The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-23
First Giant Dirigible Taken
Intact During the War.
American Officer First To Ar
rive After the Capture.
INTENDED TO BLOW UP CRAFT
Zeppelin Carried Bombs for
Destruction After Landing.
But French Flyer Quickly on
Scene Prevented 1t.
BY ]. w. PEGLER.


Bourbonne Les Bains. France, Oct.
pa 21-year-old French airman'
single handed, forced the German Yep
pelin Las to descend on French soil
and at the point of his revolver cap
tured the dirigibles crew of more
than a score of men before they could
destroy their ship. An Amerlcan OH
Ger, journeying to the Sammies' camp
from a distant point in France was
the first person to arrive on the scene.
The full story of the French air
mans feat was told today to me be-
side the prize-the great black ana
gray cigar that lay molonleSS anna
Ehe pines and beeches OF the Nosses
foothills, the first Zeppelin ever drlV-
en- down absolutely intact and unin-
iured. O.
The American officer, who was lin"
at the. capture of the Zeppelin, told
me the story as it was told him by the
French airman. The bird man took
to the air an hour and three-quarters
previously, under instructions to watch
for Zeppelins.
1t was only a short time later that
he saw his prey. He forced his speedy
battle plane to its limit and overlook
the great numbering dreadnaughI of
the skies. Around and around its
huge bulk he flew. like a sparrow at
lacking a stork. Finally the Zeppelin
swerved Its planes were depressed
1t glided down to earth in a small val
lev. The forward compartment rest
ed in a small stream and the two mid
die compartments were twenty feet
aloft the stern impaling itself upon
the hillside pines.
The youthful French airman
stopped his plane at the edge of the
valley so suddenly and got out with
such alacrity that he gashed his own
F.wu ,f7fa Eaxrc ctr Il a =
With the blood streaming down his
face the aviator yanked at his auto
matte as he ran forward. He reached
the Zeppelin just as her commander
had finished firing six revolver shots
into his engine, attempting to Grip
Great Crowds Gather.
The Frenchman covered him with
his own full revolver and demanded
that he stop. The German complied
Then with his revolver covering the
forward, amidship and aft compart-
ments in swinging sweeps, the French
man stood back to await reinforce
ments.
r The first man to arrive was the
American officer. Then almost i'm
mediately there arrived a group of
poilus who took charge of the prison
ers and the prize. The Zeppelin COM
mander was found to be suffering
from an injured arm. He expressed
the utmost chagrin over his failure
TO burn the airship with any one of
the six incendiary bombs which he
shad in his cabin, designed for just
that purpose.
Many American officers, including
q number of aviator experts, inspected
the rare prize today, poking their
heads thru small tears in the mons
ter's glistening hide. They came hun
dreds of kilometers to view the sight
and considered it well worth while.
Hundreds of soldiers. villagers, women,
children, priests and farmers poured
over the country roads for a sight of
the monster.
Zeppelin of Latest Type.
Paris. Oct. 23.-France found an
other hero to praise in the bringing
down of the zepplin Lac today He
was an eX-poilu named Boiteux, who
with his shotgun aided a French flyer
in preventing the German crew of the
airship from destroying il.
French aviation experts were dis
mantling the airship at Bourbonne Les
Bains. The Zeppelin was said to be
the latest naval type.
Official adVices TODAY report that