Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-05
RODGERS is KILLED BY FALL
First Man to Gross Continent in
Aeroplsne Meets Death.
WAS FLYING OUT OVER OCEAN
Result in Two Hundred-Foot
FaIl-Body Is Crushed In
the wreckage.

LONG BEACH. Cal. April 4-Cal-
braith p Rogers. the first man 10 cross
the American continent in an aeroplane
was killed here almost instantly at 3.1'
yesterday. when the Wright blpIanC
in which he had been soaring over the
ocean, fell from a height Of go feet
and buried him In the wreck. His neck
was broken and his body badly crushed
by the engine Of his machine Hc
/ lived but a few moments.
Rodgers for week past had been max
ing daily flights here and had taken
up with him many passengers. both men
and women. To-day he started from his
usual place and SCARED out over the
ocean. crossing the pier and then turned
and dipped close to a roller coaster In q
beach amusement park.
| Seeing a flock Of gulIs dispoTting them
selves Just over the breakers. Rodgers
again turned and dlved into them, scat
tering the sea fowls in ali directions.
Highly elated over the outcome of his
dive. Rodgers then flew farther out to
the sea. all the time gradually rising
until he had reached a height Of about
80 feet.
lie Loses Control.
| Making short turn he started at full
speed for the pier. then suddenly dipped
his planes and his machine began a
frishtful descent Rodgers was seen by
hundreds Of persons to release his hold
u.,1 nQlH
liking that he was In danger. he made
strenuous efforts to pull the nose OF his
machine into level position. Failing
In this he managed TO turn the craft
| further inshore and an instant later II
crashed into the edge of the surf. not
900 feet from the spot where on December
10 last. he had finished his ocean to
ocean flight a..a
Many men rushed to his aid. Ernest
Scott and James Goodwin. life guards.
were the first to reach him. They said
Rogers head was hanging over one wing
OF the machine, the heavy engine was on
his back and his feet were drawn up,
nearly doubling over his shoulders. Blood
was flowing from his mouth.
Rodgers was lifted from the wreck and
hurried 10 the bath house hospital. lie
died on the way.
Examination showed that Rodgers neck
jaw bone and back had been broken.
Leaves wife and Mother.
| A telegram was sent TO the aviator
widow, who lives in Pasadena. and a
cableuam to the mother. Mrs. II. s,
shweitzer. who is now In London.
The body was prepared for burial and
sent TO Pasadena tonight.
The machine that Rodgers used today
was the one with which he won $1,000 In
prizes last summer at the Chicago en-
durance meet. II Is q total wreck, many
parts having been swept out to sea by
the tide.
Rodgers cousin. Lieutenant. John Rod.
gers. Unittd states Navy, Is attached
TO the aeroplane section OF the navy
stationed at San Diego.
Charles shaffer. close friend Of Rod
gers, who came here on a special trail
that followed the aviator on his trans
continental trip, witnessed the accident.
Charles Virgins OF Dayton. o.. whom
Rodgers brought here TO teach flying
stood on the pier and saw his friend fall
In speaking OF Rodgers eare-free spirl
while in the air, Mr. shaffer said h,
had taken many flights with Rodgers. bu
the most Imposing example OF reckless
ness he had ever seen was yesterday.
I'VE had risen TO a height % abou
5000 feet" said shaffer. and were Of
to the northeast. The wind was strong
but not puffy. Rodgers. feignlng he wa
tired. laid back. folded his hands behlnt
his head and stretched out his feet, seem
lngly enjoying the scenery ! said 4
him, You better watch out. Cal, thu
wind might get you But he answered
oh. we're all right. she's ridden tn
wind before. and she'll ride II now
His Flight Across Continent.
NEW YORK, April s.--Members OF tn
Aero club Of America received the new
OF Calbraith r. Rodgers death tonigh
with expressions OF regret. After hi
epoch making flight across the continen
he was rendered a banquet by the Aer
club and honored with gold medal
Rodgers transcontlnental flight. begul
at sheepshead Bay race track, Brooklyn
September II. 1911. was marked on tn
second day out by a crash into a tre
and when within sight OF Long Beach
his Pacific coast goal, he had fal
which laid him up for nearly a month.
Interspersed with these more seriou
accidents there was a succession o
smashups and lucky escapes during tn
trip, which with long delays due to advers
weather made Il matter OF thre'
months before, on December 10. 1911
Rodgers finally landed at Long Beael
and was acclaimed the worlds aviator
hero. His persistence and nerve haI
carried him a distance OF more than 500
miles. Ills machine was broken and re
paired so many times that only tn
vertical rudder and the drip pan Of tn
original outfit remained when he reache'
the Pacific coast.
Defined Danger of Air.
Rodgers had often talked Of the death
OF other ayiators.
Ethereal asphyxia or aerial somnip
athy. had been the trouble with many,
he said, 1T turks in the pockets OF tn
upper air strata and acts eonsiderabl
on the senses Of an aviator. lulling hin
into dreamy Inconsistencies"
Rodgers, death makes ~ aeroplan
fatalities since aviation began. He wa
the twenty second American aviator I
be killed