Late this afternoon Dr. J.J. Flannery, attending physician, announced marked improvement in the condition of Billy Chandler. His chances are very good for recovery now. Internal injuries have taken a turn for the better. He is resting well. Louis Pieo, Joe Cooper's mechanician, is reported as showing improvement.
Billy Chandler, Duesenberg driver, has a good chance for life. This is the statement of Dr. J.J. Flannery today after a close examination of the racing pilot's injuries.
Louis Pieo, mechanician for Joe Cooper, is not considered in danger of death. The fracture of three ribs, injury to his head and severe bruises are the only injuries now apparent.
These are the latest statements from two of the four men who were victims of the 300-mile derby held on the Des Moines speedway west of Valley Junction Saturday afternoon. Joe Cooper met his death when a tire blew out in the thirty-eighth lap of the race. Morris Kieler, mechanician for Chandler, died at the Mercy hospital at 8:30 Saturday night as the result of a similar accident to Chandler's car in the 236th lap.
Chandler, who is at Mercy hospital, is suffering from internal injuries. He has had occasional hemorrhages of the stomach due to bursted blood vessels, Dr. Flannery says. Danger lies in this injury, probably caused by the machine falling on and crushing his abdomen when it rolled down the saucer curve on the south end of the speedway.
There are no bones broken as first reported, altho his right hip and left knee are terribly bruised. He is badly bruised all over.
"Mr. Chandler has a chance for recovery," said Dr. Flannery. "He passed a good night and shows much improvement. He is suffering injuries to his stomach. Of course there is still much danger but he has a good chance. It looks good for him to pull thru."
Pieo put in a good night at Methodist hospital. His injuries are not as serious as as first thought. His recovery is expected, barring complications.
Chandler, 25 years old, is a veteran of the racing game. His home is in New Haven, N.J. He broke into the game as mechanician fro Ralph Mulford. He sat beside the winner of Saturday's derby in almost every one of the races Mulford entered for four years. Chandler has been at the steering wheel in his own car for three years.
Pieo is fifty years of age. His home is in Sebring, Ohio, and he has been Cooper's mechanician since the daughty Sebring driver entered the game.
As the train pulled into the Rock Island station last night a little group of men - silent, keen-eyed, their faces bronzed by exposure - detached themselves from the crowd and with heads bared slowly followed a truck as it rattled along the platform.
The rattling ceased and six of the group stepped forward. Tenderly they lifted a plain oak box into the baggage car, gazed at it a moment and reluctantly stepped down. The engines bell clanged and the train moved away.
The men were Eddie O'Donnell, Joe Henderson, Pete Henderson, Art Johnson and O.F. Haib of the Duesenberg team and Fred Clairborne. Nearby were Ralph Mulford, Brown, Shrunk, Jones and other drivers and mechanicians. The box contained the last earthly remains of Joe Cooper, who met his death at the Des Moines speedway Saturday afternoon.
A short time afterward a similar box was lifted into a Chicago Great Western baggage car and the body of Morris Kieler - another speedway victim - was carried away.
The bodies were conveyed to the trains in an auto hearse. "The boys would have wanted it that way," explained O'Donnell in making the request.
The funeral cortege from the Dunn undertaking parlors began shortly after 8 o'clock. Practically every driver and mechanician who participated in the Saturday race joined in doing homage to the dead and followed the hearse in automobiles. Speedway officials and representatives of A.A.A. also paid their last respects.
As the bodies lay in the back chapel Eddie O'Donnell was receiving fistfuls of silver and greenbacks in the front office. He suggested making up a purse for the wives of the dead men.
"The amount may run up into the thousands," said O'Donnell. "A lot of the boys are giving their last nickel. Some of them have put into the purse their entire Saturday's winnings."
Kieler's remains were accompanied to LeRoy, Minn. by his widow, his father and mother and Mr. and Mrs. P.G. Green of Moline, Ill.
Green and Kieler had intended to take over Cooper's car after the Des Moines races. The latter acted as Chandler's mechanician merely for the experience he could gain.