Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-07-25
FLYER IS HELD
AS TRESPASSER
Forced to Descend in a New York
Park.
PiNCAED FOR SPO|LING GRASS
"canteha See Them Signs: Keep OF
the Grass?" Demanded lrate Pa
trolman-"You Should Have Writ
ten Letter to Park Board Asking
Permission to Land There" Declares
the Judoe-Sentence Suspended.

The deplorable lack of landing
fields, or even places where airmen
can land with any degree of safety
about our largest cities is the biggest
obstacle In the way of flying becoming
common. Airplane enthusiasts are
agreed upon this, and until some way
out of the difficulty is found the sport
will always rank as hazardous, un-
safe, but extremely thrilling.
New York had an example Of this
few days ago when Philip A. Bark
lund, civilian aviator, landed In Van
Cortlandt park and tore up few feet
of turf. His engine had "conked"
while flying to Albany and he was
forced to descend hurriedly where he
could. Van Cortlandt park happened
to be it. 1t might have been the
Woolworth tower or Forty-second
street and Broadway, or Brooklyn
bridge, so far as the pilots ability 10
control his destiny was concerned.
He landed, got out and was ruefuily
contemplating his machine. Up
walked Hard Luck in the bulky shape
Of Patrolman John T. Shields.
Hey, whatcha mean by tearing. mp
that grassT queried the exponent Of
law, order and fiat feet. "Cantcha
see them signs: Keep Off the
GrassY"
Bjarklund explained that he had a
forced landing, and that so far as he
was concerned IT was unavoidable,
that he certainly hadn't wanted 10
land In the park ct cetera. But the
law was obdurate.
"'Tain't my fault" said the noun
tain in blue. "Them signs say Keep
Off the Grassp and I'm here to see
that they're obeyed."
Arrested for Trespsssino.
He thereupon handed the aviator q
summons to appear before Magistrate
Ten Eyck for "unlawfully disturbing
the grass In a grass plot of Van Cort-
landt park without permit from the
park authorities, against the peace
and dignity of the state Of New York
and the municipal ordinances In such
cases duly made and provided"
"Phew!" said Bjarklund as he read
the charge sheet.
Magistrate Ten Eyck promptly adj
judged him guilty when he appeared.
The court was stern. Justice fairly
beetled from his honor's brows.
Didn't you see the signs" queried
the court In a deep bass voice.
\ 4
up" Bjarklund then explained to the
court that his motor had quit and
that he couldn't very well tie up to q
cloud while he tinkered with 1t.
Neither could he throw out a sky an
chor. Inasmuch as the motor wouldn't
had only about the split part of a
second to decide where he was going
when he got down.
Judge Suspends Fine.
WELL" said the court, "you should
have written letter to the park
board and asked authority to land
there. OF course, 1t being Sunday, no
one would have been at the park
board office to answer 1t. And, OF
course, you might have been killed In
the meantime, but you should have
stayed within the law anyway.
you're guilty as charged" doomed
the court But" with a twinkle In
his eye, "the sentence Is suspended.
Next time when you've got to come
down fast write letter to the board
and ask for permission to land.
| Next?"
swell, he was guilty anyhow" said
the cop triumphantly, as he stalked
out to resume his watchfulness of the
paTk squirrels.
tan ra-