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FRANCIS R. HITCHCOCK DEAD e Noted Turfman and Steward of Jockey Club Dies at Sea. ■ — • — Death Due to Heurt Disease — 1nmiiiieiit in liiiiiiiliitioii of Saratoga Association ami Its FreaMeal for lour Vears. HEW YOKE. X. V.. April St.— The news that Erancis U. Hitchcock, prominent clubman and patron of the turf, had died at sea while on his way to Prance, came as a shock to his numerous friends in this city, yesterday-. Mr. Hitchcock was a graduate of Columbia, class of TS, and was a son of Thomas Hitchcock, for many years a stockholder in the ; Xew York Sun. and long a contributor to its columns under the pea name of Matthew Marshall. He studied law. but never took it up as a profession, lb- was an early devotee of the turf and other outdoor sports. Unlike his brothers, enter and Thomas — the former dead a number of years and the latter one i of the present-it.! y mainstays of cross-i country sport and hunting — he was never ; seen in the saddle as an amateur rider. He was elected a member of The Jockey Club on January 12, 1S!»5. and, on October IS I of the same year, succeeded .1. Otto Donner i as a steward, in which capacity he was I serving at the time of his death, which oc-■ curred of heart disease on board the Olympic, I which sailed from this port last Saturday. The late .Mr. Hitchcock was prominent in the foundation of the Saratoga Association and. when William . Whitney died in Eeb-ruary. 1994, he became its president and held that office until 1999, when the present : incumbent, Richard P. Wilson, was elected. Mr. Hitchcock was governor of the Coney-Island Jockey Club for many years and became its treasurer in 1998 following the ; death of .1. H. Bradford. II. held that office ; until the dissolution of that powerful turf organization in 191 7. Uke W. E. Vanderbilt, who was president of the Coney [eland Jockey Club and its chief stockholder, Mr. Hitchcock transferred i his turf allegiance to Prance when the Agiiew-Hart bill became a law, and his colors I were frequently seen at l.ongchamps. Chan- I tilly and other courses near Iaris. He also engaged in breeding thoroughbreds in Prance and was one of the syndicate which bought Rock Sand for 1159,999 from the late Maj. August Belmont and took him to Era nee . He mated the Meddler mate. Tangle/ with the Derby winner and bred the good worse Sandy Hook which proved a winner as a two- three- and four-year-old. He also bred and raced Ipsalquitch and other winners. He wanted to buy the Haras du Ca/.on with its choice collection of mares and the 1 erby winner. Durbar II.. from Mrs. Duryaa a few-years ago. but negotiations fell through and at the time of his death he owned only a few • Iluitiiiinii mi twelfth iHiKf FRANCIS R. HITCHCOCK DEAD Continued from first page horses. His intended trip abroad was in the expectation of seeing some of them race in France this spring. Mr. Hitchcock was part owner of the Futurity winner Yankee after he was retired to the stud. The best horses which bare his colors in this country were Pand.-lion and Decanter. They won a number of good races on Joe-key Club tracks and the former was a first class racer. The veteran W. P. Ehircb was his trainer in this country. Mr. Hitchcock, like his fellow steward. If. K. Knapp. was noted for his judgment on all matters pertaining to the turf. He- fre quently served in the stand as a steward, both at Saratoga and Helmont Park He divided his time about equally between tin-country and Europe for many years, spending a portion of each winter at Aiken. S. C. with his brother. Thomas. While in the South he hunted and played golf daily. June ahsays found him salmon fishing in Quebec, where be was a member of one of the best clu.is. Assoag tin- organisations of srhich Mr Hitchcock was a member are the following Jockej Club, Tun and Field club. Knickerbocker Club. Racquet and Tennis. Union Brook, Princeton, Doers Town. Westminster Kennel. South Side Sportsmans and Columbia TS. «
