St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-07-06
FEMALE AVIATOR KILLED


Quimby, of New York, the first wo-
man to win an aviator's license in
America, and the first woman to cross
the English Channel in an aeroplane,
wos instantly killed. with her pas
senger, w. P. A. Willard, manager
Of the Boston Aviation Meet, to-
night when her Bleriot monoplane
fell into Dorchester Bay from a
height Of q thousand feet.
The accident happened when Miss
Quimby and Willard were returning
from a trip over Bolton harbor to
Boston light, distance Of twenty
miles in all. The fight was made in
twenty minutes. The Bleriot, one Of
the latest models Of military mono
planes, circled the aviation field and
scared out over the Savin Hill Yacht
Club, just outside the aviation
grounds.
Heading back into the eight-mile
gusty wind, Miss Quimby started to
volplane. The angle was too sharp,
and one of the gusts caught the tail
of the monoplane, throwing the ma
chine up perpendicular. For an in
slant it poised there. Then sharp
~ outlined against the setting sun.
Willard was thrown clear of the
chassis, followed almost Immediate
~ by Miss Quimby. Hurting over
and over, the two figures shot down.
ward, striking the water twenty feet
from shore. They splashed out of
sight second before the monoplane
plunged down fifteen feet away.
t0N q
only five feet deep. Men from the
yacht club, in motor boats, were
quickly on the spot, and leaping over
board dragged the bodies out of the
mud into which they had sunk deep
ly.
Bodies Badly Crushed.
Both bodies were badly crushed.
Several of Miss Quimby's bones were
broken. and there were many large
bruises. Willard, who weighed 100
pounds, hit the water face first, and
over one eye there was cash, from
which the blood was flowing. He,
too, received several fractures and
bruises. The clothing of both flyers
was torn, and the bodies were so
covered with mud that it was sever.
al minutes before the doctors ant
nurses could determine the full ex-
tent Of the injuries.
The crowd which had been wit
Messing the flights rushed over, but
q troop of State cavalry held the PEG
pie back while DR.. George Sheahan
the field surgeon and his staff and {
nurse made hasty examinations. Ir
few moments ambulances arrived
and the victims we're taken to the
Quincy Hospital.
Aviators Nerve Shaken.
Flying high overhead at the time
of the fall was Miss Blanche Stuart
Scott, another aviator taking part il
the meet, which had entered upon
its second day. From her high al
titude Miss Scott watched Miss Quinn
by's splendid flight and was near by
when the gust upset the monoplane
In the excitement of the moment nc
one noticed the lone aviator, but
when Miss Quimb's body was brought
ashore all eyes were directed aloft
and Miss Scott was seen making
sweeping circles over the field at {
height of about 500 feet. Twice she
started to descend, but each time
she was seen to falter.
In another moment summoning all
her nerve she turned the nose of her
machine downward and landed safe
ly, collapsing in her seat before any
one could reach her.
A. Leo Stevens of New York.
manager of Miss Quimby, and Mis-
Quimby's friend. Mrs. Helen Wander
bilt, who were both witnesses of the
accident, were FRUSTRATED. Before
going up on their last flight Miss
Quimby and Mr.. Willard were talk
ing and laughing with their friends
Willard making Jokes about his
weight and Miss Quimby talking con
fidently about her plans to make an
altitude record in the future that
would stand as a woman's high mark
Made Record in April.
In Crossing the English Channel
on April 16, Miss Quimby few at an
altitude of 5000 feet, which was be-
lieved to be the record for women.
Miss Quimby to-day said she felt
sure she could beat this mark, al
though she did not believe she could
excel the record of 1928 feet set
BY Garro0.