The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-11-18
BODY is HORRIBLY MANGLEO
Broken Bones Penetrate Leather
Garments Of Intrepid Aviator
[ Spectators Gaze on In Horror
! While Operator Vainly Clutches
{ at Levers Was One of Wright
(, Brothers Earliest Pupils.

.r OOh'Nib WV WV tSs ANNiHA
Johnstone was fatally injured by
drop of 500 feet In his runaway BIZ
plane at Overland park. He tried to
remove his helmet after he struck
the earth, gave a few short gasps,
and expired. From the time he lost
control of the machine until 1t struck
the earth 1t turned three complete
somersaults, and it is question
whether something broke or whether
The machinery was broken by the
strain OF these evolutions before 1t
struck the ground.
When the crowd saw the machine
whirling downward there was scat.
tering, and the space on which it
fell was clear OF people until the
crash. Then there was rush to the
spot where Johnstone's crushed and
bloody body lay Police were first at
his side, and lifted the motor, which
bore him down. Then the crowd was
driven back and a stretcher secured
TO remove the body. Forced back
ward by officers, the crowd rushed to
where the lighter parts of the ma
chine lay in a tangled heap, and be-
fore the police could prevent it the
framework and everything had been
broken or torn to bits and carried
away by souvenir iends.
Johnstone had been doing magnifi-
g,, "a al fnr ftua do
and previous to the accident had
scared away from the park and
taken a turn over Fort Logan, sew
eral miles distant while Hoxsey and
Brookins were maneuvering over the
park When the crowd saw him re-
turning at an altitude of about 500
feet there was a great cheer. AS he
gracefully dipped his machine in re-
sponse he was again cheered, and he
then began making a spiral descent
TO the starting ground in the park,
and then 1t was noticed that his ma
chine wobbled several times. Sud
denly the aeroplane swerved, darted
toward the ground and, after turning
three somersauts, struck the earth
with terrific force.
During the descent Johnstone could
be seen clutching the levers about
his seat while the frightened specta-
tors wondered If by some chance he
could not right his machine and save
himself from death.
Physicians hurried from the park
and grandstand, and even they had
TO beat their way through the crowd
10 get to the victim. Long before
they reached the scene Johnstone
was dead.
man who was sitting in an auto
mobile within 100 feet of Johnstone
when he hit the ground said: 81 saw
him begin to fall First the aero
plane turned turtle. Johnstone then
tried to climb out on the rods. As
ne left the seat the machine turned
over twice more. After tat 1t drop
ped straight to the ground. When
the fall started Johnstone was about
500 feet up. He didn't utter a cry OF
any kind while falling. There was a
team of horses almost directly under
the falling aeroplane. The driver
pulled them back till they were on
their launches. The machine die
not miss them 10 feet"
Both legs, his neck and back were
broken, and the bones of his thighs
were forced through the flesh ant
through his leather garments. Brook
-ins and Hoxsey hurried to his side
after his fall and helped to remove
the body.
When Johnstone left the home o
his uncle In Kansas City last Sun
day w. M. Federman, his uncle, said
81 suppose I'll get telegram one o.
these days to come after your re
amains."
mot mine" replied Johnstone
"When / make flight | have m!
plans we'll laid. Before / leave thu
ground | know exactly what | an
going to do. Don't worry about me
being injured"
Mr.. Federman wired Il at he woult
come 10 Denver and take Johnstone'
body to Kansas City for burial.
:, Johnstone is 30 years old. His par
ents are dead. Johnstone's wife ant
two children are in New York.
Ralph Johnson was born in Kans6
a.<4ty, Kan, and is known the worl'
over for his trick bicycle riding. On
OF his most daring feats was to rid
a high wheel down a long flight o
steps at the hippodrome In thu
earlier days. He was one Of thu
original five nDDils OF the Wrigh