The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-08-16
JOHNSTONE An OLD HAND,
Hut Badger Had Got His Pilots License
Only Few Days AGO.

st. Croix Johnstone was born in Chicag 90
,wenty-six years ago. Before taking up
aviation he was interested in motorcycling
and auiom obiling. He won his pilots
license at Hendon. just outside Of London.
on December 2s. 1910. and then prepared
to return to the United States.
The first tournament he entered was at
the Havana meet. where he flew for forty
one minutes. The next day he flew from
the aviation field to and around MORO
Castle. dropping dummy bombs from a
height Of 1900 feet on the coast artillery.
This was the first time that an aviator ha d
dropped bombs on Notifications. and ofil-
GERS of the Cuban army as well as Presi-
dent Gomez congra tulated him on the feat.
He was la ter invited to dine with the Pres
dent.
For the last several months Johnstone
had made the Hampstead Plain aviation
field his headquarters as a member Of the
Moisant Interna tional Aviators. At this
field he recently set up national record
IN n fight of hours ! minute 50 As sec
ends. He covered a distance of i18 miles
and 1854 feet.
Johnstons was no relation to Ralph
Johrstone. who vas killed in fight at
Denver last year. Like Ralph Johnstone
he appreciated the dangers Of aviation
and took particular care in his flights He
did not believe in spectacular flights.
just before he left for Chicago he told
his friends that the air currents over that
city were particularly dangerous and
that he intended to ,ise great c are. He
remarked about the big chances that the
airmen were taking al the meet and said
that he was not goln 4 to take any himself.
Johnstone had boen married but a
short time and his wife always travelled
with him 10 the various meets She had
great confidence in her husbands ability
end was not afraid that he would be
killed. She was at the meet yesterday.
Johnstone had been flying in this
country since March, when he came here
from abroad for the Noisants. and had
taken part in all the regular exhibitions
which they gave. His employers regarded
him as very cool and level headed He
announced before leaving for Chicago
tina: he intended to try for the Mchel,n
cup at the end Of the meet This trophy
is offered for distance and duration,
and Johnstone had hoped to set a world :
record for Sustained hight He had never
been hurt. 4 year ago he constructed a
b.plane in which ne made several success
f'il trips, but he gave IL up for mono
plane.
William Badger came from Pittsburg
About seven weeks ago he became pupil
of Can't Thomas S Baldwin al the Mineola
aviation school He was very quick in
learning TO fly and received his license a
few davs before he lef; for the meet at
Chicago. Unlike Johnstone he was very
daring ard appeared 10 fear nothing
When Capt, Baldwin cautioned him 10
take more care he laughed and said that
there was no danger. He used IA machine
Of Capt Baldwin = own devising and made
several successful cross country flights
over Long Island. Badger was born in
Pittsburg twenty-six years ago His
father. an oil man. died while the
son was young and the mother mar.
ried John Goettman, a Pittsburg res
tauranteur and real estate operator
When he came OF age young Badger
came into something like $4,000
but it ia said by his friends here that much
of this was badly invested. About year
ago his mother died and he foil heir to
more money About two years ago his
half brother, Charles Goettman, was killed
in IN automobile accident He was a,
the ball game in Pittsburg last Thursday
roofing for the Philadelphia club Ht
lived at sos North Highland avenue.