The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-21
CAPTAIN ROLLS
PLUNGES TO DEATH
Rolls Was Made Famous by His
Wonderful Round Trip Across
the English Channel, and Was
the Only Man to Ever Ac-
complish That Feat.

bVUhNEMOUTH,E NG-Spectal
12.-Charles Stewart Rolls, the
famous English aviator who won
the honor OF being the only man
TO mako a round trip across the
English Channel from England
70 France, was killed Tuesday In
the aviation meet here.
While flying I'm a Wright ma
chine In the alighting competi-
ton for a prize OF $1,25O his
aeroplane suddenly turned a SOM
erSault, crashed to the ground
and crushed the aviator to death
directly opposite the grandstand.
The stand was filled with rep
resentatives of English society,
who had been attracted to the
contest by the fact that Rolls was
TO compete today. Many OF them
were personally acquainted with
or friends of the daring aviator.
Cheers AS He Arose.
They cheered him as he arose in
the air to a height of 100 feet, and
the cheers continued as he made one
circle of the aviation ground. The
cheers were silenced suddenly when
II was noticed that he was having
trouble. By this time he had ascend
ed to height of 125 feet. Almost
Immediately after the first signs of
trouble were noticed the aeroplane
turned complete somersault and
then plunged straight down.
Rolls attempted to extricate him
self, but the drop was too swift. The
edge of the machine caught him as
the two came to the ground together
and fatally crushed him. His limbs
were fractured and he died within a
few moments after the aeroplane was
lifted from his body.
Many Women Shrek.
Many of the women in the grand
stand shrieked frantically as the avia-
tor was seen to fall. Then several Of
them tainted while their men COM
panions rushed on to the field to give
aid to the fatally injured man. They
were Immediately driven back by the
police.
The meet which opened so auspi-
ciously yesterday when J. A. Drexel
the young American aviator, broke
all records for altitude flights, was
marked by a serious accident imme-
diately upon the resumption of flights
today.
NJ. Audemars, a French aviator, fell
in his initial flight and was badly
hurt. Rolls saw the accident to Aude-
mars, but after extending sympathy
TO the injured man mounted his own
machine.
On his fight around the grounds
Rolls attained terrific speed. He had
just started his descent to the ground,
still at the same speed. when a sharp
cracking sound was heard. The
cause OF this was not understood at
first, but ii was attributed to the
motor. Upon investigation, however,
1t was found that the tail OF the hi
plane had broken. The disaster is at
tributed to a slight fault in the ma
terial OF the machine, which left the
biplane unable to bear the strain of
the sixty-mile-an-hour speed at which
Rolls was flying. The machine was
smashed into a crumpled mass when
II swooped TO the ground and turned
over.
Medical examination of Rolls show
ed that in addition to his other in
5uries his head had been crushed.
The ten thousand spectators who
came here in holiday mood to watch
the contests, left Immediately after
the accident, and flying was aban-
doned for the day.
When the other accident occurred
M. Audemars was using a miniature
Demoiselle monoplane of the type in
vented by Santos Dumont. The ma
chine whirled around like a top in its
fail- Audemars was rushed to a hos
pital. where. after a preliminary ex-
animation 1t was stated he had a
chance to recover.
Visited United States I'm 1906.
hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, who was
shfrty-four years old, was well known
in America. he having visited the Unit-
eo states In 1906. During his short
stay he made many friends. and was
england. Mr.. Rolls crossed the ocean
70 attend the auto show at the Grand
Central Palace, New York, and TO show
the American public what an English
man knew about the manufacture OF
automobiles. He was then an enthusi-
astic autoist. and was the head OF the
Rolls-Royce concern in England Az
Ter returning TO England Mr.. Rolls in
lerested himself in aviation and began
with aeroplanes.
Mr.. Rolls had always been deeply in
-erested In machinery. AS a yOungster
ne experimental with electricity, and
Z Is related that he used to run away
rom church IN order to operate a steam
rolling machine on his fathers estate
Sc was the third son OF Lord Langa-
-ock, OF the Hendre, and frS.a this cir
substance of his birth held the title
share; In 1899 he gained the Bordeaux
8iarritz.
He made many balloon ascents. In
1905 he won the French Aero Club
medal for the longest balloon Journey
Ssr rs,s from Paris TO a point in Nor
he was the founder or the Aero Club
OF the United Kingdom
VOLCANIC FPV7pTTOV- -