ARCHIVE: Fall From Horse On October 27, 1906, Resulted In Palmer's Death

The accident from which General Palmer's death resulted occurred shortly after noon on Saturday, October 27, 1906. He was horseback riding near his estate at Glen Eyrie, together with his daughters, the Misses Marjorie and Dorothy Palmer, and Miss Miller, a guest at the Palmer home.

The accident took place on the road leading from the Gateway to the Garden of the Gods, while the party were returning from their usual ride. General Palmer's horse stumbled, throwing him violently to the ground. The general struck on his head, and, although he was not rendered unconscious, it was at once seen that he was seriously injured.

A few minutes later, W.A. Otis, of this city, and a party of friends, drove by in an automobile and offered assistance. General Palmer was placed in the machine and driven to his home at Glen Eyrie. Drs. W.H. Swan and Charles F. Gardiner of Colorado Springs, were immediately sent for and placed in charge of the case. Dr. H.T. Pershing, nerve specialist, and Dr. Charles Powers, surgeon, both leading members of the medical profession in Denver, were summoned by wire, and arrived in Colorado Springs on the first train, when they were immediately hurried to Glen Eyrie in an automobile.

The physicians found that General Palmer had sustained only very slight external injuries, his face and wrist being bruised and scratched, but their examination led to the belief that his spine was badly wrenched. The patient did not lose consciousness, but his advanced age was feared from the first to militate strongly against him.

Fracture of the Spine.

One the following day, the physicians after a long consultation, and aided by an X-ray examination, diagnosed the injury as a fracture of the spine in the cervical region, together with serious damage to the spinal cord. An operation at that time was deemed inadvisable. A bulletin issued at 11 o'clock that night gave the outlook as very serious, although, it was stated, there was a possibility of improvement. On Monday a bulletin was issued to the effect that General Palmer had passed a comfortable day and showed a slight gain in improvement, with his condition otherwise remaining practically unchanged.

After close consultation the physicans in attendance issued bulletins almost daily for weeks, some showing slight gains and others indicating a loss in strength. These bulletins were eagerly awaited, not only by the citizens of the town founded by the invalid, but by the entire Pikes Peak region and state at large. Daily inquires as to his condition were received from railroad men and survivors of his old Pennsylvania cavalry regiment, as well as from others all over the country.

Wonderful Will Power.

The universal sorrow in this city as a result of his illness was indicated by the action of the 5,000 school children of Colorado Springs, who sent the invalid beautiful floral tributes, representing every school in this town. The act was uninspired by any of the teachers, and came as a voluntary token of the love and esteem of the children. General Palmer was deeply moved, and expressed his appreciation in no uncertain terms.

It was finally seen that the general had permanently lost the use of the lower part of his body, and the exercise of his marvelous mentality in the direction of his affairs after the accident was little short of miraculous. General Palmer was more than 70 years old when he sustained the fall, and his mental activity after the accident was due to his remarkable vitality.

Skilled Specialists Here.

From time to time skilled specialists arrived here from the east in an attempt to aid the invalid. Dr. M. Allen Starr, one of the most eminent nerve specialists in the world, was summoned from New York and made a special diagnosis of General Palmer's injuries, assisted by the local and Denver physicians already in attendance. It was decided not to operate on the sufferer and the following bulletin was issued:

There has been a fracture of one of the cervical vertebrae with contusions of the spinal chord, and hemorrhage about the spinal chord. The injury is causing paralysis, but surgical operation or interference in any form is and has been definitely contraindicated. There has been some improvement. Such improvement as may further occur will necessarily be slow, but it is hoped that it may be progressive.

Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, another specialist of international reputation, the author of several medical books and a close friend of General Palmer, also came here from Philadelphia in a futile attempt to give relief.

Entertained His Regiment.

The large scale on which General Palmer carried through any measure he favored is shown in the elaborate and costly entertainment of the survivors of the "Fighting Fifteenth" Pennsylvania cavalry regiment, of which he was commander during the Civil war. It had been the custom for years for the survivors to gather in Philadelphia in annual reunion, but General Palmer's physicians positively forbade him carrying out his expressed desire to go to Philadelphia for the 1907 reunion. Nothing daunted, the veteran soldier promptly invited the survivors to join him in celebrating the reunion at his home. Almost without exception, the entire membership of 270 accepted the invitation, and a week's jollification was held at Glen Eyrie and in this city in August, 1907. General Palmer paid all the expenses of his guests from the time they left home until their return. This reunion, said to be the largest private affair of the kind ever held, cost between $50,000 and $75,000.

Miss Elsie Palmer, the eldest daughter of the general, was married to Leopold Hamilton Myers of London, at Glen Eyrie, January 20, 1907. The young couple left shortly afterward for the groom's home, but recently visited the general and were with him when he died.

The engagement of Miss Marjorie Palmer, the youngest daughter of the general, to Captain Richard Wellesley of the British army became known during the soldiers' reunion in August, 1907, and in June, 1908, General Palmer, the prospective bride and the entire household, including a retinue of servants, left for London, where the wedding was to be celebrated. Every possible safeguard and precaution for his health and comfort was taken, and the party arrived in England after an uneventful trip. They sailed in the steamer Minneapolis, a section of which was especially fitted out for the party.

The breaking off of Miss Marjorie's engagement was known shortly afterward, and the party returned to this city about the middle of November, 1908. The general's health was not so good as when he left Colorado Springs, but it was announced that he felt considerably better than during his visit abroad.

Whenever the weather permitted, General Palmer was driven around town and to spots he loved so well in the big steamer automobile which residents of the city had come to recognize as the Palmer car, and the fact that the founder of Colorado Springs was able to be out was always a source of general gratification.