Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-18
WRIGHT ISHURT,
SOLDIER KILLED,
BY AEROPLANE
PROPELLER BLADE BREAKS;
MACHINE FALLS
FLYERS FIRST THOUGHT is FOR
HIS MACHINE
Fractured Thigh and Ribs Are Injuries
of Aeronaut and Machine Is Total
Wreck-Two Thousand
See Accident
[By Associated Press.1


the world to his aeroplane
fights at Fort Myer and having estab-
lished new worlds records for heavier
than air flying machines, Orville
Wright today met a tragical mishap
while making a two-man fight. The
aeroplanist was accompanied by Lieut..
Thomas e. Selfridge Of the Signal
corps of the army. Lieut.. Selfridge
was fatally injured and died at $40
o'clock tonight. Mr. Wright was seri-
ously injured, but is expected to re-
cover.
While the machine was encircling the
drill grounds a propeller blade snapped
off and hitting some other part of the
intricate mechanism caused 1t to over
turn in the air and fall to the ground,
enveloping the two occupants in the
debris Soldiers and spectators ran
across the field to where the aeroplane
had fallen and assisted in lifting Mr..
Wright and Lieut.. Selfridge from under
the tangled mass of machinery. rods,
wires and shreds of muslin. Mr..
Wright was conscious and said:
"Oh, hurry and lift the motor!"
Lieut.. Selfridge was unconscious.
His head was covered with blood and
he was choking when the soldiers ex-
tricated him from under the machine.
Dr. Waters, 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 Lieut.. Self
ridge were taken to the Fort Myer hos
pital at the other end of the field.
Lieutenant's Skull Fractured
Mr.. Wright lapsed into state of
semi by the time he
reached the hospital and Lieut.. Self
ridge did not regain consciousness at
all. He was suffering from fracture
at the base of the skull and was In a
critical condition. After hurried
surgical examination it was announced
that MIR. Wright was not dangerously
injured. He was suffering from a
| fracture of his left thigh and several
| ribs on the right side are fractured.
Both men received deep cuts about the
/ head. Mr.. Wright remained conscious
at the hospital and dictated cable
gram to his brother at Lemans, france,
and requested that the same be sent
| to his sister and father at Dayton,
Ohio, assuring them that he was all
right.
Two thousand persons were at the
aeronautical testing grounds at Fort
Myer this afternoon.
Mr.. Wright announced several days
ago that he would take Lieut.. SELF
ridge who Is secretary of the Aerial
Experiment association and an aero
pianist himself, in his next flight. Inc
officer was delighted to have an op-
portunity to fly in the aeroplane. lie
was to leave Saturday for st. Joseph,
Mo. where he was to assist Lieut..
Foulers in operating the BALDWIN arr
ship at the coming army maneuVers:
At 5:14 the aeroplane was released ana
it was noticed that 1t did not rise as
quickly from the ground as on pre-
yious two-men flights. Lieut. SELL
ridge weighed about IT'S pounds. max
ing the weight greater than the ma
chine had ever carried before.
After gliding over the ground on It's
runners for thirty feet the machine
rose gradually and had gained
height of forty feet when 1t passed
over the starting apparatus Tor tne
first time. There was six-mile wind.
The aeroplanist, however. apparently
had control of the aerial flyer, wnlcn
rose to a height of seventy-t1ve reet as
If COMPLETED the second round OF the
field. This height was maintained on
the third round.
Propeller Breaks
While the machine was turning at
the southern end of the field, several
thousand feet from the spectators,
someone shouted: what IS tnat
Something fell"
Immediately all eyes were ON the
aeroplane and it was seen to turn over
on it's left side, and, pausing a mo-
ment. made a complete turn and then
came sWooping down to the earth IN 81
cloud of dust. No effort on the part O
the aviator could possibly have averteY
the accident. Planes and rudderS Wer4
absolutely incapable of righting the MAJ
chine when 1t had turned in that man
ner soldiers and officers ran across
the field. It was fully a minute before
any one reached the tangled mass.
Mounted soldiers formed a GORDON
around the wreckage, while others fren-
z,dely endeavored to lift the heavy mass
of machinery and wood that pinned
Wright and Selfridge to the ground.
A piece of the wooden framework was
broken off as a half dozen men en-
deayored to free the injured men. AS
soon as they could be extricated they
were taken to one side and physicians
from the crowd of spectators went to
their aid. AS soon as possible Mr..
Wright and Lieut.. Selfridge were laid
on stretchers and carried to the hos
pitel.
Mr.. Wright's leg and two ribs We're
set by DR.. L. l.. Waters of New York
and Surgeon Bailey of the army. The
surgeons took Lieut.. Selfridge to the
operating room and removed the parts
of the broken skull over the left eye,
which was causing convulsions.
At ten minutes after 8 o'clock Lieut..
Selfridge died. His death was due to
a compound fracture at the base of the
skull.
He did not regain consciousness. He
was expecting his mother, who lives in
San Francisco, to arrive in Washing
ton this month. He is a nephew OF
Admiral Selfridge and has brother
who is an officer in the navy.
Mr.. Wright yesterday replaced the
which he had been using.
An examination of the broken blade
showed that it had snapped Off at the
hub. 1t appeared it had struck some
other part of the aeroplane.
Refused Insurance
Shortly before starting on today's
flight Mr.. Wright received a reply
from a life insurance company refus-
Ing his application for a policy be-
tCOntinued on Page Twol