Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-24
AMERICANS INSPECT
CAPTURED ZEPPELIN
Officers Examine Undamagcd Airship,
Surrendered After Dropping
Bombs on London.
FRENCH AVIATOR IS CApToR
Flies Like Hawk Above Craft and
Pours Hail of Bullets Into Gas
Bag-Prevents Crew Firing Ship
With Pistol-Crcw Of Twenty Men.
[Ry Associated Pressl

tBy Associated Pressl
BOURBONNE-LES-B BANS FRANCE.
Sunday. October 2l.-The Zeppelin
Las, which came down at Bourbonne-
lea>Bnins. was inspected to-day by the
Associated Press correspondent. and
was found to be intact, as were also
the machinery and instruments. This
is the first time during the war that q
Zeppelin has been brought down COM
pletc. and an opportunity was given
to number OF American officers to
inspect the craft. They, together with
French flying men. spent many hours
a in gaining knowledge which heretofore
has been jealousy protected by the
s.aGprmans.
s%sSThe machine was driven down with
-@her nose resting on the edge OF the
psHhin road and the stern in the pine
9trees on hill. Fully half the craft
Sslay across little valley thirty feet
from the ground. So quickly did the
lSaYiator. who was responsible for the
s;lRndinE of the airship, land that the
&Germans had no opportunity to do
damage. The only visible break in the
sstructure consisted of tears in the
s.outer skin caused by the trees
ggessWhen the commander. who with the
-&cfew remained under guard OF French
rrsbldiers to-day. saw that II was i'm
St-.possible to save his ship he destroyed
le-the wireless apparatus and unsuccess-
ss:1ully attempted to destroy the airship
z.asby firing his pistol at it. The whole
sa.Rody OF the Zeppelin is painted black
Except on top. where it is silvercd.
@There is small German cross on
sfeither side amidships 1t noated the
German naval ensign.
80 Tho two officers and nineteen men
who were taken prisoner were removed
Il. from the Jail to-day. They were the
center of large crowd OF residents
Of the French countryside. who. dressed
IN their best. walked. drove or rode
= from miles around to sec the German
.5airship and the prisoners.
,,@CHEER AMERICAN OFFICERS
-s52 WHO INSPECT FALLEN SHIP
1.-THE Americans were chccrcd by the
:, crowds. who pointed out the disconso-
ssclate Germans. who were dressed warm
10y and In addition wore air helmets
- and felt boots. The commanders arm
WAS In sling. az he had been injured
et.Whcn landing. He seemed especially
downcast. for the loss of complete
.,.i zeppelin to the enemy is a serious Of
% Iense.
The airmen, on the other hand.
S .grinned now and then. and seemed
greatly surprised at seeing the Ameri-
{ can officers
q ~ Ihese officers had an opportunity to
- talk with some OF tho airmcn and with
the French youth. who. like Il hawk,
new over the Zeppelin pouring bullets
from his machine gun into it, punctur-
T. ms the gas containers and forcing the
:. craft to land. They talked also with
* the zeppelin commander a slight blond
lieutenant, who spoke excellent Eng
lish. He said he had flown over Eng
Z, land and dropped all his bombs. md
/, ,When MS craft was attacked and dam
aged he thought he was descending I'm
Holland
Ett The French aviator told the officers
the story OF the thrilling flight how he
new In pursuit OF the Zeppelin to such
an altitude that his checks froze. and
now he succeeded finally In forcing tho
craft down with his machine eun
when he saw that II was bound TO land
ne OWED TO the earth. Other French
aFiatorS landed nearby. At the point
OF pistol tho Germans were prevented
from damaging the craft. and were
taken prisoner. Incendiary bombs
which has rbeeni placed under the air.
ship wore removed.
~ Among the articles taken from tho
airship to-day were medical aunn,ios
machine guns. oxygen tanks for use al
nigh attitudes. Are extinEuishers an
electric stove, gas masks. parochuteo
and fur coats,