Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-19

Washington, D. G., Sept. 1s.-Aftec
having drawn the attention Of tha
world to his aeroplane flights at Fort
Myer and having established new
worlds records for heavier than air
hylng machines, Orville Wright mat
with tragical mishap while makina
Two men flight late yesterday after.
noon. The aeroplanist was accomnan.
led by Lieut.. Thomas e. Selfridpe of
the signal corps Of the army. Lieuten.
ant Selfridge was fatally injured and
died at $40 o'clock last night. M
wright was seriously injured, but is
expected to recover.
Whlie the machine was encircling
the dr1ll grounds a propeller blade
snapped off and hitting some other
part OF the intricate mechanism caus.
ca II TO overturn in the air and fall to
the ground, enveloping the two occu.
pants in the debris Soldiers and
spectators ran across the field to
where the aeroplane had fallen and
succeeded in lifting Mr.. Wright and
Lieutenant Selfridge from under the
tangled mass of machinery. rods
wires and shreds of muslin
Lieutenant Dying.
Mr.. Wright was conscious and said.
20, hurry and lift the motor" len.
tenant Selfridge was unconscious and
had apparently struck the ground with
great force. His head was covereJ
with blood and he was choking when
tho soldiers eXtricated him from undar
the machine
DR.. Walters, New York physician
was one OF the first to reach the spot
and rendered first aid to the injured
men. When their wounds had been
bandaged Mr.. Wright and Lieutenant
Selllldge were taken to the fort hos
pltai at the other end of the field
1t was feared that Mr.. Wright was
suffering from internal injuries. He
had lapsed into a state of semi.con.
sciousness by the time he reached the
hospital, while Lieutenant Selfridpe
did not regain consciousness at all He
was suffering from fracture at the
base OF the skull and was in a critical
condition.
Wright Will Live.
After a hurried surgical examina.
ton 1t was announced that Mr.. Wright
was not dangerously injured. He Ia
suffering from fracture of his left
thigh and several ribs on the right
side are fractured Both men received
deep cuts about the mead. Mr.. Wright
regained consciousness at the hospi.
tai and dictated cablegram to his
brother at Lemans, france, and re-
quested that the same message be sent
to his sister and father at Dayton, O..
assuring them that he was all right.
Although there have been but a
handful Of people at the testing
grounds at Fort Myer during the past
few days fully 1000 had gathered by
4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
aeroplane was still in it's shed, but
Mr.. Wright arrived a few minutes la.
ter and ordered 1t taken to the north.
ern end Of the field 10 be placed on
the starting track in readiness for the
fight. Everybody was ordered back
from the machine, and Mr.. Wright
turned to Lieutenant Selfridge and
said:
You might as well get in. Wen
start in couple of minutes
Mr.. Wright announced several days
ago that he would take Lieutenant
Selfridge, who was secretary of the
aerial experiment association, and an
aeroplanist himself, in his next fight.
Ihe young officer was delighted to
have an opportunity to fly in the aero
Continued on page 4).