Norwich bulletin., 1912-07-03
Four Widowed
 By Air Tragedy
DIRlGlRLE BALLOON SHATTERED
 BY EXPLOSION.
FIVE MEN IN WRECKAGE
Four 5ereaved Wives Weep On One Another's shouldsrs-lntsndsd For Voyage Across the Ocean.

Atlantic City. N J.. July 2.-saBoa out over the Atlantic ocean under per- feet control and in view of several thousand interested persons. the great a1rshlp Akron, in command of Melvin Nanimau with crew of four men. o1- plOded while more than nye hundred feet in the air early today, and shot down into the water a tangled maaa, carrying to their death the daring navigator and his companions. Death is believed to have come instantly ta tho five men.
 Most Costly Air Graft Construetsd.
 In all the tragic history Of disastera to airships Ur aeroplaues. urohabiY none was as sensational a8 thtt which brought tO an end the greatest and most costly air craft ever Constructed on the western hemisphere. Built to stand the storms 1f tne Atlantic and 10 carry at least g. dozen man acruss the ocean to Europe, tho Akron went to her doom in calm weather. Thoaa who went down with the biz diriglDls beside the intrepid Naniman, who al- ready had had one thrilling experiences in an airship on the ocean, were.
 The othor Victims.
 Calvin Vaniman. his younger broth- CT.
 Frank Elmer.
 George Bouutllion of Philadslphfa.
 Walter c. Gest- a friend oe Vani- mans financial packer
 Last Trial Before Trans Ocean Trip.
 The Akron, which had been inaatsi with gas manufactured by VaniInan in the big hangar at the inlet, was taken | out shortly after a. m. for a tcs. l flight. One flight had already been made about g. mOukh ar0, and defacia | discovered at that time were rene- | died, and todays b1al vas Do have | been among the last before the attempc | to cross the Atlantic. Mira Yanimau bid her husband goodbye at thelr ht-. ! tie cottage near the hangar at 9 a. m. and waited for daybreak % Bee her 1 husband sail away. The city authorl- | ties had been notified of tho intended 1 test, and a hundred policemen. hremem | and other willing helpers asds1ed in ! floating the great gas bag out Of tho 1 hangar. The launching of the air craft was accomplished without dificuliy, and they sailed gracefully away. Over the waters of Alosecon Inlet, N5nimau rnanoeuvred her, and then sailed down over the city, and after completing 70 few other movements sailed the ships C0utSe out 10 atrL
 Car Drops, Bag FollowA
 When a half mile oT BricsntIna | Beach thousands of spectators who had been watching the ship saV 1 | burst of flame outlined afssipat One morning sky. In a GoW seconds they l were mortified Co sec the car of tha balloon detach itself from the bag and l shoot downward Into tho water, fol- ( I-~r~,I ftrH Hha ~rfVuraanH arefu HaW By intuition everybody appeared to realize what had occurred, and fisher men and yachtsmen who were out in the little boats watching tho ship lm- l mediately started to the rescue Soon | a hundred boats were beating tnelr way out over tho rough water to tha inlet bar. When the first boats reach - | ed the scene of the wreck the re8cuerg found only the collapsed gas bag, and after a search a submerged body, which proved to be that ot the younger Vaniman, was recovered
 i Wives Saw the Disaster.
 Divers went down to tho wreck, but there was little that could be done un- til low tide. when Cost sand Calvin Vaniman's bodies were dlseutanslod from the wrecl1ago and brought to shore.
 Mrs. vanlnan saw the oollapss of the balloon and its drop into the ocean, carrying with lt her husband and brother-in law. She fell ln a faint and was unconscious for some time Friends who wer. with her sent for pllvsiciang. and when 8trs recovered l Consciousness she talked of her hua- bands bravery. The wives Of Buur rlllion. Gest and Elmer who lived nearby. also saw the disaster from their homes. NeighbUrB tenderiy car- ed for them and later they went over to the Vaulman cottage wherD moH l distressing scene followed. Men turned away as the four widows gept on ons snother's shoulders.
 Mrs. Vaniman's Condition Ssrioua
 After the first excumcnt and shoos had passed. Mrs Naniman again cul- lapred. and later in the day wa1 un' der the care of 9 physician. She Wha suffering with frequent falnung rpFf1 and her condition ie serious.
 Causes Shock in Psris.
 Paris. July 2.-'rhe terrible death ~i Melvin Nauiusn iu taa airrhip iiHsTts7 at Atlantic City has given a s50-t ts IFrerchmeu throughout tno ~Iuntrs. H' | was well known and s great fsvortfs among French aeronauts. Efa he'd hrs1 much in France and bad shop near Paris. where he worked over bis ir lventions. He was vavy active in help- ing Walter Wellman Co prepare for hi. northerly voyage.
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