South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-15
BEACHEY FORESAW
FATAL END AS He
ROSE LAST TIME
American Aviator Makes Flight
in Taube MOn0pIane to Thrill
Crowd Despite His Fremont
ton of impending Death.


Taube monoplane fell 5000 feet in San
Francisco bay, had premonitiOn that
the flight would be a fatal one. Only
a short time before he went to his
death he was talking with a friend.
1t was after ne had made his first
flight OF the day and was ready to
ascend again. The friend tried TO
persuade him 10 stay on the ground.
You are taking "A desperate chance
in going up in this machine again."
said the friend You have been used
10 d biplane. You are not familiar
with this new style OF mOnOplane; IL
will mean your death"
Beachey laughed why. I've just
made a successful flight The public
expects 10 see thrill If I go to my
death il will only be what other
aviators. just as good and daring as
myself have gone TO. I feel unlucky.
but I guess L can master this new
style machine just as L have my old
one"
Smiling at his friend Beachey went
up 81 the air for his second flight OF
the day. Three thousand feet above
tho ground he went through the
"thrillers'' that electrified the crowd
OF $4,000 below. Then he prepared
for his famous perpendicular drop.
He had saved this stunt" as a climax
for the days fights. But the moment
he attempted il the wing Of the mono
plane crumpled and he dropped into
the bay. The machine sank as soon
as IL struck the water.
The stress on the new monoplane
was too great and one Of the wings
was seen TO fly up like that of a
wounded bird. In a flash the second
wing of the mOnOplane gave way and
the shining engine and propeller
blades cleaned in the sunshine as
the crippled machine fell.
There was no chance FOR escape, al
though Beachey and his collapsed
monoplane landed in the waters Of
San Francisco bay. The force of the
fall was so great that the machine
and its daring pilot were buried in
the mud of the bay in 40 feet Of
water. lie struck the water near the
United States army transport docks in
a narrow patch of water between two
monster transports swinging at an
Choir.
Dig Body Out of Mud.
Immediately a rescue crew was dis
patched from the battleship Oregon
which was lying in the stream. After
two hours the machine and body was
dug from the mud by a diver from
the OregOn's crew. Beachey was
found entangled in the wires of the
wrecked machine and all Of the homes
of his body were broken.
1t was Beachey's first public trial
Of his monoplane. the smallest and
the swiftest i'm the world. in which
he had promised to Guido the feats Of
his French rival. PegOud. 1t was also
the 10th anniversary OF his first flight
and had il not been for previous dis
arrangement of plans. a gold medal
would have been given him by the
r.rscl oil n
make this presentation two weeks
latcF.
Fiancee Watches Him
His fiancee, Miss Mercedes Walton,
cheerfully bade him adieu as he arose,
cheered his perilOus head downward
sweep as he returned from a transit
of the bay and in a helpless, daZed
instant saw him drop to his death.
Nearby stood his brother. Hillary
Beachey. who tainted on the trans
port Logan as the body was raised.
Hillary BeaChey, Miss Walton and
Mrs. Roy A. Lee, her sister. were
taken to the home OF Beachey's aged
mother at 1914 Fifth av. where the
latter learned what had happened.
she swConed and is under the care of
physician.
Beachey's friends, who have been
deeply concerned i'm the trial of the
new mOnOplane. say that during the
last few weeks he was haunted with
a premOnition Of death. Although in
the past he had spoken in a light,
even jOcular way of his chances in
the air. there was i'm his references
TO Sundays trial a grim sense of peril.
"WHl Head for Bay"
''You can never tell whether YOU
viii come down right side up or not. 4"
lac remarked TO a newspaper photOg-
Tapher as he examined his machine
l. -
wrong, I'll head for the bay and see
II it's as soft as they say il is"
Beachey made his first ascent
promptly at o'clock. The big eXpOsi-
ton crowd siphoned itself into the
Marina and the avenue OF Progress
and the game little flyer was given
a cheer as he started n hating flight.
His motor failed and he was COM
pelled'tO descend.
IN make her fly he said cheer
fully as he prepared for another start.
The ascent was clean and sure and
the five loops which followed were
clean cut air flops. So far as the
crowd knew. but those skilled in the
Nagaries of the frail air craft could
see an oscillation OF the plane. "A lack
OF the cold gertrude OF Beachey's
previous flights.
Taut Nervousness.
There was a taut nervousness in
the little group inside the ropes and
a sight of relief when he descended.
Beachey shook his head doubtfully
when he climbed from the machine.
but his face wore the old look OF
unwavering purpose
Beachey started the second flight.
the one which cost his life. az almost
exactly half past three. lie made a
false start Some sense of the fate
about TO overvhelm him. seemed 10
take possession both OF Beachey and
his mechanic. Parker III. Nicks. His
principal mechanic looked at Beachey
as he was about 20 start again and
although his warning was not uttered.
Beachey sensed what was in his mind
and smiled. and wore the little smile
his mechanics knew, but he was
graver and slower in his movements
than they had ever known him. lie
was afraid and yet he went on and
that lis the highest form Of higher
courage
In answer Go the warning in his me-
Chanlc's look ne shrugged his shol-