Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-19
ORURY CRIES FRAUD LA|NS WRIGHT FALL
Charues Mr. and Mrs. MouIton Main Steang Apparatus Was
With Conspiracy Put Out of Commission.
SISTERS MONEY INVOLVED Determined, BY WRIGHT
Secret ured Man Places Fault.
HAD BEEN PUT IN ASYLUM HIS SISTER IS NOW WITH HIM
Condition Favorable
serts Attendants-Drin Hole
Get Cash Broke, Says Army
Mechanics Examine Machine and In
jured Man Places Fault.
HIS SISTER IS NOW WITH HIM
Condition Even More Favorable, As
serts Attendants-Drill Hole
Broke, Says Army Board.

The most important development in
connection with the accident to the
Wright aeroplane is the discovery made
By Mechanic Charles Taylor yesterday
afternoon of the real cause of the acci-
dent
There were dozen theories at the
time of the accident as to what had ac-
tually happened. and even more versions
OF the fiuttering gyrations Of the aeroplans
as il tumbled from air.
But II appears that the actual trouble
was due to the fact that the main steer
inG apparatus was put out Of commits
sion.
This was developed after a thorough
examination of the wrecked machine by
Mechanics Taylor and Furness, and sub
sequent conference between them and
Wright.
The injured aviator is resting easily at
the post hospital at Fort Myer. His tenn
perature this morning was lower than
yesterday, though still fractionaily above
normal
He is beginning to suffer the after ef-
fects of his terrible fail. He was sore
and stiff this morning. The bone of his
leg is beginning to knit and pains him
severely.
He was altogether more nervous and
irritable than he has been since coming
to Washington. The doctors said this
was a good sign.
Miss Wright With Brother.
Miss Katherine Wright. sister of the in
jured man, arrived IN Washington from
Dayton yesterday afternoon. She was
met at the Union station by Lieut.. Lahm
and was taken at once to Fort Myer in
an automobile.
She was allowed to see her brother yes
terday for twenty minutes. They talked
about home affairs and old friends and
neighbors. The injured man was much
cheered by her visit. She again paid him
visit today.
Miss Wright says she will probably take
quarters near Fort Myer, so as to be near
her brother. She will be allowed to visit
him daily and to help nurse him.
There is no telling how long Wright
will be in the hospital. 1t is possible he
will stay there only until he can leave on
crutcheS. This would ordinarily be In the
course Of six or seven weeks
There is no urgent necessity for moving
him. He is as comfortable and well cared
for there as he could be anywhere In the
world. The War Department will keep
him as long he wishes to stay.
The meeting with his mechanics yes
terday afternoon gave Wright the first
clue as to what actually happened in the
accident. Charles Taylor, who has been
with the Wrights for years, brought up
the piece of the propeller blade that was
broken off and little piece Of the guy
wire and fastening that held the top OF
the rear rudder.
This guy wire ran from the rear rudder
post to the back Of the main plane. Or
dinarily, 1t clears the revolving propellers
by about ten inches, but the new pro-
pellers that had been put on the machine
We're six inches longer in the blade than
A. "; 1aff fsNravs
inches of clearance for the wire.
But while the machine was in the air
the vibrations must have started these
guy wires to vibrating like sharp strings.
They finally came near enough for the
end of the propellers to brush the wire.
This enormous 'twang" to the wire
made it catch the propeller on its next
revolution about eight inches from the
end. and 1t snapped across the middle
like pipe stem.
The blow also broke the guy wire.
There was a bit of tell-tale aluminium
paint in the break and a cut an inch and
a half deep made by the wire in the edge
of the propeller.
Rudder Out Of Service.
This swapping of the guy wire threw the
rear rudder out Of service. AS there is an
intimate connection between the rear rud-
der and the main planes, these too, were
almost though not quite paralyzed.
This left only the front planes really
in working order They were not enough
to control the machine.
One propeller was gone. The other was
trying to pull the machine around In the
direction the operator did not want 1t to
go.
Wright still says If there had been
twenty-five feet farther TO drop he coulu
have brought the machine down on an
even keel and that 1t was already begin
ming to answer the forward planes when
It struck the ground.
The plane certainly struck the ground
front edge first Whether it would have
completely righted in a longer fall Is, or
course a matter OF speculation.
The airship board of the War Depart
ment went over to Fort Myer yesterday
and held a sort of coroner's inquest on
the remains OF the machine. Its report
was purely formal and stated that Lieut.,
Selfridge met his death in the line or
duty during an unavoidable accident to
the aeroplane in which he was riding.
supplementary report stated that the
accident was due to the breaking of
drill hole in one of the rudder supports.
but did not touch on the essential TACT
of how the support came to be broken.
AS matter of fact, there was no
strain to speak of on the little fastening
which held the rear rudder post Moth
Ing that could have been used would nave
been strong enough to stand the strain OF
the blow from the propeller.
The explanation of the accident serves
also to explain a sight witnessed by some
of the enlisted men at the time of the
wreck. They said the breaking Of the
propeller was caused when one OF the
rear rudder supports struck 1t While IL
was revolving
AS a matter of fact, the swapping or
the rudder guy wire did bring down the
wooden rudder support. 1t was nat.
ural inference that this had broken and
caused the wreck.
Would Refuse Unearned money.
Charles r. Flint financial agent OF the
Wright brothers. was seen today. lie sdiu
that no definite plans for the future had
been made. and he had not attenpteo ~
talk business to Orville Wright.
He did say, however, that from what
,e knew of the character Of the Wright
brotl,ars he was certain they would not
accent any payment from the government