The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-18

record for altitude with a flight of
9,714 feet, JOhnstOne attempted to give
the thousands of spectators an extra
thrill with his most daring feat, the
spiral glide, which has made the
Wright aviatOrs famous The fatal
flight was the second JohnstOne had
made. In the first flight when he was
in the air with Hoxsey and Brookins
he had gone through his usual pro-
gram of dips and glides with the ma
chine apparently under perfect control.
Then JOhnstone rose again and after a
few circles of the course to gain
height, headed toward the foothills.
Still ascending. he swept back in a big
circle and as he reached the north end
of the enclosure he started his spival
glide. He was then at an altitude of
500 feet With his planes tilted at an
angle of almost 80 degrees. he swooped
down in a 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 plane by warp
ing the other wing tip Then the hor-
rified spectators saw the plane swerve
like a wounded bird and plunge
straight toward the earth.
Fought for Life.
Johnstone was thrown from his seat
as the nose of the plane swung down
ward. He caught on one of the wire
stays between the planes and grasped
one of the wooden braces of the upper
plane with both hands. Then. working
with his hands and feet. he fought bv
main strength to warp the planes so
that their surfaces might catch the air
and check his descent. For a second
it seemed to the white-faced spectators
almost under him that he might sue
ceed. but when only 800 feet from the
ground the machine turned completely
over and the frightened spectators fed
wildly as the broken plane with the
tense faced boy still fighting grfmly
IN its mesh of wires and STAYS. plung-
ed among them with a thud Death
was instantaneous.
Scarcely had the aeroDIane hit tho
ground when men and women swarm
ed over the Wreckage, fighting for SOU
Ven1rs- One of the broken wooden
stays had thrust its jagged end almost
through Johnstone's body. Before doc
tors or police could arrive a spectator
tore this splinter from the mangIed
body and ran gleefulIy away. CARRYING
his hOrrid trophy with the aviat0r's
blood still dripping from its ends.
Frantic, the crowd tore away the can
vas from over John3tone's body and
IouSht for the gloves that had protect
ed his hands from cold
Arch HoXSey, who in a previous flight
had reached an altitude of $500 feet
had risen just before Johnstone began
his fatal glide and was in the air when
the accident occurred. As he swung
around the other end of the course he
saw that JohnstOne had fallen. and
guided his machine directly over tbe
body of his friend. He descended a.
soon as he could bring his plane Ia
the ground and rushed to the wreck
age where he and Walter Brookins
helped to lift the mangled body into an
automobile which brought it to the
city.
The Band Played On.
Many of the spectators were watchine
HoNsey flight and did not see Job3
stones machine collapse put a woman,
shTiek drew every eye in time to see th,
ooOnled man dash to death. The band II