The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-04
Tremendous Excitement Fol-
lows Landing of Airship
Across Border
CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN
LOST IN THE CLOUDS
Rumors That German Dirigible Had
Been lowering Over Forts Caused
Much Agitation in France.
Populace Is Indignant

Lunevile, France. April s.-The Ger
man military dirigble airship Zeppelin
" landed in the military parade
grounds here today and was seized by
the French authorities.
The incident has caused tremendous
excitement Notwithstanding the Ger
man officers aboard the airship ex-
planned that they had been lost in the
clouds and did not know they had
crossed the French frontier
Inhabitants of the eastern frontier
regions of France have been much agi-
tated the last few weeks over reports
that German dirigibles had been oh
served or heard nightly lowering over
the forts. But the stories, like those
of the phantom airship of England.
never were properly substantiated.
The people of Luneville. therefore,
We're considerably startled shortly be-
fore noon today when brownish yell
low airship appeared at great height
in the clouds, coming from the direc-
ton of Nancy. The airship was lost
TO view but reappeared an hour later.
1t was apparent that the pilot was hav-
he was making an effort to reach the
earth. Finally a safe landing was
made in the parade grounds whore two
squadrons of cavalry were drilling. Tho
cavalrymen rode up and formed cor
don. They caught the ropes thrown
from the dirigible and securely moored
it. The local authorities and Brig.
Gen. Antide Leon Lescot Immediately
were summoned and were closely fol-
lowed by huge crowd of excited peo-
pie. It required the efforts of two COM
panies of infantry to keep the indig-
nant populace at a safe distance.
Carried Ten Passengers
Zeppelin ", which is of the latest
and largest model, carried 10 passen-
gers of whom four were officers in
uniform, Prussian captain and lieu
tenant and two Wurtemburger lieuten-
ants.
The captain explained to General
Leseot that the Zeppelin WAS UNDER
DING test prior to being taken over
by the war department They left
Professionalism early in the morning.
bound for the grand duchy of Baden
With the intention of making as
cension trials they had mounted to a
height of 1000 metres (about $3.50 feet)
and had lost their course in the clouds
They were carried along by strong
east wind and observing the cavalry
thought they had reached Saarbruchen.
AS they were short of gasoline they de-
cided to land. They did not know they
had crossed the French frontier
The chief officer of the engineer
corps at Luneville removed the mag
netos from the engines so that the
airship could not get under way and
the cabin was searched for photo
graphic apparatus, sketches. or similar
articles. Nothing of tha nature, how
ever. was found.
The German officers were permitted
to telephone to Friederichshafen for a
supply of hydrogen and for mechan-
icians
Some of the spectators who witnessed
the landing of the Zeppelin say she had
a German flag flying but when near the
ground it was hastily hauled down. torn
to pieces and thrown away, apparently
with the idea of avoiding any unpleasant
incident
After the German officers had answered
the questions of General Lescot and had
been searched they were taken to a
hotel.
No instructions have yet been received
from the minister of war regarding the
disposition OF the airship. Meanwhile, 1t
is solidly moored and will be watched
by soldiers and go workmen. the latter
having been hired by the German Of
fcers.
Think Germans Spies
Some Lunevile inhabitants are greatly
excited and refuse to believe the Ger
mans are not spies. The feeling has
been increased by statements emanating
from some of the residents who insist
they saw paper thrown from the dirigible
when it was passing over the town. The
Gerpan officers. however. declare they
handed over all their documents to \
French officer Immediately they landed.
Measures taken by the authorities to
check any demonstration were compara-
lively successful although some stones
were thrown at the automobile convey
ing the Germans to the hotel. The after
part of the dirigibe was considerably
damaged.
Blow to Germany
Berlin, April 3-The straying of the
Zeppelin Nv into France comes as
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