TRAPPED BETWEEN CARS MRS. HUNTER ROBB KILLED

Trying to Escape Auto, Wife of Cleveland Doctor Was Crushed to Death-Was a Canadian Girl and Best Known Professional Nurse in America

[Welland Tribune, 26 April 1910]

Cleveland, April 18-Mrs. Isabel Hampton Robb, wife of Dr. Hunter Robb, was caught and crushed to death between two cars going in opposite directions at Euclid Avenue and East 100^th street, at 5.30 o’clock Saturday night.

At the same time Mrs. Robb met her death, Miss Cora E. Canfield, principal at the Hathaway-Brown school, narrowly escaped a like fate. She was with Mrs. Robb, but in the face of impending danger, she jumped in the opposite direction and escaped bodily injury. She was, however, reported as suffering severely from the shock of her friend’s death last night at her home, 2130 East 96^th Street.

Trapped

The accident to Mrs. Robb occurred as she jumped backward from the south track into the “devil strip,” to avoid being struck by an automobile. As she did so a west bound car which she had not noticed came up behind her on the north track and cut off further escape in that direction. At the same time an east bound car, closely following the auto, approached on the south track directly in front of her.

In this predicament it was a case of jump in front of the east bound car or stand still in the hope that both cars would pass on either side without touching her. But the “devil strip” was too narrow for the woman to stand in and as the cars passed she was caught, spun around like a top and totally crushed before they could be stopped.

Cars Had To Be Pried Apart

When the cars were brought to a standstill, Mrs. Robb was found standing erect midway between the ends. So tightly was she wedged in that jacks had to be used to pry the cars sidewise before she could be rescued. Then Patrolman Peterson, of the eleventh precinct, walked into the widened space between the cars, took the unconscious woman in his arms and carried her out. Her eyes were closed as she was placed in an automobile and death occurred before she reached St. Luke’s hospital.

Mrs. Robb was fifty years old and the mother of two boys, Hampton, aged sixteen, and Phillip, aged eight years. She, with her husband and family, lived at 1960 E. 97^th Street. At the time of her accident she was on her way to Flinn’s dancing academy, near Euclid Avenue and E. 100^th Street, to take her son Hampton home from dancing school.

Startled by Auto

Miss Canfield, who was calling at the Robb home, went along for the walk. When she and Mrs. Robb reached the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 100^th Street in front of the home of Capt. John Mitchell, they started to cross to the south side. They were walking side by side talking and oblivious of the approaching cars as they stepped onto the south track.

Both were suddenly startled by the approaching auto as it bore down upon them, and while Miss Canfield jumped forward and cleared the track, Mrs. Robb jumped backward into the “devil strip.” As soon as the injured woman was taken in a passing auto for the hospital, Miss Canfield was helped into the machine of Capt. Mitchell who drove up just as the accident happened. Miss Canfield was driven to her home, where she was joined by her sister. They were taken to the Robb home, where they were joined by Dr. Robb and his son, Phillip. The party rushed to the hospital, but arrived after Mrs. Robb had died.

Chest Crushed

One of the cars at the time of the accident was in charge of Motorman Frank Kidd and Conductor Clayton Easterbrook, while in charge of the other car were Conductor Charles Hillfinger and Conductor Chas. Edis. According to the report of the police, the accident was due to Mrs. Robb’s carelessness.

When an examination was made of the woman’s injuries by the doctors at St. Luke’s Hospital, it was found that her left arm was broken and that the bones of her chest were crushed and forced in upon the vital organs. Death occurred, the doctors believe, while the woman was being lifted into the auto at the scene of the accident.

Best Known Nurse In America

The death of Mrs. Robb removes the best known nurse in America, and one of the greatest authorities on nursing. She was personally known to the superintendent of every hospital in Canada, and her tragic death is a personal sorrow to thousands of her fellow workers in the nursing profession.

A High Tribute

A recent issue of the British Journal of Nursing says: One of the most notable and honored members of the International Congress of Nurses is Mrs. Hampton Robb, R.N., to whose wise foresight and initiative the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses and the Nurses Association Alumnae of the United States primarily owe the foundations of their organizations. Mrs. Hampton Robb, a Canadian by birth, received her professional training as Isabel Hampton at the Bellevue Hospital, New York. Having gained her certificate she came to Europe where she studied the nursing question from its professional aspect.

A Great Organizer

After their return to America she was appointed superintendent of the Illinois Training School for Nurses at Chicago, a school which undertakes the nursing of two great hospitals containing one thousand beds, the Cook County and the Presbyterian. She only resigned her position in 1889 in order to accept the invitation to organize the Nursing School of the beautiful Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore.

Secret of Success

The secret of Miss Hampton’s success was probably her belief in the power of those working under her to do good work, and the Johns Hopkins Nurses Alumnae Magazine records that while “hers was the master hand,” she had the co-operation and help of those about her, and the loyal support and ardent faithful work of the women she chose to make with her the traditions of the training school.

A Born Leader

As the superintendent of a training school, Mrs. Robb was an unqualified success, but it is as the leader of organization in the profession as a whole that her name will ever be held in honor. This was recognized by the nurses when they elected her the first president of their Association Alumnae, and a similar honor has been conferred upon her by the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses.

From Florence Nightingale

Miss Hampton was married in England to Dr. Hunter Robb of Cleveland, Ohio, when the lovely bouquet which she carried was sent to her by Miss Florence Nightingale. Her chief contributions to nursing literature have been “Nursing, its Principles and Practice,” and “Nursing Ethics.”

She was born in Welland where the funeral takes place this week.

Taught School in Merritton

St. Catharines, April 18-Miss Albon, of this city, received a brief message from Cleveland announcing Mrs. Dr. Hunter Robb’s death, and stating that the body would be brought to Welland tomorrow afternoon for burial. Welland was Mrs. Robb’s birthplace, her maiden name being Isabel Hampton. She was well known in St. Catharines, and years ago lived here for awhile, when she was attending school, and later taught school at Merritton. At the time of her death Mrs. Robb was in charge of the Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland. She was possessed of a good deal of literary ability and a book she wrote upon hospital nursing is now in use in most of the hospitals in the United States.