Arizona republican., 1910-11-24

that he decided he could make a living by his tricks. So he rode away and hunted up 4 vaudeville manager to whom he showed what he could do. He was put under contract at once. And so his success began.
 He studied constantly to improve his act. Not content with the display of mere cleverness and agility, he soon be- gan to make his act dangerous. That made it more spectacular for the au- dience and more interesting to him. He showed his faith in his own skill by wagering his life every day upon the issue of his success.
 When the birdmen began to get fla nous in Europe and America he was interested Flying, he decided. must be the most delicious of all settlements. When Bleriot cfossed the English chan nel Johnstone became an aviation fan" He saw the Wrights fly, and he fell in love with the watch-like delicacy of the Wright machines. To be away up in the air sustained by such a craft was an idea that fascinated him.
 Last April he went to Dayton. Ohio, headquarters of the Wright brothers, to learn to fly. Arch HoXsey Was there at the same time and for the same pur- pose The Wrights liked the looks of Johnstone. They knew of his intrepid physical courage and his cold nerve. And they decided that he would do.
 Walter Brookins, already m experts aviator, was assigned the task oc teach ing Johnstone to fly. The vaudevillian learned quickly and astonished his tu- tor by his eagerness to get away up.
 Johnstone was known best as an alti- tude flyer. He never tried for cross country events. speed dashes or dis tance, but his full bloOded, stoutly knit frame stood him in good stead at resist ing the cold of the upper airs. and his instinctive poise helped him in the high winds.
 He was full of zeal and pride, and his daily rivalries with his team mate, Arch Hoxsey. in their duels for altitude were one of the delights of the recent inter national aviation meet at Belmont park.
 How high do you think you went?" the crowd asked him one night when he settled on the field after sunset, numbed and shivering.
 ''I don't know" he answered, but If did not go higher than Hoxsey, I'll nev- CT trust barograph again"
 It happened that JOhnstone was de- feated on that occasian. but by daily striving he got little higher each time until on the last day of the meet he brought back the worlds record-9,714 feet-a record he carried with him to death.
 He had already taken the American record from Walter Brookins of the Wright team, and when J. Armstrong Drexel went him little better he came hack again with still another American record Nothing remained for him then but the worlds record, and in the end he got that, too.
 The feat brought him 5000 in cash and more fame than anything else ne ever did, but it was not really his most remarkable piece of airmanship In one flight at Belmont park-the day he de- feated Drexel-he and HoXsey went up in A gale so stiff that for a time they hung above the field immovable in latl- tude. though they were steadily gaining ing altitude, and then began to drift backward.
 They were blown off the course, out of sight, and JohnstOne landed fifty miles down Long Island, but It was characteristic of his pluck that he Kept on climbing until his last drop of gaso- line was exhausted.
 'I guess" said Wilbur Wright at the time, that's the first cross-countrS flight ever made tail end foremost.
 Major Samuel Reber of the United states signal corps added that nothing in aviation had gone so far to prove the worth of the aeroplane in stiff weather. He estimated the strength or the wind Johnstone then fought at TOT tv-five miles an hour or more. Johnstone liked applause, but he sei- dom tried tricks to gain 1t. when IL came to beam -end turns and pirouettes, Hoxsev and Brookins could always have their own way. Johnstone nad only one thriller. Beginning with a gradual deflection he would dip more and more deeply until his descent oe- came the swoop of hawk.
 Hes falling!" the crowd would cry just before he strengthened. And the other day he did.
 Johnstone's parents are both dead. He is survived by his wife, and by his little son and daughter. He married al Rordlin. Germany. while he was still ln vaudeville. and his daughter is now in Germany. His wife and son are in New York city.