Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-07-13
EbertS' Field Machines Come Together While Flying Over
 Capital.
IIEIJT. LEHMAN AND
 CHAPLAIN DOWN DEAD
Several Hundred See Crippled Plane Failing, With Doomed Men Trying to Loosen
 Seat Straps.

Little Rock, July 12.--Lieut, T. J. Lenihan of San Francisco, Calf., a flier from Eberts field, and Chaplain Denis O'Dowd, of Brooklyn, N. Y., assistant camp morale officer at Camp Pike, were instantly killed about 10 o'clock this morning, when plane being piloted by Lieutenant Lenihan was struck by another mach i inc from Eberts field. The second machine also fell but it's occupants were not injured.
 1 They were flying at a height of r. 800 feet, flying at a rate of about 65 miles an hour. They were headed to- ward the southwest, flying straight away. The planes were flying to- gether. Lieut.. R. E. Ryan was drlv- ing the lead plane. He was accom- panic1 by Lieut.. Carl E. Stockholm of [ the morale section, Camp Pike. Parallel with him and to his right was plane driven by Lieut.. A. V. | Ayers.
 Between them and to their rear was the third plane in which Chap Han O'Dowd rode with Lieutenant | Lenihan.
 Thousands of Little Rock people , were out to see them fly There had been no stunts. It was straight fly ing.
 Wing of Plane Crumbles. 1 The rear plane was seen to sWerVe 1 IL looked like he was preparing to do a tail spin It looked like he was pulling out from the formation. The swerve wdened. The right wing was seer to crumpe agalnst the lead plane.
 For the fraction of moment the two planes seemed to hug together. The lead plane continued on toward tho southwest. Lieutenant Lenihan's plane seemed to falter. Its right wing was dropping. The plane was off it's course. It swung in wide circle.
 Three times it completed the circle. It was descending rapidly. The occu- pants of the plane seen struggling, tugping at the straps that held them in their seats. The circle made by the drifting plane was much narrow 1 CT.
 Thereewas an almost imperceptible rsuse. The plane was no longer drifting. The last vestige of control was gone. It was falling. The whirling. spinning machine dropped straight down 500 feet through the trees in the Bowman yard. Neither occupant had succeeded in loosing the straps that bound them into the seats: 1 Both were crushed in the debris of the wrecked plane.
 Second Plane Lands Safely.
 Over on Fourche creek. a quarter of 9 mile away. plane with brok- en wing and crushed tail was landing in an open field. Even as it was pumping and jolting over an uneven course to a stop. Lieutenant Ryan and Lieutenant Stockholm were un- Luckling themselves, hurrying to learn the fate of the men who had collided with them somewhere back tEere behind, 1.50O feet up. | When they reached the scene of the fall 15 minutes later, the ambul- ance had come and gone. A thous- and women and children and men were there to tell them that their worst fears had been realized. Be- meath the trees was smashed en. zine covered by mass of silk and wire and splintered wood, mute evil dcnce of what had happened. There was none to tell them how it had happened.
 Struck From Behind.
 'T don't know how it happened, said Lieutenant Ryan. "We were flv- Ing straight ahead. heard and felt something strike from behind. From then on it was a problem of getting down. There was field out wonder. We made it, and got landing.