The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-05
HIS BONES WossLE APART.

Whenever Rernard baldwin Lies
/ Down His vertebre Slips Out OF
place-Ir He Wanted to Raise His
Right Hand His Left Would Bob Up
--Quite Clipper, Although He was
| All Torn Apart.
Bernard Baldwin, q railroad man,
was all broken DIP in a railroad accident
at Birmingham, Ala, about d year ago.
His neck was broken; and so was his
right arm, both legs and i've ribs: Hs
watch was crushed ont Of sight
into his bowels and an iron bolt was
driven into him with force enough to
break his collar bone. He was uncon-
scious for thirty-six hours was totally
bl nd for fourteen days, was compelled
to lie on water mattress for 127 days
and was confined to his bed for nearly
six months. Since that time he has
never laid down: He is now stopping
with his wife. a very lively pretty
young woman, who comes from Bridge
port at the Murray Hill Hotel. His
head is held above his shoulders in an
iron mask. The mask hangs from a
bracket which has its support in steel
vest. The arm, which was broken at
the elbow, has been made as good as
new by the insertion of silver Joint.
Baldwin is powerfully built man.
and though lie continually suffers
pain. he is as cheerful in his manner as
could be desired. In conversation
with Forid reporter last evening he
said: Eat the time of the accident
which occurred in March last, I was
yartlmaster for the Louisville and
Nashville railroad at Birmingham. Ala.
l am not Southerner by birth but
was born not thirteen blocks from the
hotel. My mother is living here now
but she does not know of the accident
or of my being hurt because did not
want TO make her worry. so you see I
can't 60 TO see her looking as dc.
The accident was caused BY an en-.
CINE becoming manageable and
MASKING into q string of cars. was
knocked off caboose and dislocat-
ed my shoulder by the fall. Then six
cars and the engine passed over me.
In trying to save myself I swung my
arm over tho brake beam of the Ca
boosc. 1t threw me against frog,
breaking my right arm at the elbow
and my left leg at the ankle. NY right
leg was twisted up in the footboard of
the eng ne and broken in two places.
The ash-pan Of the engine broke my
neck and five ribs-three on one side
and two on the other. The sixth
cerebral vertebre of the neck was bro
ken. and the joint between the sixth
and seventh split.
Il was unconscious for thirty-six
hours and totally blind for two weeks.
They had not the slightest hope of my
living. but l had good old constitu-
ton that was never poisoned by whis-
Ky. had just the ghost of chance to
recover and made the best of it. but
I'm the only man ever got over bro
ken neck. l was paralyzed for a while,
but they got that out of me by electric
ity. can't lie down on account of the
vertebr@ not having knit yet. When
try to lie down 1t slips out of place and
presses on my spinal column. That
puts me in stupeg. was little
out of my mind for Your months after
the accident. could not sleep, but
every night about 10 o'clock I would
go into trance that would last for two
or three hours. I'd know what was
going on about me. but I'd lose all con-
troll of the muscles of my body. When
I came out of these frances I'd feel
fresher. as II I'd had good sleep. I've
got now so can sleep u little, and l
knock out about three hours that way
every night.
II had funny time of it when be-
gan to get back the use of my limbs.
If l wanted to walk across the room
when L d try to start couldn't, and then
when l did get started I'd 60 in great
hurry. If tried to raise my right
hand the chances are my left would
flop up instead. Pm over that now.
I'm we'll man now except for being
little nervous. as you see, and not able
TO keep still long. I'm lame. too, in
one leg. and my head hangs crooked.
The pain that's left is in my spine.
1t reminds me Of bottle of water with
a bubble in it. The bubble goes slowly
up my spine. jumps the break at my
neck and goes into my head. Then it
breaks out into my ears. Idon't know
whether I'll ever be grown together
again OF not. When I ask the doctors
if I'll ever be able to get off my mask
and take a good nights sleep In the
old way they tell me to ask 'em some
thing easier. I've been to good many
of them all over the country, and find
that good many are afraid to NEEDLE
with me. They don't know by what
little touch they might kill me.
DR.. Sayre. of this city, has examined
my machinery moro than once and he's
going to Try to hang my head on little
straighter. He said TO me to-day,
Barney. you're the greatest curiosity
the world ever produced and you've got
ali us doctors in snowbank." The man
who patched me together was rough
old fellow named DR.. James B. Luckie,
in Birmingham. where I was hurt
How I am able to live puzzles all the
doctors. and one of en- DR.. Sankfeld,
of San Francisco, has offered me $10,-
600 for my body when / am through
with it."-Nes0 York World.