Evening star., 1915-06-19
AWAT0RS' DEATHS
ARE UNDER INQUIRY
Probing for Cause of Accident
Which Was Fatal to Warne-
ford and Needham.
WITNESSES TRAGEDY
OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS
United States Consul General Ar
ranging for Funeral of American
Victim-Bodies in Hospital.

PARIS, June 19.-The British royal
flying corps has begun an investigation
of the aeroplane accident which re-
suited in the deaths of Lieut. K. A. J.
"arneford. the aviator who recently
destroyed a Zeppelin airship. and Henry
Beach Needham. an American writer.
The account of various persons on
the scene at the time of the accident
disagree as to the exact cause of the
fatal drop. A defect in the tail of the
aeroplane or in the propeller or I'M
prudence on the part of Warneford are
among the explanations offered
That the accident was not due to an
explosion or to motor trouble, as the
first reports said. was shown by an eX-
animation of the motor later. 1t was
found to be in perfect condition.
Statements Of Witnesses.
Those who say that the aviator failed
to exercise proper caution cite the fact
that the machine fell when Warneford
was steeplechasing He was about 3oo
feet up at the time, according to sew
eral witnesses, who assert that he took
unusual risks. 1t is said that he had
been steerlechaslng for some minutes
with increasing speed and daring and
that suddenly the machine. from
cause as vet unexplained and which
proba bly, will remain a mystery. was
seen to tip over and dart downward
Witnesses of the accident have been
examined by members of the royal NY
ing corps They said that Warneford
first fell from the machine and that
Needham tumbled out as it darted to-
ward the earth.
Needham had been strapped to the
seat and had the strap not given way
Iii Il h q
ma chine at the time he fell from 1t
was only about fifty feet in the air.
1t was at it's maximum heigh; when
Warneford fell. In falling Nc"6ham
hit the propeller blade of the aircraft
and his death was almost instan-
taneous.
Was a Preparatory Flight.
The flight was a preparatory one to
sending the machine, a new biplane. to
Dunkirk Needham before going up
waved goodbye to an American friend
on the aviation field, who remarked to
a bystander that the farewell ceremony
was a bad omen.
The bodies of Warneford and Need
ham remained yesterday afternoon IN
the English hospital in the Trianon
Palace at Versailles. A British nag
covered that of Warneford and the
Stars and Stripes that of Needham.
A. H. Thackara. the American consul
general, is looking after the arrange
ments for the funeral of Needham.
Yesterday afternoon the convalescent
English soldiers in the hospital picked
flowers from the garden and placed
them on the biers of the soldier and
the writer. The funerals will be held
tomorrow under the military tent in
the hospital garden which serves as a
chapel.
Warneford Has Presentment.
Lieut. warneford is said to have had
a presentment of his tragic end. One
Of his friends who dined with him in
Paris restaurant the night before the
fatal accident states that some one
gave the lieutenant a bunch of roses
and said:
What a reception you'll get when
you go back to London and see your
mother"
Lieut. warneford shook his head
sadly, and replied: Il have a feeling
that 1 shall never go back"
His friends endeavored in every way
to cheer him up, but he remained
desDopdent and nelancholy