The San Francisco call., 1908-05-24
GIRL LOSES REASON
AS AIRSHIP FALLS
Students Screams Strike Ter
rOr Into Hearts of Those Ig-
nOrant of Catastrophe

BERKELEY, May 23.-As the result
Of witnessing the awful sight of the
falling airship with men helplessly
caught in the rigging being dashed to
the ground, Miss Lillian Lewis. a 20
year old student of a local business
college, may lose her mind. Miss Lewis,
who came from her home in Tuolomne
county several months ago to study
here. is constantly attended by DR.. T.
W. Harms Of this city. but may recover
from the excitement which weakened
her mind Miss Lewis rushed from the
spot where the airshrp had fallen a
mass Of wreckage to -Shattuck avenue
where her cries and shouts attracted
the attention of the police. She Was
led away to the school and placed un-
Ger the, care Of a physician.
During the building OF the Morrell
eirship Miss Lewis has been in fever
OF suppressed excitement She visited
the huge gas bag daily as IT lay an
chored in the lot at the corner Of
Grove and Kittredge streets. anxious to
see how Morrell and his men were
progressing with the work of making
the ship, which was intended to solve
the problem Of 3erial navigation.
STAYED LONG BESIDE AIRsHIP
She arose at an early hour today and
was among the first residents who Wis
tied the airship when it was being filed
with gas at > o'clock this morning.
She stayed at the side Of the huge car
until about II O'Clock, when she went
TO the college and reported that the
dream Of Morrell was about to be a
reality
Prof. c. Smith, head of the college,
accompanied Miss Lewis to the lot and
arrived there shortly before the bal
loon was ordered cast off for its initial
flight She shouted with the excite
menreas the canvas was slowly given
more rope and ascended into the heav-
ems. Professor Smith cautioned her to
remain quiet. but she paid little heed
TO his admonitions and shouted at the
top of her voice when the ship reached
an elevation Of about ESQ feet
SCREAMS LIKE MAD WOMAN
When the forward end began TO sag
Miss Lewis mind gave way. The
plight of the helpless crew of the mon
ster airship turned her brain and, over
come by the grewsome scene, she
rushed up Aston way TO Shattuck ave-
nue., shouting and screaming like a
mad woman. Professor Smith followed
and endeavored TO quiet her, but the
excitement had overcome her reason.
DR.. Harms at first feared that Miss
Lewis was hopelessly insane, but to-
night he stated that she may recover
from the shock In her rawlings she
called for help 10 save the crew of the
airship and then again she imagined
that it was falling on her.
Professor Smith said tonight that
Miss Lewis was & model pupil. but he
fOresaw that she was laboring under
intense excitement during the building z
OF the airship and endeavored TO dis
suade her from seeing the initial flight
OF the huge car. He accompanied her
10 the lot from which the flight was to
have been taken so that he could aid
her IN case of undue excitement. Upon
the weakening OF her mind. however.
she eluded his grasp End fed ep the
street. her shouts striking terror into
the hearts of those who knew nothing
OF the catastrophe.
Miss Lewis is said 10 be the daughter
OF rich sheep owner of 1uolomne
county.