The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-10-20


oiia Of the motor ioFries fer rssnUvaL
Tells Of Finding ssdisa
A special constable gave a thrilling
aceOant Of the tragedy,
aWhea I reached the spot" he said,
Tho Zeppella rnmnEied mass ~
ruinS-was still seathing fusnaee.
with tongues Of kissing flames licking
tie framework. sGsA reducing u TO
molten fnetal. so terce was tho heat
that u was ut irst impossible to ap.
preach 90 close quarters. Pals Of wa.
ter had to be fetched from pond An a
field Some distance away 10 cool the
remains, and the werk Of exlricating
the bodies was proceeded with.
That OF the commander Of the Yep
pelin was FIRST discovered. Ills left
hand was still resting on the steer.
ing wheel. bat his right hand had been
torn away.
"Ciose by, the charred remains Of
six other members Of the crew were
with difficulty extricated from the wire
ENHANCEMENT to which the skeleton
OF the fabric had been reduced, and
were taken " the clubhouse OF neigh
boring Inn. Upon the hand Of one
was found diamond ring.
-Four engines were taken from the
cranpled airshlp. together with a
clock. which survived intact. the hands
stopping at ten minutes past three"
Saw the RaIdera
The arrival OF the German raiders
over the subarbs OF London is related
as. follows By one who saw the de-
struction OF the aIrshIp from one OF
the heights of Cutiiey, where the raider
camo TO grief.
Some time after midnight the 81
fence was bitten into by the deep boom
of guns. Occasionally the maze NJ mist
was pierced by gun flashes The boom
of the guns found an answering echo
along the hills and valleys In the dis.
lance. For q time nothing could be
seen 10 justify the unwonted activity.
Gradually our ears caught the sound
OF dull droning noise overhead. IL
came nearer. getting louder and cloud
or. until II ressmbled the roar OF fast
travelling train.
II swept the skies with my glasses.
The outline OF an alrship was family
disccrnIble crossing out OF the mist
from east to west. IL lowered about
for white rs though the crew were
trying to find their bearings, Sudden.
ly II began 10 bear north, II swervedi
shortly and moved rapidly westward
again, turning later and making
straight for the south at Il high speed.
'0nee nece II turned east until II
came astrt6e the main read 10 -----.
when I, bore steadily along parallel
with the road.
ssarchllshts Shine Out.
Meanwhile searchlights we're played
| east. west, north and south Of the road,
their range stretching far out like the
tentaclcs ~ an octopas. so far the
raider had managed TO eyade the Hight.
Now, however. one ray felI full across
Its path. IL lighted the airship up
beautifully, making Il hook Hike mca-
ster slIver-s scaled fish. Other rays were
concentrated and began 10 play On tho
monster. The sky was now one blaze
Of revealing light In the virinity.
'In vain did the Zeppelin move
about, hitecr and thitber seeking
way OF escape Everywhere the raider
was pursued by those fatal rays. The
guns began to play around the airship
Shells burst all around. Some got very
cioee. The Airxhip made quick
man~uv~r M though 20, escape, north
ward The pitiless scarchlight followed
and the raider WINS caught between two
powerful rays and lined against dark
bank Of clouds.
That was the beginning Of the end.
There was n gun fash. followed by a
roar. The raider was struck. Through
| my glasses ! could plainly see II reel
| and rock under the hit. Then II be-
gan to descend earthward, very slowly,
II could not DOW escape the rain Of
missiles. After the next hit the rear
part Of the Zeppelin broke into flames.
The ship then foundered about In
the mir as though Its crew had lost
control OF II. II was BOW one mass
oY farne, looking like a blazing house
suspended I'm midair. There was no
question OF escape. Its descent quick
eyed. and finally II crashed to earth
less than n mile from the height On
which we had watched.
Crew In Midst Of Flarea
| AS II approached the ground the
figures Of the crew could be- seen
wreathcd about by flames. Two Of
them either fell or Jumped from the
airship when II was about two hun.
dred feet above the ground. While the
blazing raider was suspended helpless
in the air three loud explosions were
heard In rapid succession. Z II WAS
after the last Of these that the anal
earthwsrd plunge was made.
"The fi9ht was watched by crowds
on the hiilsides for miles around. Ar
the vpnnster took her nnaI plunge
round AFTER round Of chcers blended