Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-19
Alb OF elook PERvAofs scene
Investigators Ascertain Cause OF Ae-
eident and Make Report-Wright's
Relatives and Friends Attending
Aviator-Dead Army officer to
Have Military Funeral.
Try Associated Prcss.)

WASHINGTON, d. G., Sept. Is
Fort iMyer, the scene Of yesterday
aeroplane disaster, which u suited IN
the death of Lieutenant Thomas Sell
ridge of the signal corps, and serl-
Gus injury of Orville Wright, present
ed a CHI erless aspect today. The air
Of gloom was reflected in the faces
of the brother officers of the unfor-
tunate lieutenant, when they met III
the fort this morning to make an Off
cial investigation OF the accid'nt;
in the manner in which the cavalry
dill, was gone through with over
TIL, very ground upon which the iai-
ed aerial ship was wrecked. and IN
the words of appreciation shown by
men of the signal corps balloon squad
which had been und.r the direct
charge OF Lieutenant Selfridge.
Lieutenant S'lfridge's body was to-
day removed from the hospital at
Fer. Myrr to an undertaken, where
1t will remain until the arrival OF
the young officers fatk2r, who wired
today from San Francisco that he
would like to have his son buried
either at Arlington or West Point. A
military funeral will be held and BIT
rial will probably be at Arlington
Miss Catherine Wright, the sister
of the injured aeropianist, arrived
here from Dayton this afternoon and
visited her brother.
Octave Chaneut, a close friend and
adviser of the Wright brothers,
Charles R Flint and c. E. Taylor
and C. w. Furness, Orville Wright's
were the only othev per-
sons permitted to SCI. him today.
Major George o. Squier, acting
Official Inquiry.
chief signal officer of the army. THIS
morning convened the board OF signal
officers for the purpose OF making
an official inquiry into the death OF
Lieut.nant Selfridge.
Major Charles NICK Saltzman acted
as chairman. ard Captain Charles s.
Wallace and Lieutenant Frank l..
Lahm were the other Numbers pres-
ent
The wreckage of the aeroplane had
been placed in the shed last night,
and the members Of the board, &C
companied by Octave Chancut and
Professor Albert Sahm Of the Catho-
lie UniN rsity, both Of whom are
authorities on aeronautics. inspected
the machine II was found that the
broken piece of the propeller was
idented as though It had come In con-
tact with a wire
During the inquiry several eye Wit
nesses wire questioned, among them
being Dr.. Spratt. who was present
during the earlier experiments Of the
Wright brothers in North Carolina:
Sere ant Sweeney. Of the artillery
corps. Sergeant Downey, OF the sig
nal corps. and others Of the artillery.
cavalry and signal corps who were
among those on the scene. Major
Squir. as acting chief signal Off
Ger. reviewed the findings Of he
court. which were given out BY Ma
jur Sluier "a follows:
Findings Of Court
The board finds that the accident
which occurred in an unofficial flight
made at Fort Niger. Va AZ about
sis a. m. on Septembsr IL. 1908.
was due to the accidental br, aking
OF a propeller blade and consequent
unavoidable loss Of control which re-
suited in the machine falling TO the
ground from . height Of about ssv-
en.y-fve fscf.
The hoard finds that First Lieu
tenant Thomas T.. ScIfridgc. FIRST
Geld artillery. attached TO the signal
corps by war department orders. and
assigned to a,ropauiical duty. accom-
panied Mr.. Wright by authority on
the aropianc. officially receiving in
structions. and received injuries by
the falling Of the machine which re-
saItcd IN bis DEATH
The signal corps win proceed with
It's aeTonauficai work and. II IL under
stood. the Wright brothers win bc
permitted to make their ofscial trails
whenever they are ready without en-