The chronicle=news., 1913-06-20

Washington. ID. C.. June 2O.-The
two Officers started early today from
the naval academy In u hydro-acIo.
plane for Claiborne. Md.
When about five to seven miles
from Annapolis. the hydro-acropianc nc
at nm aititud. Of about 1900 feet.
capsixrd and began to fall aud when
Il had dropped about 900 fee, En-.
sign Hiliinksiy fell or Was thrown
out and killed. Al nooa his body
had not been recovered.
Lieutenant, Towers remained In
the machine and fell with II to chssa.
pcakc hay. where he WAS rescued and
hurried To tho naval academy hos.
pi,ai injured. although IL Is not
known how badly. Boats from the
naval academy are scarchin; for
DiiiinRiscy's body and for the wreck.
age of the machine to find evidence
Of the cause Of III" accident.
The death Of Ensign niiiinRsi-,
maker u total Of nine fatalities in
the cover cinment service since the
army began experimenting with
hcavicr-lhnn.air mnchincs st Fort
Meyer. Va. In 1905. His death /,
tho first In tho aviation coris Of ih-
navy. Hiii,nxni~y was born In Mis-.
sissippi In iss;. graduated from the
naval academy In 1903 aud vas ai.
tach~d 10 the aviation eovps In ihs.
year.
Lieutenant Towers ID . native o.
0eorgia. Tie vas bora In lx&s,
graduated from tho naval academy In
1906 and assigned to the aviation
eorps last iScecmbrr.
The III faied hydro.a~rop'anc left
Annapolis In company with a nsinE
boat manned by Lieutenant Dortch
and Ensign Ch~s aii-r on an cSrcri.
mental flight to Ciaibournc. Md.
When about four miles off Kent
island and q quarter of = mile above
Chesapeake Hay. n sudden violent
gust Of wind struck the machine.
throwing Ensign isiiiins.i.y asainsi
the steering gear and pulling u out
of order. The machine began 10
tack rapidly but drspit- the prccar-
ious situation II IL thought that iii
iinxiey would nave gained control
ot II had he not loet his balance and
fallen from the craft.
tiis descent Was followed Instant
iy by that of the machine. t.icutcn-
ant Towers doinx all In his power Ia
balance II. His efforts were una
vailing aud he too. fell from his srat.
Tie was fortunate enough. however.
to catch one Of tho vertical upriEhts
to which he cluns desperately until
he was about 200 feet from the va.
ter. lie could hold on no longer
and fell whcr- hc came down a fc~
feet away from tho wrcrkakc Of the
h hydro-acroplanc AMI kept himscli
afloat until picked up. although he
was suffering intense pain.
Experimental flights are always
watched BY men fron the naval ac.
ademy In motor boats. and as soon
,s they were keeping an eye on
Lieutenant Towers hydro-planc raw
that something wss wrong the,
rushed from the lee Of Kent Island
where they were stationed at Nj
speed. reaching the machine a few
moments after II had hit the water
Lieutenant Dottch and Ensign
Ensign Chaveiicr were In their fly.
ing boat near the hydro-acroplan,
when Il got into trouble and, unable
to render the slightest sasistaucc
were forced TO be witnesses Of the
accident. They descended to this
water and Immediately began this
search for Ensign Biilingslcy.
Boats from the naval academy and
the iopcdo boat stringham immcdi
atcly set out or the scene Of tho ac-
| cidcnt. Up TO nOOn the body Of nil'
lineriey had not been recovered.
|. NANAnA WyYf0 Ar TENHf0