Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-22
BLAZING BAG
PINSvICTIMS
in FIRE TRAP
Blimp Crashes Through
Bank Roof Onto 200
Workers; Score Hurt

Chicago, July 22-Oficial
inquiry was started today by
States Attorney MacLay
HOyne, to fix responsibility
for the explosion and collapse
of the dlrigible, which fell
through the glass roof of the
NIllfnOiB Trust and Savings bank
yesterday afternoon. killing IL
persons and injuring 26 others.
United States District Attorney
Charles 7. CIyne also assigned
an assistant United States
attorney, to attend the cOrOn-
er's inquest, set for today.
Seventeen employees Of the Good
year Tire and Rubber company Of
Akron, Ohio. owners Of the airship.
have been detained, pending a de-
cision as to whether charges of
criminal careleSsnesS shall be filed
against them.
Among those detained are Jack
Boettner, pilot of the dirigible,
who escaped by jumping with a
parachute and ". c. Young, in
charge OF the aeronautic depart
ment Of the Goodyear company.
Nine of Dead Bank Employees.
OF the IL dead, nine were en-
ployes of the bank; and two being
passengers in the airship. Five
persons were in the airship at the
time Of the accident and three es-
capped. When the balloon crashed
through the skylight of the bank,
at 5 o'clock. more than 200 en-
ployes, mostly girls, were at work.
The balloon. with its five passen-
gers. was making its maiden trip
above the city i'll the interest of al
amusement park. According to
witnesses. a squirt of flame ap-
pearad at the stern, above the en-
gine. In a moment there was a
p1E of smoke, and the flames at
s&eked the big egg shaped gas
bag.
One Parachute Caught.
Almost simultaneously four
parachutes 1eaped from the airship
Three got clear of the burning air
ship, but the fourth was caught in
the falling meteor and burned, it's
passenger, Carl Weaver, of Akron,
Ohio, p1unging to death. Earl Dav-
export, publicity man for the
amusement park. and one time
sporting writer, did not jump from
the machine His body was hurled
through the bank roof and burned
to a crisp.
Harry Wacker, Akron, Ohio,
chief mechanic of the dirigible,
was one of those who came down
alive. His back was broken,
and he is not expected to
live
Milton G. Norton. a photographer
on a morning newspaper.
also landed, but in doing so his legs
were broken. and his condition is
critical.
]. T. Boettner. civilian pilot, was
the only member of the i'll fated /
airshfp TO land without injury.
- Victims Trapped in Inferno.
Ei7e of the nine killed in the |
bank were women employees, three
were men, and one a boy. There /
we're but two exits in the iron |
cage in the center of the bank, ard /
as the wreckage of the blimp |
crashed through the sky1ight to the
floor Of the two story building, /
gasoline tanks exploded and the |
Interior Of the bank was sprinkied
With gasoline which quickly ig- |
lited. burning the employees to
leath. More than 200 employees
we're in the bank at the time of the
Lccident. The blimp had been
iafling over the city for hours and
is progress was being watched by
on the streets and in
he office buildings, and its de-
trtctfon today is being told by
many,
Felt Machine Buckle.
BoettnsF, ths pilot. was taken to
,oiies headquarters after escaping
Fith his life end said:
LAS We neaFed State street,
e1t the machine buckle and there
vas a tremeF throughout the fus-
lage. l knew something had hap
'ened and saw the flames licking
CONTINUED On Page Ten.)