New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-18
TOMBSTONE FALLS
500 FEET TO DEATH
Holder of Worlds Record At.
tempted SPIRAL Glide at Den
YER, Despite III 0mens.
Rush OF SOUVENIR HUNTERS
Men and Women Swarm Over
Wreekage Before Police Ar
Effect of Rarefed
Atmosphere.

Denver. Nov. 1T-with one wing tip Of
his machine crumpled like piece OF
paper. Ralph Johnstone. the brilliant
Young aviator and holder OF the worlds
altitude record. dropped like a plun1rnet
from a height of five hundred feet into
the inclosure at Overland Park aviation
field this afternoon and was Instantly
killed
When the spectators crowded about
the inclosure and 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 II
like q shroud- Nearly every bone in his
body was broken. He had ganbled with
death once too often, but he played the
game to the end. fighting coolly and
grinly to the last second to regain con-
troll OF his broken machine
Fresh from his triumphs at Belmont
Park. where he had broken the worlds
record for altitude with flight OF s,71a
feet, tombstone attempted to give the
thousands of spectators an extra thrill
with his most daring feat. the spiral
glide. which has made the Wright avia-
tors famous The spectators got their
thrill, but it cost Johnstone his life
Johnstone's Second Flight
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 programme OF dips
and glides with the machine apparently
under perfect control Then Johnstone
rose again, and after a few circuits 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 spiral
glide. He was then at an altitude OF
about eight hundred feet With his
planes tilted at an angle Of almost 80
degrees ne swoOped down in narrow
circle. the aerOplane seeming to turn
almost in its own length AS ne started
the second circle the middle spar, 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 warping the other
wing tip. Then the horrified spectators
! saw the plane swerve like a wounded
bird and plunge straight toward the
earth.
JnhnstOne 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 hands and feet
ne fought by main strength to warp the
planes so that their surfaces might
catch the air and check his descent For
a second it seemed that he might sue
ceed. for the football helmet he wore
blew off and fell much more rapidly
than the plane
Turns Completely Over.
The hope was momentary- however
for when about three hundred feet from
the ground the machine turned COM
pIeteIy over and the spectators fed
wildly as the broken plane with the
aviator still fighting grinly in its mesh
of wires and stays. plunged among them
with a crash
before morbid men and women swarmed
over the wreckage fighting with each
other for souvenirs. one Of the broken
wooden stays had gone almost through
Tohnstone's body Before doctors or
roIice could reach the scene. one man
had torn this splinter from the body and
ran away. carrying his trophy with the
aviatorss blood still dripping from its
ends
The crowd tore awaySthe canvas from
over the body and even fought for the
gloves that had protected Johnstone's
hands from the cold
The machine fell on the opposite side
of the field from the grandstaud. and
there were only a few hundred speCta-
tors near the spot. but physicians and
poIfce were rushed across as soon as pos
sfbIe. Physicians declare death must
have been instantaneous. as Johnstone's
hack. neck and both legs were broken.
the bones OF his thigh being forced
through the flesh and the leather gar
rnents he wore
Hoxsey Flies Over Dear Friend
Arch Hoxscy. who in a previous fight
this afternoon had reached an altitude
of 2500 feet. had risen Just before John
stone began his fatal glide and was in
the air when the accident took place As
he swung down the other end of the
course ne saw that JOhnstOne had fall
en- and guided his machine directly over
the body Of mis- friend. He descended as
soon as he could bring his plane 70 the
ground and rushed tO the wreckage.
where he and Walter Brookins helped
lift the maugled form 10 an automobile.
which brought il 70 the city.
Many of the spectators were watching
Hoxsey's flight and did not see John
stones machine collapse. but wornan's
shrek, My Cod! he's gone" drew every
eve in time to see him dashed to death
upon the ground The band in the grand
stand bIaring away under contract
never ceased 10 play, and JohnstOne's
body was taken out of the incIosure
with the strains Of = ragtime melody for
a funeral march.
1t would seem that many incidents had
happened throughout the aviation meet
to warn the Ill fated aviator. Yesterday
in aighting Johnstone broke the left
of his ueaFhina aeairSr