The Washington herald., 1910-11-18
DROPS 500 FEET TO EARTH

--e'%esN " N-'~ $500 - NS
away by souvenir fends.
DROPS 500 FEET TO EARTH
Johhstone had been doing magnificent
work in the air for two days. and pre-
VioIA 10 the accident had scared away
from the park and taken q turn over
Fort Logan, several miles distant, while
Hoxsey and Brooklns were inaneuvering
over the park When the crowd saw
him returning at an altitude OF about 800
feet there was a great cheer
As he gracefully dipped his machine in
response he was again cheered. He be-
gan making a spiral descent to the start
ing ground in the park, and then II was
noticed that his machine wobbled sew
eral times. Suddenly the aeroplane
swerved. darted toward the ground. and
after turning three somersaults. struck
the earth with terrific force.
During the descent Johnstone could be
seen clutching the levers about his seat,
while the frightened spectators wondered
II by some chance he could not right
his machine and save himself from
death
When the aeroplane struck the spec
tators rushed from the grand stand and
paddock and literally mobbed one an
other trying TO ascertain the fate of the
daring airman.
Physicians hurried from the park and
grand stand, and even they had to beat
their way through the crowd 10 get to
the victim. Long before they arrived on
the scene Johnstone was dead.
Machine Turns SOmersauIts.
A man who was sitting in an automo-
bile, within IO0 feet Of Johnstone WHOM
the airman hit the ground. said:
Il saw him begin 10 fall First the
aeroplane turned turtle. Johnstone then
tried to climb out on the rods As he
left the seat the aeroplane turned over
twice more. After that il dropped
straight to the ground. When the fan
started Johnstone was about 800 feet up.
Hs-didn't utter a cry of any kind while
falling. There was a team OF gray horses
almost directly under the falling aero
plane. The driver pulled them back till
they were on their launches The ma
chine did not miss them ten feet
broke while in the air, but that the ma
chinery seemed TO stop suddenly Then"
he said, the aeroplane started for the
earth exactly as a--leaf falls-with a
peculiar half-spiral, half-foating motion,
which was maintained. though at terrific
speed. until within thirty feet OF the
ground. when it dropped like plummet''
Had Trouble Before Flight.
started PREPARATIONS 10 ny to-day. His
motor worked badly. and after he got IL
so that 1t promised to give no further
trouble ne found that his steering ap-
paratus was not in good trim and spent
some time tfnkering with IT, Then he
had more trouble with his motor, and II
was some time after Brookins and Hox-
sey were amusing the crowds before he
got into the air. but when once up. his
graceful evolutiOns secured for him the
major share OF attention and admiration
The spectators who wanted thrills were
fully gratified by the seemingly reckless
work OF Brookins and Hoxsey, but the
majority found the careful management
Of his craft by Johnstone was less of a
strain on the nerves and he was given
the lions share Of applause when I'm the
air and OF praise when he alighted.
Both legs, his neck, and back were
broken, and the bones OF his thighs were
forced through the flesh and through
his heavy leather garments.
BrOOkins and Hoxsey hurried 10 his
side after his fan and helped remove
the body. Johnstone had an accident
yesterday. just as he was starting UP.
ana to-day when he gave the signal a dog
rushed in front of his machine barking
furiously The brute could not be driven
away and was still in full cry when
JOhnstone rose for his last flight
Eschewed New ThrIIIers.
He said yesterday that he would not
try any new stunts here, as he feared
the upper currents. but his spiral at
tempt to-day, had It been successful,
would have surpassed anything his COM
rades have tried.
When Johnstone left the home of his
uncle in Kansas City. Kans., last Sunday.