail is rapidly increasing in volume, and today more than twenty letters were received for the President elect.
Isolated largely from the life and bustle of the world, many of the people here have strongly marked traits, and Mr. Cleveland today listened with pleasure to several of the interesting characters of the island. Among his callers this morning was the Rev. Joseph R. Sturgis, pastor of the church on the island. The President elect seemed specially interested in him and engaged his attention for some time. Mr. Sturgis is called an all-around minister by the islanders. He can preach a good sermon, write an article for the papers, take charge of a surf boat if any unfortunates need assistance or man a sailboat. He talks well and Mr. Cleveland listened attentively to his description of the wreck of the Spanish steamer San Albano, which stranded on the shores of Hog Island last winter. The life-savers did good work on that occasion, and show with pride the medals awarded them by both the government of the United States and the Spanish government for their bravery in rescuing the survivors of the wreck. The story told with life, zest and local coloring, impressed the President and he expressed a desire to see the medals, which request will be complied with very willingly by the owners of the medals.
Such a thing as entertaining a President of the United States was a thing that until now no dweller on Hog Island ever expected would fall to his lot, and the presence of Mr. Cleveland at any unexpected time so flustrates the natives that their attempts to keep unconcernedly at work while he is around is oftentimes comical. Today the President-elect came upon Ned Bird, one of Mr. Ferrell's men, while he was attempting to gather a lot of feathers he had spilled. Mr. Cleveland's presence was too much for Bird, and in his confusion he threw the feathers to the windward. They blew back on him and his struggles with them were amusing.
Nothing is talked about on the island save Mr. Cleveland, and everything he says or does is treasured up with delight, to be retold many times during the long days and nights of winter and spring. "Well," say they, "I never 'spected to see old Hog Island honored by a President's visit." His gunning is watched by them, and George Doughty and "Tom," two veteran guides, go so far as to declare that in all their lives they have never seen better shooting than Mr. Cleveland does. Over on the mainland the people are as ready to praise everything with the Cleveland brand as are the islanders.