The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-03
TIVE AERoPlANE VICTIMS.
HARRIET QUIMBI AND w. 4. =.
WILLARD KILLED.
With Machine 1000 Feet i'm Air. 1t
Tits Sharply. Throwing Both Its
Passengers Into Space.

! Boston, July 1.-Miss Harriet Quinn
by of New York the first woman to
win an aviator's license in America
and the first woman 10 cross the En-
glish channel in an aeroplane. was
instantly killed with her passenger.
w. A. Willard, manager Of the Bos-
ton aviation meet, at Atlantic tonight
when her Bleriot mOnoplane fell into
Dorchester Bay from a height of a
thousand feet. The accident happen
ed when Miss Quimby and Willard
were returning from trip over Bos-
ton harDOr 10 Boston light, a dista nee
Of 20 miles in all. The flight was made
in 20 minutes. The BleriOt. one Of
the latest models of military mono
plane, clrcled 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
ana one OF the gusts caught the tail
OF the monoplane. throwing the ma
chine up perpendicular.
For an instant it poised there. Then.
sharply outlined against the setting
sun, Willard was clear Of the chas-
sis. followed almost Immediately by
Miss Qumby. Hurting over and over
the two figures shot downward. strik-
ing the water 20 feet from shore. They
splashed Out Of sight a second before
the monopls ne plunged down Is feet
away.
1t was low tide and the water was
only five feet deep
Men from the yacht club in motor
fboats were on tie spot quickly and
leaping overheard. dragged the bodies
cut Of the mud into which they had
sunk deeply. Several Of Miss Quinn
hys bores were broken and there
were many large bruises. Willard.
who weighed 100 pounds, hit the
water face first and over one eye
there was d cash from which the
blood das flowing. He too sustained
several fractures and bruises.
When the victims We're brought
ashore they were taken to the Quincy
hospital. A. Leo Stevens, of New
York, manager of Miss Quimbw. and
Miss Quimby's friand, Mrs. Helen
Vanderbilt. who were both witnesses
of the accident, We're prostrated.
Before going up on their last hight.
Miss Quimby and Mr.. Willard were
talking and laughing with their
friends, Willard making jokes about
his weight and Miss Quimby talking
confidently about her plans tv make.
an altitude record in the future that
would stand as wOman's high mark.
In crossing the English channel on
April 16, Miss Quimby flew at an
altitude OF 5000 feet which was be-
lieved TO be the record for women.
Miss Quimby said today she fels
sure she could better this mark. az
though she d:d not believe she could
exceed the record Of 13,94S feet set
by Garos.
Discus ssing the matter Of coming
down in the water, if the engine
f,.s ~, ~,
harbor. Miss Quimby safd to a friend
just before she left the ground:
"A water landing is all right in
! Bleriot unless You come down head
| first. Tn that case the heavy motor
at the extreme forward end of the
machine would drag the monoplane
deep into the water and sink it. But,
; if we come down pancake the broad
wings would float ms for two hours or
more"
! hen with a bright smile she made
: tl.. significant Remark:
But | ma cat and | don't Ike
! like cold water
The monopane, painted a pure
white, darted at great speed over the
harbor The motors developed u
speed at times of from rs to 100 miles
an hour An examination OF the
anerod barometer after the fall show
ed that at times the daring pilot had
dartod to Il height of 5000 feet. on
the return the great machine was
seen to wObble in the gusty breeze.
The setting of the last act of the
disaster could not have been more
spectacular. 1t was sunset. The
great white wings of the machine
Iswept directly into the West and dip