Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-03-14
HELD IN A FRAME.
His Neck Broken and Part of His Back
bone Gone.
From the New York Times.


From the New York Times.
Barney Baldwin is the most cheerful
person imaginable for man who has a
broken neck to carry about, and looks
upon his trouble somewhat in the light
Of a huge joke on the medical profess
sion. GIVE put all the doctors IN
snow bank and knocked science silly,
said he yesterday afternoon as he sat in
his room at the Murray Hill Hotel and,
with his head supported in an iron
brace he wears, he carried on the most
animated conversation. The straps
about his lower jaw did not seem to
hinder him in the slightest, and he
cracked jokes merrily at his miraculous
escape. There are not many who can
have their necks broken and live,
and Mr.. Baldwin is the only hui
experiment.
Mr.. Baldwin, who is about 35 years of
age, nearly 6 feet, and with light blue
eyes, with the skies of Ireland in
them, " was yardmaster of the Louis
vile & Nashville Railroad at Blrmlng-
ham, Ala, and met with his misfortune,
or ''ioke on SCIENCE" as he calls it,
March 10, 1887 At that time he was
standing on the caboose of a freight
train which was moving out OF the ward,
when the engine of another freight
train switching in the yard struck it and
Knocked him off. The engine and six
cars went over him, and when he was
picked up it was found that both his
legs had been broken, the lett near the
of a
| The ash pan of the engine broke five of
his ribs, and broke in two the sixth GER
vical vertebra in his neck and disjoint-
ed the fifth and sixth. He lay uncon-
scious for thirty-six hours and was blind
for fourteen days. Two entire vertebre
were removed from his neck. For 127
days he lay on a water mattress, and was
in bed five months and seventeen days
altogether. Before he was injured he
weighed 210 pounds, now he weighs
only 1873. He had never been a drink
ing man, and at the time he WIS hurt,
had some little money laid away. eff
it hadn't been for that | wouldn't
been here to tell We about myself to-
day" His head is supported on his
shoulders by DR.. Charles Sayre's jury
mask, which consists of a back plate of
steel to which is riveted a long hook
shaped rod that passes out from under
his coat collar up over his head, and
from which straps pass around his ear
and under his chin, thus holding his
head free and in normal position.
This arrangement is absolutely neces-
sary, as one or two inches of his spinal
cord are entirely unprotected by bone.
At the time the mask was placed on his
head, his body was put in plaster of
Paris jacket, which he wore for six
he
placed by everlasting corsets.
''Four months after / was injured, he
said. 81 began to kind O. wake up. [
didn't feel very bright and didn't know
much what was goin' on. Kind O.
dazed like. Since then I've been
gettin' better right along. I suppose [
was kind O silly before | began to come
to life again." and he smiled as much
as the straps of his mask would allow
him. 81 can't see yet any too we'll and [
can't write at all. This is great annoy
ance. Then again have to sleep sit
TIM up, and it amt the most comfort
able way, either" Once he tried it ly-
ing down, but the pressure on his I'M
protected spinal cord brought on un-
consciousness Immediately. At first,
when he began to get we'll he never
slept, but sank into kind of trance in
which he knew what was going on
about him and could tell it to his
friends when he came back to con-
sciousness. Since he has been on the
road to convalescence he has been ex-
amined by many leading men of the
medical profession.
He said he had sued the railroad at
whose hands he had received his inju-
ries for $100,000and obtaineda judgment
against it for 5000 Tie railroad Of
fered him $4,000 as q compromise, but
he would not take it. He never re-
moves his mask, shaves with what he
calls a lawn mower, and says that
"smokin' helps him." A gold watch
somewhat denied he displayed and
said at the time of the accident it had
been driven into his body, and he
thought he had lost it. ''They cut it
out though, seventeen hours afterward,
and it was still goin'."
Mr.. Baldwin has wife and no chill
dren, and goes to Bridgeport to visit his
Wife's relatives next Monday.
Yale in Public Affairs.