Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-18
ASSOCIATED Press)

DENVER, Nov. 17.-With one wing
tip Of his machine crumpled like piece
of paper, Ralph Johnstone, the bril-
liant young aviator, holder of the
worlds altitude record, dropped like
plummet from height of 500 feet into
the inclosure at Overland park avia-
ton field and was instantly killed.
When the spectators crowded about
the inclosure reached him, his body lay
beneath the engine of the biplane. with
the white planes that had failed him in
his time of need wrapped about it like
a shroud. Nearly every bone in his
body was broken.
He had gambled with death once too
often. But he played the game to the
end, fighting coolly and grimly to the
last second to regain control of his
broken machine.
Fresh from his triumphs at Belmont
park, where he had broken the worlds
record for altitude with fight of 9714
feet, tombstone attempted to give the
thousands of spectators who stood with
craned necks to watch him an extra
thrill with his mast daring feat, the
spiral glide which had made the Wright
aviators famous. The spectators got
their thrill, but it cost Johnstone his
life.
The fatal fight was the second john
stone had made this afternoon. In the
first flight, when he was in the air
with Hoxsey and Brookins, he had
gone through his usual program of dips
and glides, with his machine apparent
ly under perfect control.
Then Johnstone rose again, and after
few circuits of the course to gain
height. headed toward the foothills.
WING TIP BREAKS
Still ascending, he swept back in
big circle. and as he reached the north
end of the inclosure he started his
spiral glide. He was then at an alti-
tude of about 800 feet. With his planes
tilted at an angle of almost 80 degrees
he swooped down in narrow circle,
the aeroplane seeming to turn almost
in it's own length. AS he started the
second circle the middle spur which
braces the left side OF the lower plane
gave way and the wing tips OF both
upper and lower planes folded up as
though they had been hinged. For a
second Johnstone attempted to right
the machine by warping the other wing
tip. Then the Mortified spectators saw
the plane SWerve like wounded bird
and plunge straight toward the earth.
Johnstone was thrown from his seat
as the nose of the plane swung down
ward. He caught on one side of the
wire stays between the planes and
grasped one of the wooden braces of
the upper planes with both hands. Then
working with hands and feet he fought
by main strength to warp the planes
so that their surface might catch the
air and check his descent.
For q second it seemed to the white
faced spectators almost under him
that he might succeed, for the football
helmet he wore blew off and fell much
more rapidly than the plane.
LOSES BRAVE FIGHT
The hope was only momentary,
however, for when about 500 feet from
the ground the machine turned COM
pletely over, and the spectators fled
wildly as the broken plane with the
tense-faced boy still fighting grimly in
it's mesh of wires and stays plunged
among them with a thud that could
be heard over the big field.
Scarcely had he hit the ground when
sensation mad brutes, both men and
women, swarmed over the wreckage
lighting with one another for SOU
venirs of the terrible occasion.
One of the broken stays had thrust
it's Jagged end almost through John
stones body. Before doctors or police
could reach the scene one man had
torn this splinter from the crushed
and mangled body and ran gleefully
away, carrying his horrible trophy
with the aviator's blood still dripping
from its end. Frantic the crowd tore
away the canvass from over his body
and fought for the very gloves that
had protected Johnstone's hands from
cold
DEATH INSTANTANEOUS
The machine fell on the opposite
side OF the field from the grandstand,
and there were but few hundred
near the spot, but physicians and pO-
lice were rushed across as soon as
possible. Physicians declare death
must have been instantaneous, as
Johnstone's back. neck and both legs
were broken, the bones OF his thighs
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