Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-16
THE TOLL OF DEATH.
Crowds Stunned By Two Fatal Acct.
dents at Close OF Days Eiiaht.

- erS"e Ss0sssSOo y U"V 0S0b ACCIe
dents at Close Of Days Flight.
Chicago. Aug. 1s.-While $4,000 spec
tators were looking on-and under as
fair sky as ever blessed the city
two aviators few to death in their
aeroplones at Grant park yesterday af-
ternoon The two tragedies took place
within the space Of two hours time.
One young man. a wealthy Pittsburgh
amateur. in biplane, was dashed to
the ground and crushed to death. He
fell nifty feet. The other, Chicago
youth. was drowned when his mono
plane dived 600 feet into Lake Michi-
gan.
The two accidents-happening to-
ward the close Of the fourth day of the
international meet-put a swift period
to the happy feeling that this meeting
was to be In all respects lucky one.
The spectators saw both men safl
to their death, but the tragedy in the
lake Of course was itself unseen-too
far away for the multitudes to realize.
The Dead.
William r. Badger, Baldwin biplane:
attempted to dip" in the sunken arena
of Grant Park descending swiftly and
suddenly bringing his machine to a
stop and an upshoot; extreme pressure
tore ms II1dCHlNe 10 pl0COS. 1NlS aCCl.
dent occurred at 4:18 p. m.
st. Croix tombstone, Moisant mono-
plane: fell into Lake Michigan: his
machine was crushed by the descent:
entangled In the wires he was held un-
der water by the heavy motor. This
accident occurred at 500 p. M, a little
less than a mile from shore.
Crowds Stunned and Siisneed.
A great crowd was In the stadium
and throngs blocked the surrounding g
streets when the two fatalities occurred.
The first, almost in the center Of the
flying course silenced the thousands.
The second, marked by the mystery Of
distance, stunned them, as gradually
consciousness Of 1t spread among the
people.
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 their drivers.
So the sensation Of awe at seeing a
man drop from the clouds was begin
ming to wear of. Less wonder was
expressed when the structure Of wood.
canvas and steel climbed mile high to-
ward the clouds. The cries Of fear as
q machine flew toward the ground and
stopped its descent within few feet
Of destruction almost had disappeared.
Badger Skins the Ground.
Then one OF the most popular COM
petitors 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
dare devils" He was not high in the
air, but almost SKINNED the ground at
times.
He had begun to attract attention
and hundreds Of eyes were upon him
him when his machine crumpled like a
he was taken from the wreckage he
TO a hospital.
the crowd when something happened
20 Ct. Croix Johnson's machine. He
was Q mile from shore of the foot Of
Twelfth street. His monoplane began
! swift descent. Watchers thought It
only an unusually steep dive" Near
" 1000 feet it few and then the rigid
wings crumpled under the pressure and
the great motor dragged the wreckage,
the tail hying like an arrow, deep into
the water.
The hydro-aeroplane reached the
remnants within two minutes, but
nothing could be seen Of Johnstone.
The tail Of the great machine was all
that could DO seen above the surface.
and the rest could not be pulled up by
the first boats that arrived. It was
eight minutes before the wreckage was
dragged to the surface ana entangled
IN tho heavy wires was Johnstone's
body.
Mest Net % De Abandoned.
The two deaths were regarded by the
officials cf the meet association a. a
part Of tho sacrifice necessary to the
advancement Of aviation. They de.