New Britain herald., 1915-03-15


| his accident in Hartford he had
! thrilled the crowds with daring spirals
! and flying upsidedown. His apparent
| abandon of all care for safety made
! the crowd feel certain that death must
overtake him before long. He re-
! covered from his injuries and re-
| turned to Hartford week later and
was even more sensational though his
| back was encased in a plaster cast.
Most SlSilful Aviator.
Aeronautic authorities regarded
| him as the most skilful and daring Of
| American aviators. He earned this
reputation long before the French
! flyers, headed by Pergoud, began to
| glide through the air upside down.
Seachey was in retirement when these
feats were heralded and was drawn
| back into the game by his desire to
surpass the remarkable flying Of the
Frenchmen.
With an aeroplane Of small wing
surface he flew upside-down, made
spirals while head downward and
Topped the loop.
Beachey was born in San Francisco
in September 1887, and made his first
flight in 1905 at Oakland, Cal, pilot
ing a dirigible balloon. In 1905 he cir
cled the capitol at Washington. He
soiared over New York city In July,
1907 His motor failed and the wind
whirled him across the river, wreck
ing the dirigible.
His first heavier-than-air machine.
a monoplane, was wrecked at St Paul
in 1910. He made a successful flight
in Los Angeles, but then wrecked an
other flyer.
First to Circle Capitol.
On May 5, 1911, he was the first
man to circlee the capitol in Washing
ton in an aeroplane. He then startled
the world by flying over Niagara Falls.
Later he won the first inter city aero
plane race in America, flying from
New York to Philadelphia. He was
the most prominent figure in the 1911
Chicago aviation meet, spiralingl at
sharp angles.
Early in 1913, Beachey announced
that he had made his last flight, as
serting that he felt partly responsible
for the deaths of nine aviators who
had tried to emulate him. When the
deeds of the daring Frenchmen were
chronicled he returned to flying.
In October, 1913, at Hammonds-
mort, N. Y, his machine swept several
spectators from roof, killing one.
Beachey boosted that 100000
people had seen him fly.
Fcats Thrilled Thousands.
His feats which he went through
here at Charter Oak park thrilled
thousands Of people on the three days
when he flew. His actions in the air
were likeend to those of bird for
there seemed to be little of which
bird is capable that he could not do.
He scared out of sight in the clouds, ],
suddenly to emerge, spiraling and
swooping toward the earth until 1t
seemed that he must be dashed to
pieces. The accident which befell him
here hapepned on the first day Of his
exhibition. i
The accident occurred on the home
stretch. Beachey started from the
stands and headed toward the west,
trying to adjust the mixture of his
engine which had troubled him all the
afternoon except when he was at
high altitude. The engine choked and
slowed down, and realizing that he
would have to land, he made a sharp
turn into the paddock to avoid hitting
the trees at the edge Of the track. 4
Shock Upset Machine.
The loss of power caused the ma
chine to swoop to the ground, one
wing hitting before the ground gear
had come into use. The shock upset
the machine which turned completely
over. resting the top of the
planes. Beachey was strapped into his
seat and was unable to extricate him
self until help arrived. The fall
smashed the works of his watch.
He recovered from his injuries, re-
manning at the Heublein hotel for
several days and later returning to
complete his exhibition at Charter
Oak park. 1t was his boast that he
never disappointed a crowd. prefer
ring to take his life in his hands and
perform the daring feats that made
his name known throughout the
country rather than have it said that
he feared his calling.
Death Due to Drowning.
That Beachey was still alive when
he struck the water and had suf-
fered no major injury as the result OF
the fall except a broken leg, was the
opinion expressed by DR.. David t.
stafford, autopsy surgeon, who ex-
ahmed the body at the morgue last
night.
The face, said DR.. Stafford, was !