The Ordway new era., 1911-09-08
FRIssiE ATTEMPTS FLIGHT IN
BROKEN MAcHINE-Is
CALLED "EAkER."
WIFE SEES ACCIDENT
CRASHES 1876 FEET AND IS
CRUSHED BENEATH THE
MACHINE.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Norton, Kans.-The Curtiss aviator.
j. F. Frisbie, was killed by fall at
the Norton county fair. Frisbie met
with an accident the day before and
only went into the air again when
driven to do SO by the taunts and
jeers of the crowd.
Frisbie dropped 125 feet and the en-.
gine Of his machine fell on him crush
ing his left side and chest. He lin.
gered for an hour before he died.
Frisbie had been giving exhibitions
at Elmwood park for several days.
His machine acted badly and he had
fall OF about forty feet the previous
day. but beyond bruises and shaking
up he was not injured.
He was skeptical about the ability
Of his machine to stand another flight
and announced that he would not take
to the air. but when this statement
was communicated to the crowd. there
was an angry demonstration. The
spectators hooted, shouted "faker."
and refused to listen to explanations.
Finally Frisbie announced that.
rather than have the big crowd go
away with the impression that he was
not willing to do his best. he would
attempt a flight.
He ascended from the track without
difficulty and attained q height Of 125
feet, but In attempting to make turn.
the plane tipped and Frisbie lost con.
troll.
As he came crashing to earth the
spectators could see the aviator try
ing to right the machine. but as 1t ap-
preached the earth one OF the wings
crashed into q barn. glancing off to
the ground. with Frisbie underneath.
Frisbie's wife, son and little girl
were witnesses Of the accident. Mrs.
Frisbie was frantic with grief when
she saw her husband fall. She bit
terly denounced the action Of the spec
tators In forcing her husband to mals
the flight with a disabled machine.
After the accident, 1t was learned
that Frisbie had told several Of those
about him. before starting, that his
machine was not properly balanced.
Even while the machine was rising
from the ground 1t did not appear to
act right, in the opinion OF many per.
sons, and these were not surprised at
the outcome.
Frisbie was plainly averse to max.
ing the flight. He said that In addi.
ton to the disabled machine. the wind
was notwithstanding in spurts." "
he expressed It.
J. w. Scott. the manager for the
Curtis company, who Is here, said.
however. that the blame for the ac-
cident was not to be laid to the ma
chine.
Frisbie was AZ years old. a native
Of Oswego, N. Y. where his parents
still reside. He is survived by widow
and four children.
The Oldest son. Donald. 21. and 4
5-year.old daughter, in addition to
Mrs. Frisbie. were at the grounds
when he was killed. Two other daugh-
ters are living in Rochester, N. Y.
F'risbie. popularly known az the
"Irish aviator" has been attempting
aviation feats for twenty-six years. &C.
cording to his son Donald, but bis ex.
perience with heavier-than.air ma.
chimes dates back little more than
a year. He was formerly with the
Moissant flyers and took part in the
meet at Belmont PARK and the recent
big meet at Chicago. He was also at
Overland park, Denver. as spectator
when Ralph Johnstone was killed.