Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-13
Light Air Believed to Have
Caused Grinnell Bird
mans Death.
NO EXPLOSION
WHILE IN AIR
Oil Tank Bursts by Force Of Contact
With Earth-Trouble Started While
Robinson Was Several Thousand
Feet in Air--Was Trying For A'ti-
tude Reeord--No Inquest He'd-Fu'
moral 10 Be Held Tuesday at Grinneli.
Special to imes-Republican.

Special to Times s-Republican.
Grinnell.i March 13.-An irregular
drop of 5000 feet after entirely losing
control of his biplane, is described by
witnesses of the fatal fight Of Will c.
Robinson, the Grinnell aviator who
was killed at 4:30 o'clock Saturday
afternoon near Ewart, ten miles east
OF here. Et,r..ss f..
No one was near; when he reached
the ground, but several who had been
watching his flight were there as soon
as possible: but Robinson was dead
and his body burned beyond recogni-
ton. No one knows the cause OF the
accident but 1t is evident from the
cratic motion Of the biplane in its de-
scent that he had lost control.
Two Theories Advanced.
Zone theory is that his heart gave out
while he was in the clouds and that
the machine came to earth almost of
its own air control. 1t Is said, too that
Robinson has been blind in one eye
for long time and the theory of the
accident, based on this fact, is that
the other eye either lost its sight or
was injured. SO that he could not see
TO guide the machine.
Word was sent by phone at once to
6GEinnelI and several autos We're on.
the ground very soon. The body was
brought TO the Robinson home here.
where the wife and three young chill
.dren awaited it. The widowed mother
OF Robinson was in Sheridan township,
fifteen miles from this city.
After Attitude Record. Z
Robinson Is said to have been try
ing for an altitude record. Some time
ago he was up to the height Of $4,000
feet and came down because Of q
shortage OF gasolene. On Saturday he
ii said to have had an auxiliary tank
or gas with him and expected to beat
his former record. He had been flying
over Grinnell for two hours or more,
some OF the time at great height.
Up At Least 10000 Feet.
Il don't know how high he, got"
said Hal Wells, manager of the Grin
nell Aero Company, but I am con-
vinced he was at least 10000 feet in
the air when be began falling"
The aero company and the aero
school at Grinnell will be continued.
despite Its founders DEATH Wells al
ready is in correspondence with an
aviator Of prominence in Chicago, who
seems willing to take up the work Of
teaching Iowans aviation where Rob-
inson left off. .....y. . .-r%@
Tried to Control It.
Thruout the flight Robinson was
within view OF mis- watchers at Grin
nell, until he was within about 800
feet Of the earth in his fall At that
time the machine was making irregu-
lar volplanes towards the earth, as
tho the driver was trying to control
the machine but lacked the strength.
Wells dove an automobile loaded
with physicians headed by Dr. @. F.
Parish to the place Of Robinson's fall.
They found the aviator had fallen in
a bowl-shaped field surrounded by
high hills. Fl -
Motor Still Running.
x No one saw the last fall of about
gee gee ssss.t, duo SC The hills, b.: some
near by watchers reached the wreck
soon after It reached the ground. The
petrol tank was bursted. and caught
fire from the motor. which was still in
operation. !. Il }s5
4 The propeller was smashed, and
Robinson.s body. was lying over the
flames, which, when he had been
pulled from the machine, had en-
stirely destroyed both hands "
9s Control Wires in Shape.
l Examination OF the wrecked ma.
chine showed all the control wires in
shape. They were straight and un-
tangled, ana were In condition to be
operated, SO that the machine could
have been controlled had Robinson
been in control of himself.
"A physician's examination of the
body brought the declaration by the
se.c. := ..:a+ ..:a+ the flyers heart nn4
doubtedly had been so affected by the
thin air in the altitude he had reached
that 1t caused him partially to lose
control or his muscles.
VIII Hold mo Inquest.
Because Of his condition 1T is
thought he did his best in trying to
operate the machine. thereby causing
the unusual irregular fall.
Funeral services will be held at
GrinnelI Tuesday morning. There
will be no coronerss inquest.
I. Was Inventive Genius.
Robinson was Grinnell boy, having
come here with his mother some
twenty years ago. After leaving school
here he became Grinnell's handy
man. DOR time hut soon got keenly
Int terestsd In aaronantics and used his
Inventive genius in the. construction OF
q monoplane With which he did some
display work. Later he went to Chi-
cas- d aIsa Il sss5,oiT became q daring ex--
piorer OF the air. IN his little machine
hA wsntset0 real an r.; { Cd q ttil,s il,s
flfst copy sof the Montreal Free Press
to he caDital JET Ottawa. thereby win-