Another of the "Men We Know"

Last Sunday, Gossips introduced "Men We Know," a series of drawings of prominent Hudsonians in 1909 that appeared once a week in the Hudson Morning Republican, and its companion volume "Just for Fun." Clippings from "Men We Know" and a copy of "Just for Fun" are now in the collection of the History Room at the Hudson Area Library, donated by Frank Meyers. So far, Gossips has featured two of the fifty-two prominent men of the time: William Gray and  J. Homer Luff. Today, we feature a drawing that intriguingly includes Father Time, walking arm in arm with the subject of the drawing.

The rhyme that accompanies the drawing reads:

Here's a City Father and old Father Time,

Convenient it happens, for it helps out the rhyme;

One is a hustler, that all men say,

The other is rather a trifle blase.

The rhyme and the clue in the drawing--a tag behind Father Time's head that reads "We Alderman Eh!"--provide the information that the man depicted was an alderman. Father Time is a clue to his occupation. The picture in "Just for Fun" reveals who he is: P. J. McCarthy.

In 1909, Patrick J. McCarthy had just been elected alderman representing the Second Ward. He served two terms on the Common Council, from 1909 through 1912. His occupation was that of undertaker, which he practiced at 234 Warren Street.

In 1909, McCarthy lived at 206 Fulton Street--Fulton Street then being the name of Columbia Street from Third Street to the river. McCarthy's house no longer exists. Its site is the upper part of what remains of the community garden. 

In 1914, McCarthy's misfortune was front-page news for much of the month of May. On May 4, McCarthy was one of five men who were in a car that "turned turtle" on its way back to Hudson. The following is quoted from the front page of the Columbia Republican for May 5, 1914.

Four Hudsonians were very badly injured last evening shortly before 10 o'clock, when the automobile in which they were riding, turned turtle on the State road, a short distance from the Park Hotel in Stottville. The injured are: John Klemmer, a local police officer; Patrick McCarthy, an undertaker; Joseph Eaton the son of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Eaton; and Augustus Remien, a Front street cafe proprietor. The automobile was owned and driven by Thomas Craig, of this city, but the latter escaped injury by being thrown completely over the windshield and falling in the ditch.

The party had been out in the country for a short spin and were on the way toward this city. The accident occurred in a slight grade this side of Stottville while the car was being driven along. The auto skidded to one side of the highway and then turned completely over, pinning the occupants of the car, with the exception of the driver. The car was completely wrecked.

The final paragraph of the article provides this information: "At 9 o'clock this morning both Officer Klemmer and P. J. McCarthy were pronounced in a critical condition and it was feared that neither of them would recover."

The next day, the Columbia Republican published an update on McCarthy's condition, on the front page:

Ex-Alderman P. J. McCarthy this afternoon seemed slightly improved. He is still too weak to be operated upon. It it understood that his left leg will have to be amputated. It is broken and horribly mangled. The ligaments have been torn into threads. He has never lost consciousness and has bore the severe pain without hardly a murmur. The nurses and physicians speak highly of his strong constitution and endurance. Dr. Whitbeck at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon said that McCarthy's general condition was improved but the condition of his injured limb remained the same. As to amputation, the physician stated that nothing definite could be stated: "We are awaiting developments," he said. "It is simply a matter of time." He intimated, however, that McCarthy's condition was still critical. 

Two days later, on May 8, 1914, the Columbia Republican provided this report on the front page, under the headline "Injured Man's Leg Amputated":

After every available effort had been made at the Hudson City Hospital to save the mangled and broken left leg of P. J. McCarthy, one of the party of Hudson men who was badly injured in an automobile accident on the Stottville road Monday night, it was found necessary Thursday afternoon to amputate the injured member to save the man's life, as gangrene had set in and the danger of blood poisoning was imminent.

The operation was performed by Dr. Whitbeck, assisted by Dr. Bradley and Dr. Harris, and the limb was removed at the thigh. Last night Dr. Whitbeck stated that Mr. McCarthy was resting well. If nothing unforeseen develops now the chances are good for his complete recovery.

The Columbia Republican continued to provide updates on McCarthy's condition until it reported that McCarthy had left the hospital and returned home on Memorial Day, May 30. This is the hospital where McCarthy was treated, a building constructed in 1900, fourteen years before the accident.

It appears McCarthy did make a complete recovery, as Whitbeck predicted he would. On January 24, 1915, he married Margaruite Metz. After the accident, his name appears in the newspaper most frequently, in newspaper accounts of grisly accidents or gruesome deaths, in this context: "The remains were then ordered by the Coroner to be taken to the undertaking rooms of P. J. McCarthy."

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