Des Moines Register and LeaderAugust 9, 1915
DEATHS KEPT FROM CHANDLER
Injured Driver Repeatedly Inquires About His Partner.
Surgeons Tell of Gameness Displayed by Keeler.
Billy Chandler, driver hurt in Saturday's auto race at the speedway, was not informed yesterday of the death of either Cooper or Keeler, killed during the race. Several of the other drivers visited him during the day, his former partner, Ralph Mulford, calling at the hospital several times. No newspapers were given to him, although at times he begged for them.
"You are too weak to be excited by the stories of the finish," he was told.
"Time and again he asked about the condition of Keeler," Mulford said last night.
"'Is he as badly hurt as I am?' he would ask," Mulford said. "Tell me how badly he is injured."
"There was only one answer I could truthfully give him," Mulford continued, "and that was to tell him that Keeler would be out of the hospital before him."
When the surgeons at the Speedway first reached the wreck of Chandler's car and found the driver and his mechanician sprawled out on the grass they made their way first to Keeler. He refused to be attended until after the doctors had helped his partner.
"See Bill," he is quoted as saying. "He's hurt worse than I am. I'm all right. I'm a little sore in the back and my shoulder hurts."
His back was broken, his hip broken along with several ribs and one shoulder, besides many other bones broken.
On the way to the hospital in the ambulance he stretched out his hand and shook that of Chandler's affectionately.
"You're all right, Bill," he said. "Don't you worry. We'll be back in the game and showing them all speed in a week or so. You're not hurt much worse than I am."
Chandler at the hospital last night said that the wreck of his car was caused by the right rear wheel collapsing.