New Britain herald., 1919-07-22
Y BEING HELD FOR BALLOON FATALITIES Il Dead, Others Mortally Injured,
 When Dirigible Falls OFFICIAL PROBE STARTED

Five Persons Were in Airship Cruis-
 ing over Chicago When Explosion
 OccuIred-Crashcs Through Bank
 Building SkyIight.
 Chicago, July 22.-Official inquiry was started today by States Attorney MacLay HOine to fix responsibility for the explosion and collapse of the diri- gible which crashed through the roof of the Illinois Trust and Savings bank yesterday afternoon, killing II per sons and injuring 26 others. U. s. Dist Attorney Charles F. CIyne also assigned an assistant to attend the coroner inquest set for today.
 IF People Are Held.
 Seventeen employees of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.,, of Akron, O., owners of the airship have been de- tained pending a decision as to wheth- CT charges of criminal carelessness should be filed against them. Among those detained are Jack Boettner, pilot of the dirigible who escaped by jump ing with a parachute and w. c. Young in charge of the aeronautic departm of the Goodyear Go.
 Of the Il dead, nine were em- ployes of the bank and two were pas sengers in the airship. Five persons were in the airship at the time of the accident and three escaped. When the balloon crashed through the sky light of the bank at o'clock more than 200 employees, mostly girls, were at work.
 Balloon Cruising Over City.
 The balloon with it's five passengers was making it's maiden trip above the city in the interest of an amusement park. According to witnesses, a spurt of flame appeared at the stern, above the engine. In moment there was a puff of smoke and the flames at tackled the big egg-shaped gas bag. Almost at the safe time four para chutes leaped from the airship. Three got clear of the burning craft, but the fourth was caught in the falling bal loon and burned, it's passenger, Carl Weaver, mechanic, of Akron, O., plunging to death. Earl Davenport, publicity man for the amusement park and one time a sporting writer, did not jump from the machine. His body was hurled through the bank roof and burned.
 One Mans Back Broken.
 Harry Wacker, Akron, chief me- chanic of the dirigible, was one of those who came down alive. His back was broken, however, and he is not expected to live. Milton G. Norton, a photographer employed on a morn ing newspaper, also landed, but in do- ing so his legs were broken and his condition is critical. J. A. Boettner, civilian pilot, was the only member of the ill-fated airship to land with out injury. Five of the nine killed in the bank were women employees, three were men and the other a boy.
 Will Take Legal Steps.
 John J. Mitchell, president of the bank said he would have legal repre- , sentatives at the investigation today to take steps to prevent any accident of this kind in the future. Tt is for the safety of the people, he said. 1T will place this matter before the bankers committee and other inter- ests to see if some step cannot be taken to prevent such accidents. I do not think any flying should be done over a large city unless really neces- sary."
 The corporation counsel today be-, gan the work of drafting an ordinance regulating the operation of aircraft
 
 anVille, chief of the army aircraft di- vision at Akron field, who witnessed the accident has sent report to the war department at Washin gton.
 Several New Devices.
 Charges that several devices used on the giant blimp were virtually un- tried and used for the first time on this type of aircraft will be made the subject of a rigid inquiry by off cials.
 One of these devices was a rotary motor which was loaned for the pur- pose by Major Marnville, who de- clared that whie there was danger of fire in it's use, he believed every neces- sary precaution had been taken to prevent an accident.
 May Arrest Officials.
 Another devi47 said to have been used for the frst time on a blimp was a number of sslk balloonettes at tached to the main body and Major Maranville says the friction of these balloonettes against the silk sides of the structure may .have been respon- sible for the accideRt.
 Coroner Hoffman and State AttOr- ney Hoine declared that it was prob able officials of the Chicago office of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Go. would be taken into custody before the end of the day..