Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-21
VERNON CASTLE
KILLED IN TEXAS
Aviator Meets Death Trying To
Avoid Collision with An
other Air Man.
ACT SAVED OTHER LIVES.
Can't, Castle Had Fought Germans over
Their Lines Two Years. Receiving
Only Minor wound.

Vernon Castle of the Royal Flying
Corps who braved death for two years
over the German lines with only a
minor wound, met death on peace
full flying field to-day In an effort to
avert a collision with another aviator.
The cadet aviator with whom he was
flying, r. Peters, was only slightly
injured.
Captain Castle was killed when he
prevented what would have been car
tain death for him. the cadet with him
and an aviator In another plane who
was landing nearby at what Is known
as a 'biind angle" The aviator could
not SEQ Castles machine which was on
tho ground and could not hear 1t be-
cause Of tho noise of his own engine.
Captain Castle saw the collision COM
ing and "noomed up" seventy-hv feet,
but went at such an angle that mis-
engine did. unable to push the plane
farther. 30 narrow was the escape
from a serious collision that Castles
plane struck the other planes tail,
smashing 1t.
Castles plane turned on Its side, then
plunged nose downward to earth, He
sought to right It but there was not time
enough.
Had he been twenty feet higher he could
have landed safely.
Captain Castle was one Of the best liked
men on the aviation field. Tears streamed
down the cheeks Of officers and mon as
they worked releasing his body from the
wrecked plane. All Fort Worth. Camp
Bowie and the aviation Fields plainly
showed the deepest regret at his tragic
death.
The funeral, the largest and perhaps the
most impressive ever held here, will be
attended tomorrow afternoon by officers
and cadets of the Royal Flying squadrons
and the American Flying squadrons.
A detachment from tho Royal Flying
Corps will escort the body to New York
for burial.
Vernon Castle. previous to the war. won
worldwide fame as a dancer. He and
Mrs Castle, known as the vernon Cas-
ties" were the leading exponents of mod
ern dancing. introducing many Of the
new ballroom figures which have become
popular in recent years. After short
Broadway career as an actor he met the
girl who became Mrs. Castle. After
their marriage they made Il special study
Of dancing in Paris, whore they attra cted
the attention Of Charles w. Dillingham;,
who brought them to tho United States
and starred them In Watch Your Step"
They were responsible largely for the
dancing craze which followed. and Castles
popularity earned him salary of $4,000
a week. Castles real name wan Vernon
Blythe. He was 80 years old and was
born in England. Shortly after the out
break of the war no became a membe,
OF the Royal Flying Corps and made more
than 800 flights over the German lines
lie was acting as an instructor In Texa,
when killed.
New York, Feb. 15.-Captain Castles
body will be brought to New York city
with a detachment of the Royal Flying
corps as escort, 1t was announced late to-
day at Mrs. Castles home. They will at
tend the funeral services at which full
military honors will be accorded the dead
aviator. Mrs. Castle was affected by the
news of the tragedy that a physician was
summoned to attend her.
In spite of the frequent fatal accidents
at the aviation training camps during the
past week. the war department considers
the percentage small considering the
large number Of students and the amount
of flying they are doing.
The acting chief signal officer tonight
issued this statement:
"Distressing though recent fatalities In
the aviation section Of the signal corps
have been the percentage OF casualties
among our young aviators Is very low
considering the increase In the number of
men flying each day. The aviators at the
signal corps training schools are averag-
ing about LOO hours OF flying per day,
which makes distance of about i02, 600
miles flown each day. This is equal to
four trips around the earth.
considering this amount of flying, the
percentage Of fatal accidents is remark
ahlN 10y