The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-03-26
WILL MAKE FLIGHT
UNLESS STOPPED
BY DEATH -CONEY
Likely to Be ParaIyzed for
Life, II He Doesn't Die,
Says the Doctor Attend
ing Altman
BY Associated Press


Natchez. Miss, March 25.-An X
ray examination of Lieut.. W. d.
Coney's injuries discloses the fact
that his back is fractured, according
to physicians attending him, who
state THAT he has only about one
chance in ten to, recover. He is still
conscious and cheerful, but his ply
sicians say fever is developing.
At IO:45 o'clock tonight Drs.
Charles Chamberlain and j. s. I'LL
man. in charge of the case, issued
the following bulletin regarding
the condition of Lieutenant Coney,
as disclosed by their examination,
-Lieutenant Ceney is suffering
from fractures of the third, fourth
and fifth lumbar vertebrac He
is pnralyxed from the chest down.
Temperature 1903. We regard his
condition ms very serious.s
Monroe, La, March 81 will make
the flight from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific yet If death does not stop me,
Lieut.. William Devoe Coney, trans-con-
tnental fher. who crashed to earth on
the Nose Lanier farm at 7:So o'clock
this morning, declared this afternoon
shortly before he was conveyed by auto
mobile and train to Natchez, Miss,
where he will be given treatment at a
sanitarium.
Il wanted to break my own world s
record in my trip back to the Pacific ana
my keenest regret is that have failed .
the injured flier continued II know
that would have established new
record if l had not been beaten by ma
ture 1t is pretty hard to overcome the
laws Of gravity and to find out new
things in nature. 1 thought that / was
learning some of her secrets when this
accident occurred. i would have won
out If it had not been for those fogs
along the Mississippi river. 1 had a
fair flight until I struck the fog banks
along the river and then lost my way
to some extent, and from the Mississippi
river until l hit the ground ! was flying
low l was preparing to make a land
ing because of engine trouble when
struck tree and went down. | do moi
remember much about what occurred az
ter l struck tree until found my
self in the arms of Nose Lanier and his
good wife, who conveyed me to Their
home. guess it is all over
KEENLY DISAPPOINTED
Lieutenant Coney early in the day
kept repeating over and over that he
was going to die, but his physicians had
cheered him up to some extent this aft
ernoon and he was inclined to take a
more philosophic view of the accident
His keenest disappointment is over hi,
failure to set up a new record; the fac.
that he may die or be MANNED for lift
being secondary, according to those whe
have talked with him
Doctors c. M. Darrell and j. W. Winn
who attended the young fiier throughout
the day. were not prepared to say to.
night as to whether he would live or die
''If he doesn't die" said Dr. Darrell. 81
fear that he will be crippled or paralyzeo
for life. OF course there is hope, and ]
would not say definitely he will not re.
cover the use of his limbs, but thu
chances are against him."
Drs, Darrell and VIM late today Is
sued the following report as to his con-
dition:
Lieutenant Coney is paralyzed in his
lower extremities. There is loss of sen.
sstion and motion In the lower extrem.
tiles. His temperature is 1924. pulse 100
respiration 26 Lieutenant Coney is con.
scious and cheerful. but does not ta;i
much"
WIRES FIANCEE
The injured flier late this Afternoon
San Diego, Calf, said to be his fiancee
The message was brief simply stating
my plane fell this morning and my
spine was seriously injured"
After spending the day at the Nose
Lanier farm, Lieutenant Coney was
taken to Winnsboro this afternoon al
8 o'clock. He was in charge of j. 0
Parker, Drs. Darrell and Winn, AM
others at Winnsboro. He was transferred
due to arrive early tonight.
Tears tell from the young mans eye.
when he told Lanier and his wife goof
bye. sYou have been good to me-" h.
said, land l shall never forget YOU" HI
also thanked the physicians and town.
people for coming to see him and givins
him aid Large quantities of flowers
were taken to the Lanier farm by Grow
vile people shortly before he was takel
tribute
REACHES NATCHEZ
Natchez. Miss, March -5.--Lieut. w
D. Coney, injured in an airplane acct
dent near Crowville, La. early Thu
morning, arrived here shortly before
o'clock tonight.
According to physicians accompanying
him the injured trans-continental file
stood the trip as well as could be ex
pected. On his arrival here he wa
taken in charge by physicians from {
local sanitarium and members of the 10
cal American Legion post and carriet
to the sanitarium where an examination
OF his injuries will be made az soon Al
he rests from his trip for a short while
MOTHER ON WAY
Jacksonville. Fla. March 25.-Mrs. r
F. Coney. accompanied by an elder SOL
ana Mrs w. H. Devoe, left here earl,
torirht for Natchez, Miss. to be in at
tendance at the bedside Of her son
I.ieut w. d. Coney. trans-cohtinenta
aviator who received serious in5urie,
when his machine crashed near Crow
Vile, La, early today.
Mrs. Coney had apparently recovere<
sufficiently to make the trip from tn
shock caused by the news OF the acct
dent and was treasured just before leav
ing by advices from hatcher that Lieu
tenant Coney would recover from his IN
juries.
Blame Excessive Speed
BY Associated Press
Washington. March q, The derailmen