New-York tribune., 1911-01-01
THINK ROXSEY WENT
AS TOMBSTONE DID
"Dick" Turpin, Wright Aviator,
Saws Former Wasn't ReCk-
less, However.
SAYS FLYING WILL GO ON
Fileux, Moisant's Mechanician,
Thinks Accident Would Not
Have Happened if He
Had Been Present.

rat YOU can't think now a 1eloW leeiS.
.D,ck" Turpin, follower 81 the Wrghts.
,r civilized garb. looking not one whit like
real true avis tor, stood beside duph-
co,s Of the machine in which Arch Hoxsey
,on N his death AZ the international Avi-
80, Show last night. Around him surged
~. holiday crowd, the news of the avi-
stor,s death leaptng quickly from mouth
20 mouth. Idly curious. they closed IN.
hating. laughing. some even joking at the
fatal fall
81 saw him out in Denver last" Turpin
continued as oblivious Of the Joyous throng
.s ~ he were still In the Western city,
,,yyben Iohnstone went, we were all going
20 ont out that fancy business. No. Hox-
,., never was reckless He was really one
=, the most careful drivers in the camp.
~. aid q lot Of wild. spectacular things.
~, he never placed himself in any unnec-
.ssary danger.
what Kind OF fellow was he? The best
d, the world. He was absolutely moral in
.verv -espect. He never knew what fear
es don't think we have ever had
man so popular in camp. Both of the
Urirbts liked him wonderfully, too
eve haven't heard anything here except
,bst he was killed in a fall. That's the
worst that can possibly happen. He was
rrobably flying for the Micheln endurance
rrize. This was the last opportunity he had
This year. you know. l heard Of 1t first
through the "A p at the hotel this evening.
Then the company telegraphed a confirma-
...ion from Dayton, where the Wrghts are.
Wilbur will be on here next Wednesday.
We shall probably hear from him what the
treason was. When the Wrights make de-
cision II is usually right
Can Only Guess at Cause.
When asked II the aeroplane could posi-
hy have been at fault in yesterdays catas-
trophe, Turpln replied with decided mega
tive
Il am afraid" he said that Arch was
carrying too much gasolene. But we shall
probably never know the immediate cause.
An aeroplane accident isn't like an auto ac-
cident In the former case everything is
smashed 10 pieces, and there is usually
nothing left TO tell the tale. We have
only been able TO guess at Johnstone's fate.
He used 10 strap himself in. up TO the time
he few in Trenton. II he had done il that
DAY in Denver he would probably be with
US yet
My theory is that a vingwise turn
slowed him from his seat, md before he
could grab the warping levers downward
dive snapped the brace where it was mend
cd Maybe Hoxsey's trouble was something
like that Maybe he tried to do just little
more than he could.
will IL stop us? Not for an instant l
know the other fellows feel the same way
] do. We all loved Arch, but the Wrights'
purpose has 10 go on. and it WILL
Hoxsey's home was in Pasadena, Turpin
said. Brookins and Parmelee would prob
ably continue the Los Angeles meet when
they had buried him there he added.
Two others we're at the Grand Central
Palace last night who had lost friend and
brother pioneer that day. They were Cap
tain r. r. Lovelace, Of the Lovelace-
Thompson Company. and Albert F1leuX'
Moisants mechanician for fourteen months.
Both felt little in sympathy with the spirit
Of gayety that prevailed. though 1t fell TO
The captains lot to escort General Fred
erick Grant and his staff through the whole
aeroplane exhibit.
Il can scarcely collect my thoughts said
the captain, when the guests had passed
out and he was back in his little office on
the top floor "Moisant was a personal
friend Of mine and very dear one. 1t is
ridiculous to account for this accident
through lack Of skill. Moisant was very
resourceful flyer; he knew the business
from beginning TO end.
From the hest reports we gather that
lie took up thirty-fve gallons Of gasolene
IN his regular tank and five more in
smaller tank. This was too much for any
machine that he had with him. The way
account for the accident is that he got in
pocket the easolene rushed forward as he
tipped. and the weight was too much for
the wing when ne tried to right himself.
The lesson that We learn from such
accidents as his is that the machines must
be made OF better material, must be de-
Neloped along stronger lines. The factor of
safety must receive more consideration.
All that IS necessary is TO put in more
powerful engine, say. about 200 horsepower.
This. OF course. will produce more speed.
lift more weight and consequently enable
Us 10 make the machines OF stronger ma
terial
Some kind Of metal viii probably offer
a solution Of the difficulty. The wings will
doubtless be of metal. the body Of metal
tubes and wires will be discarded alto
Pether We have found out that something
must be done 10 the carburetor, ana the
only thing I can see TO do with ii is TO
eliminate IT,"
Under the passenger carrying Bleriot,
black draped last night. I'm which he ac-
companied Moisant in his famous Paris-to-
LonOon flight INileux, the French mocha
iician. was introduced % General Grant.
He could not say much then, because he
knew little English. but if he had known
all he could not have said much more be-
cause Of the feeling in his throat
1T was right after the Rheims meet that
J met Moissn'" began Fileux. when the
crowd was a little less dense I was
working IN an aeroplane factory outside Of
Paris For three years | had been in the
s"roplane manufacture. and J knew all
there was Moisant knew nothing.
Together we bull, a machine Of metal,
according to his design--we two, all alone
Rut II was broken by his inexperience. To
learn he bought a Bleriot-lt is here-thls
one. on tho eighth fight We went to
London
Afraid Mas non. was not more
sfraid than he-only jealous that 7 cannot
drive 1t myself Moisant had not had much
experience. but / took chance, ! knew
his courage, his superb sangfroid. He was
reckless; yes. too reckless. perhaps; but
p did not care. To he the first man TO ny
from Paris 10 London, he told me long ago
II was his dream. I liked il.
This accident? Who can tell? lie was
tho best flyer Of the world II was not
through lack OF skill or courage that he
zen am mechanician was not there