Helen Hinckley’s brother, Elliot Small, was actually shot in the legs with buckshot pellets, by a Mr. Atherton, a dog trainer for the Boston Red Sox owner, Mr. Yawkey. He didn’t want his parents to know about the situation. Weeks later, while riding on the Interurban, the conductor asked his father how his son was doing? Of course when he got home, poor Elliot had lots of questions to answer to concerning this embarrassing situation!!
Helen Small Hinckley
[Editor’s Note: Mr. Edward N. Atherton was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on June 10, 1874. After a few years in the newspaper business in Lawrence, he bacame a professional dog trainer and was recognized as one of the top men in this business in the U.S. At one time, he was handling more than $25,000 worth of purebred dogs at his Long Island Kennels. He trained dogs for Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, as well as a number of prominent professionals of his time. A photo of Edward and his wife, Selina Ashton Atherton appeared in the Portland Press Herald, 15 March 1953, with an article celebrating their Golden Anniversary.]
