The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-02
FELL TO HIS DEATH
j. j. Frisbie, Curtiss Aviator,
Killed at Norton.
Driven Into the Air by Taunts
Of the Crowd.
HE FALLS 100 FEET
Engine of the Machine Crushes
His Body.
Wife and Children Witness the
Accident.
HE FALLS 100 FEET

Norton, Kan, Sept. 2.-J. J. Frisbie.
the Curtiss aviator, was killed by a
fall at the Norton county fair late
Friday afternoon. Frisbie met with
an accident Thursday and only went
into the air again Friday when driven
to do so by the taunts and jeers of
the crowd
| Frisbie fell about 100 feet and the
engine of his machine fell upon him.
crushing his left side and chest. He
fingered for about an hour before he
died
F'risbie has been giving exhibitions
at Elmwood park for several days.
Thursday his machine acted badly,
and he had a fall of about forty feet,
but beyond bruises and a shaking up
was not injured.
He was skeptical about the ability
of his machine to stand another flight
and announced that he would not take
the air, but when this statement was
communicated to the crowd there was
an angry demonstration. The spec
tatorS hOoted and shouted "fakir" and
refused to listen to explanations.
Mr.. F'risbie announced that rather
than have the big crowd go away with
the impression that he was not will
ing to do his best, he would attempt
a flight. He ascended from the track
without difficulty and attained
height of 100 feet, but in attempting
to make a turn the plane tipped and
crashing to earth the spectators could
see the aviator trying to right the
machine. but as it approached the
ground one of the wings crashed into
a barn and the biplane, glancing off,
struck the earth with F'risbie under
meath.
Physicians who hurried to the avia-
tors assistance expressed the opinion
at once that his injuries were fatal.
F'risbie's wife, son and little daugh-
,f ant
Mrs. Frisbie being Frustrated when
she saw her husband fall. She bitter
ly denounced the action of the spec
tators in forcing her husband to make
the flight with a disabled machine.
F7riSbie was well known among the |
aviators. having flown at Belmont |
park and being a participant in the |
recent big meet at Chicago.
Machine Not Well Balanced.
After the accident it was learned |
that F'risbie had told several of those |
about him before starting that his ma /
he said, had caused the accident |
Even while the machine I
was rising from the ground it did not
appear to act right in the opinion of
many persons and they were not sur
prised at the outcome. Frisbie was I
plainly averse to making the flight |
He said that in addition to the dis
abled machine the wind was unfav-
coming in spurts," as he ex-
pressed It.
J. ". Scott, the manager of the
Curtiss company, who is here. said,
however, that the blame for the acct
dent was not to be laid to the ma
chine.
was a native of Oswego, N z, where
his parents still reside. BE is survived
oy a widow and four children. The
oldest son, Donald, aged 21, and 8
year-old daughter, in addition to Mrs.
F'risbie, were at the grounds when the
,ers, aged, respectively, Is and IS, are
living in Rochester, N. Y.
Frfsbie, popularly known as the
Irish aviator has been attempting
exhibition feats for 26 years, accord
ng to his son, Donald, but his expert
ence with heavier-than-air machines
Iates back only little more than a
rear He was form erly with the Moi
sant flyers, took part in the meet at
park and the recent big meet
1t Chicago. He was also at Overland
park, Denver, when Ralph Johnstone
vas killed
Mrs. Frisbie will leave at O'Clock
his afternoon with the body for Os-
Non Chicago Bomb Throwing Contest
Chicago. Sept. John J. F'risbie,
Who was killed by fall at Norton,
KAN, was one of the reliable aviators
It the recent international aviation
meet here. Although he made no ef-
orts at spectacular flying, his biplane
vas in the air every day and his per-
made him popular with the
'pectators.
He won the bomb throwing contest.
aking a $1,000 prize, and the quick
tarting contest, making his prize
money for the meet $1,50O.
Frisbfe was an Irishman, AZ years
I'D. He had spent twenty-six years
# his life as a ba1lo onist and a para
.hute jumper In Europe. Although he
lew a Curtiss machine, he was allied
With and flew under the directions of
he Moisant flyers.