The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-26
SMASHES .AIRPLANE
IN CHRISTMAS CALL
Aviator's Spectacular Atten-
tons to Brooklyn Girls
End in Wreck.
FLIER HIMSELF UNHURT
Barely Clears Roof Of House
and Engine Stops, Leav-
ing Him Helpless.

Sergeant John @. stoil, young
army aviator who has been proving
that the airplane Is adapted TO use for
social purposes, since he met the two
pretty daughters OF Henry kahl 90
Nichols avenue, Brooklyn, a month
ago, busted his new Government scout
plano yesterday. The machine hit a
house. zigzagged among the trees of
Grant avenue, which Is the street next
to Nichols avenue, end then butted
into the pavement. Stoll climbed out
of 1t unhurt.
The people Of cypress Hills have be-
come accustomed to the spectacular
stunts of Stoll. 1t appeared TO them
that he tried nearly every day to see
how nearly he could drop on the kahl
home from a height Of 1000 feet or
more.
Things have been dull at the Long
Island aviation fields since the signing
Of the armistice put an end to pros
poets OF service abroad. Stoll. who
Joined the army in Crestline, Ohio, and
received the expert training in air
plane acrobatics that came to the
members of the squadrons which adj
vertised the patriotic drives. has been
adding zest TO life by continuing prac-
tice stunts in his solo flights.
Thrills for Ne1ghbors.
Since he met the Kahl girls. Kathe-
rine and Lulu. who have been engaged
in war relief work he has treated their
neighbors to the thrill that goes with
the swift downward drop. the graceful
levellinE out Of plane and the upward
climb nearly every day. After this
stunt he would sometimes land in a
nearby bali park.
lie left Mitchell Field at Mineola yes
terday morning In new Curtiss hi
plare. on tho rudder of which he had
painted the name kid" When he
reached a height Of 1000 feet he began
his usual volp.ane toward the Kahl
home. His aim was nearly perfect and
he passed over the house with the
wheels Of his plane nearly grazing the
roof.
Whether Stoll brought n Christmas
present to one of the Misses Kahl and
dropped 1t To her az she stood in the
ward Is In dispute. lie reported to tho
army officials last night that ne car
ried no gift. The young women would
not be Interviewed
AZ soon as he had cleared tho roof
Stoll han more than his Christmas af-
fairs 10 think about His motor
stopped. and he was caught just above
the uneven endless roof tops OF n con-
ges;ed neighborhood.
Cuts en- a Cornicc.
The machine passed over the house
Of Henry Arrnbr'ster. which faces on
Grant avenue, with Its wheels touch
Ing the roof. Al the edge nf the root
metal Corrioe projected upward
This was cut on the building and
dropped.
stoll turic1 che plane into Grant
sveuue. It's momentum kr't il from
falling too rapidly, but IN tho narrow
street the aviator lost rudlnr control
and tho plane bounced about from
side 10 side against the trees. Finally
it huttel It's nose into the pavement
and stopped.
Near by houses yielded q crowd.
Stoll was on the ground iefore the
first reached him. lie WAS shaken
aui nervous except for sight cuts
On the face. lie said NJ wanted a
cigarette. not II doctor
Among the first to reach Stoll was
a brother Of tho Misses l[aAl. They
went to the Kahl homo and Sto,l
telephoned TO the aviation feli. 4
truck was sent for the airpianc. The
propeller was broken into hts AMI
tho wings damaged.