The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-15
VERNON CASTLE
KILLED IN FALL
Famous Dancer Met Death
While Instructing Amer
ican to Use Aero
plane.
MADE SPLENDID RECORD
Had Been Over German Lines 300
Times While in Active Service
With Royal Flying
Corps.
MADE SPLENDID RECORD

Limited Press Leased Wire SSrVlce.1
FORT WORTH, Te1as, Feb. 16.-
Vernon Castle, we'll known dancer
and aviator, stationed near here, was
killed in fall here early today.
Vernon Castle was born in England
thirty-three years ago. His real
name was Vernon Blythe. His sister
the well known theatrical producer.
Castle was first seen in the United
States in one of the old Lew Fields
productions at the Herald Square
theatre, when he took the part OF q
waiter In the Girl Behind the Count
en-"
Later he appeared in "The Sun
Dodgers" and it was in one OF the
Fields productions that he met Mrs.
Castle.
Following his Broadway career,
the Castles went to Paris, where they
took up dancing. It was while they
were appearing in Paris that they
were seen by Chas. w. Dillingham;.
who brought them to the United
States.
| Dillingham; starred tho Castles In
Watch Your Step"
| Vernon Castle was the highest paid
dancer in all dramatic history, ac-
cording to Dillingham; During the
! the height of the dancing craze,
Castles salary averaged $4,000 per
| week.
Castle was captain in the British
Royal Flying corps. He had been
stationed several months at Ben
brook field, where he was killed this
morning.
| Details of the accident were net
rlo hn 40 olIfh0r.
| tiles up to 1915 a. m.
Wife viii Not Believe Il.
| NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-Mrs. Yer
non Castle, struggling against col
lapse, today refused to believe the
news of her husbands death In
Texas.
, These reports have reached US be-
fore" Mrs. Castle said here.
! 1--WE have received no definite
word. Until we do, nothing will be
said"
! Mrs. Castle lives at 120 Lexington
avenue, in this city. She has been
working of late as member Of the
cast of Pathe motion picture, max
ing almost daily trips to New Jer-
sey for appearances. She was ex-
pected to go across the Hudson to-
day to continue her work.
f, The famous dancer was practically
Frustrated when told her husband
had fallen and been killed. She re-
fused to see anyone, but made brief
statement to the United Press
through her secretary.
How Accident Happened.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 10
Captain Vernon Castle, of the British
| ROYAL Flying corps, famous dancer,
was killed by short fall from his
aero2lane in flight at Benbrooh
field, fifteen miles west Of here to-
day.
Irving to land while instructins
an American cadet, Castle swerved
the machine to avoid collision with
another American flyer who was land.
ing at the same time. The cadet
riding with Castle was not injured.
Castle came to Fort Worth last
October with Lord Wellesly's squad
ron and Immediately went into quart
ers at Benbrook, where he was an
instructor. He had seen long and
sensational service on the western
front in France.
He had made more than 300 flights
over the German lines in Flanders
lAn0 Qau Udu IuGIiS LII iiiihtS 49, oAAe
with the Boches, but had never been
injured while at the front.
His friends in Texas declared to
day when they heard he had beer
killed, that is the way Castle want
cd to die. He had said many times
Il have had honors enough; I want
to die in the flying service OF Grea
Britain.
Castle and r. Peters were only
forty-five feet from the ground wher
their machine started to fall. Castle
was driving from the front seat
which Is unusual, as the instructor
nearly always drives from the bacl
seat and places the cadet in front.
Friends of Castle said today tha
he recently had been worried by th'
long training courses here and wa
anxious to return to the firing line
Mrs. Castle Collapsed.
NEW YORK, Feb. 15.--Mrs. Castl