The Mena weekly star., 1911-08-24
TWO AIR MEN ARE
 DASHED ID DEATH
Si. Croix Johnston Plunges Into Lake Nichigan--W William Badger Tries Fancy stunt and Hits the
 Ground. hut Meet Win So on,

tntCdttf Auk- lu.--- W ftftC Otfupe spectators were looking on and un- der as fair a sky as ever blessed the city, two aviators flew to deatli in their aeroplanes at Grant park yesterday afternoon. The two tragedies happened withing tive hours. One young man, a wealthy Pittsburg amateur, was dashed to the ground in a biplane and was crushed to death. He fell 50 feet The other, Chicago youth, was drowned when his monoplane dived 600 feet into Lake Michigan.
 The spectators saw both men sail to their death, but the tragedy in the lake, of course was itself too far away for the multitudes to see and realize.
 William R. Badger, Baldwin bi- plane. attempted to dip in the sunken arena of Grant park, de- scending swiftly and suddenly bringing his machine to stop and an upshoot; extreme pressure tore hts machine to pieces. This acci- dent occurred at a:iS.
 St. Croix Johnston, M0isant mono plane; fell into Lake Michigan; his machine was crushed by the de- scent; entangled in the wires he was held under water by the heavy motor. This accident occurred. at 6:02, a little less than miles from the shore.
 4 great crowd was in the stadium and throngs blocked the surround ing streets when the accidents oc- cured. The first, almost in the cen- ter of the flying course, slenced the thousands. The second, dim med by the mystery of distance, stunned them as gradually con- sciousness of it spread among the people.
 Had 10 Scofr at Fear.
 Three days of the most thrilling aviation meet ever held had passed with no more serious occurrences than the destruction of machines and the slight injury of some of the drivers. So the sensation of awe at seeing man drop from the clouds was beginning to wear of. Less wonder was expressed when a structure of wood, canvas and steel climbed a mile high toward the clouds.
 The cries of fear as machine flew toward the ground and stopped it's descent withinsa few feet of de- struction almost had disappeared.
 Then one of the most popular competitors came racing about the field. He was determined to display his skill in dips" and dives" and "spirals. He would not be excelled by other "daredeviis.n He was not high in the air, but almost skim ming the ground at times. He had begun to attract attention and hun dreds of eyes were upon him when his machine crumbIed like pigeon shot on the wing. When he was taken from the wreeekage lie was unconscious. He died on the way to Q hospital.
 The hororr was still upon the crowd, when some hing happened to St. Croix 5ohnston's machine. He was mile from the shore off the foot of Twelfth street. His mono- plane began swift descent. Watch CTS believed it nly an unusually deep dive. Nearly 1000 feet it flew, and then the rigid wings doubled npunder the pressure and the great metor f,agged the wreckage, the tail flying like an arrow, deep into the water.
 gls His Wife Saw Him Fall.
 sAThe hydro-aeronlane reached the remnants within two minutes. but nothing could le seen of John- stone. The tail of the great ma A chine was visible above the surface, and the rest could be pulled up by the first of the boats that arrived. It was eight minutes before the wreckage was dragged to the sur face and entangled in the heavy wires was Johnstone's body.
 Johnston's fall was seen by his young wife, although it was not un- til half an hour later that she was informed of his death. As the moneplane faltered in midair, then crashed downward to the surface of the lake, the wife grasped a me- chanio's arm and exclaimed in fear "Ohi nhl pityl He's falling. My boy Will he killedl
 Wives of a half dozen other avi- ators. whose attention had been at- tracted by the plunging machine, rushed td Mrs. Johnston's side. and as the machine hurtled into the lake and out of sight they tried to as- sure her that Johnston woud suf- fer nothingsmore than ducking.
 Laid Out Dry Clothes for Him.
 Possibly not exclaimed the stricken wife, but you could sec the way the machine plunged that St. Croix had lost control Of it. Oh why don't theN hnrrv m ana ~S.. out to himgn Some of you men must take me tQ boat so I can gc out and help him."
 But by that time a half dozen me chanics and hangar attaches had rushed up to the group. The, Whispered to the women surround ing Mrs Johnston that she musl be taken back 10 her apartment, Tn Michigan avenue holel. Fn,