Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-01
4 THE DEATH in THE DIRIGIDLE
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER cREwE -@THE MAN
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By RoLD TER

When l look into the remarkable
detective records Of my friend, Peter
Crewe, am struck chiefly by the sim
plicity of the crimes which he discov-
cred or frustrated. mentioned this
TO him once. and he responded:
simplicity. Langton, IL I may use
a metaphor. Is the keystone OF the /
arch Of successful crime. We have
the upward curve-the plot; the down
ward curve-its accomplishment. I'm
less the whole be bound with that
simplicity of design which ensures
success. the plot must fail"
Most illustrative OF this, ! think,
was Crewes detection of the diabol-
zeal plan OF the French doctor which
resulted in the death Of four men and
the destruction Of two German gov
eminent balloons.
The German government, there was
no doubt. had at last perfected a
dirigible balloon whose value as a
war weapon was incalculable. Wheth-
er the French government was privy
or not TO the murderous acts of DR..
Fenelon cannot be known for certain.
He may have been a selfinspired pa
triot. There is no doubt, however.
that his intention was to intimidate
the German government into aban-
doning this type of balloon which had
been constructed at the cost OF so
much labor and enterprise.
You all remember the fate OF the
Kaiserin H. and her successor. the
Kaiserin III. How each ended in a
similar manner. Each, after remain
ing in the air for forty-eight hours or
so. and after lowering Immediately
over the French defensive works upon
the boundary, collapsed while at an
altitude Of perhaps eight hundred feet
dashing it's two occupants to the
ground, and instantaneously killing
them. The balloon, in either case,
remained only as a thing of shreds
and patches of silk, and a tangle of
wickerwork.
Crewe and /. who were both inter
ested in aeronautics. had been pres
emit at the start of each balloon from
hamburg. There we made the &C
a0ajntance of DR.. Fenelon. Despite
his French name and accent. he had
ingratiated himself into the confidence
of the German war STAFF as an in
habitant Of Alsace-Lorraine-as one Of
those French-born citizens who had
elected to throw in their fortunes with
the German nation after that province
vas wrested from Napoleon. He had
been a child when the war ended; he
was now a man of between forty and
afty years, doctor in the new aero
nautical division of the German army,
and an avowed hater of France. His
task Il was to attend the starting of
the balloonists, to test their hearts and
E1gs before they ventured into the
air; he had free access to the
pn, which was held captive within
Military reservation. Crewe and
bermits to enter. for these were
Wled freely to all with satisfac
references. The secret lay in the
nufacture and none could ascertain
from an external inspection Of the
lt globe. ="
NASHVILLE the third balloon wa!
airing to start. after the destruc
= ron Of the two others. that Crewe re
solved to ascertain. IL possible, tbs
cause OF the disasters.
you are courageous" he said t.
Lieutenant Won Keller. "to risk you
life after your predecessors have per
ished."
ITS part OF my job" Won Kettle
answered. with a fatalistic shrug o
his shoulders 'If die-well-"
you do not believe in the rumor
| Of foul play?" ! asked.
Impossible" Won Keller answered
However. this time I shall make tn,
ascent unaccompanied. so that treach
Al eryewlli be impossible"
"A "The balloon might be tampere,
with before you start"
Hardly None but our officers ca
approach the tent in which IL
moored. Then. before ascending,
shall test the pull-cord and all the al
paratus."
"And yet" said Crewe. "your con
patriots were found dead in the shred
OF their balloons. and they, too. ha
confidence. Now let me ask you
question. To what do you ascribe tn
fact that their bodies were foun
trenched with wster?"
"Raln--or dew" said the Lieutenant
There had been no rain. and dev
could never have soaked their bodie
TO the skin and drenched their hair.
1T Is immsterial" Won Keller al
swered. Il shall not die. for I hav
Atested the balloon thoroughly an
W pave complete confidence in It."
This conversation took place upo
lie morning Of that on which the al
Nlt was to be made. Almost imm,
II tely afterward the tent was stril
from the balloon and the huge Il
"a sphere conld be seen swayin
the ropes which fastened It I
Sphere-shaped. instead {
AStssSSsped, tho steering apparatr
was hkden within: il looked like
balloont af ali oldfashioned type. sue
as has been in use during the pa
hundred Years. II rose by the aid
hydrogen gas; yet. in some myster
gus way the builder had made
completely responsive to its driver
Ehrnd
'H'-"''p now came forward
~ - examination. tt
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