New-York tribune., 1912-04-04
Died on Way to Hospital

Rodgers was lifted from the wreck and
hurried To the bathhouse hospital. He
died on the way.
Examination showed that ROgerss $
neck, jawbone and back had been
broken. a telegram was sent TO the
aviator's widow, who lives in Pasadena,
Cal, and a cable message to his mother.
who is now in London. The body was
prepared for burial and sent to Pasa-
dena tonight.
The machine that Rodgers used to-day
was the one with which he won $1,000
H. prizes last July at the Chicago en-
durance meet. 1t is total wreck, many
parts having been swept out to sea by
the tide.
Rodgers's cousin. Lieutenant John
Rodgers. L. S ~. now Is attached to the
aeroplane section of the navy, stationed
at San Diego.
Charles Shaffer. a close friend of
Rodgers, and who came here on the spe
cial train that followed the aviator on
his transcontinental trip, saw the acct
dent. Charles Virgins, Of Dayton, ohio,
whom Rodgers brought here To teach
eying. stood on the pier and saw his
friend fall.
In speaking Of RUdgers's care-free
spirit while in the air, Mr.. Shaffer said
he had taken many flights with Rodgers,
but the most surprising example Of
recklessness he had ever seen was yes
terday.
We had risen to height of about
five thousand meet" said Shaffer. and
were off to the northeast. The wind was
strong. but not puffy. Rodgers. feign-
ing he was tired. lay back. folded his
hands behind his head and stretched
out his feet, seemingly enjoying the
scenery. | said To him. You better
watch out. Cal, the wind might get
YOU but he answered, on, were all
right; she's ridden the wind before and
she'll ride it now
Members Of the Aero Club OF America re-
ceived the news of Calbraith 7. ROdger3s
death last night with expressions of pro
found regret. He was one Of the most pOPu-
lar members of the club and after mis-
epocb-marking flight across the continent n,
was the guest at a banquet by the Aero
Club and honored with gold medal
Notwithstanding that Rodgers met with
one Of the longest succession OF accidents
which an aviator ever experienced, his
fellow club members had regarded MIN as a
lucky man. He seemed. like his fellow dvi-
ator Hamilton, to have the faculty OF "a
uavs landing on his feet. After MS fall at
Compton, Cal. last November. he said the
accident was due 10 "etherial asphyxia
The rarcfied atmosphere of the pockets oil
the INNER air strata" he declared OTTER
luIIod n man into semi CONSCIOUSNESS III
ubicb he lost control OF his machine. This.
ha believed, caused the death OF Hoxsey'
Iohnstone, Ely and many others
7, WAS on the afternoon Of September IL.
,o,, that Rodgers, I'm Wright machine.
made his start from the Sheepshead bay
,aoo,rack and began the long series OF mis-
hans which accompanied his famous trans
continental trip.
, Rodeers reached his halfway point across
tho continens-Marshall, Moon OCTOBER
II having covered 1883 miles and having
beaten Atwood's cross-country record ny
91s miles From here he flew across OKLA
boma into Texas. stopping at Dallas. fort
worth. Austin, San Antonio Sandersoh
and I'll Paso.
ON December 10, 1911. he finally landed
at Long Beach. Cal
Rodgers failed TO break the American
Contiaurd on srcbnd page, nth column.