The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-08-28
GIRL AERONAUT
FALLS TO DEATH
ROSE FOSTER FALLS 1900 FEET
AT MAYVILLE
Victim Formerly Lived at Birch Run
and Rode Balloon Here Dur
ing Home Coming

People who saw the lady balloon
ist shoot up into the great blue vault,
during Home Coming at Clio, and
then gracefully sail to earth in a
parachute, will scarcely be surprised,
though none the less regretful, to
learn that she fell from her para
chute at Mayville, where a Home
Coming celebration was in progress,
last Thursday, and was dashed into
an unrecognizable mass of flesh and
bones on the earth below.
The man who made the double
ascension with her during Home
Coming here, was a caller at The
Messenger office day or two after
the accident, and having witnessed
it, gave us the details.
He said the girl had been billed to
make triple parachute drop on the
day of the accident, but as she had
been i'll the previous day, she was
urged by Prof. Riley and himself to
let some one else make the ascension
in her stead. She objected to this,
however, and insisted on making the
ascension as advertised. He said
that the balloon went up beautifully,
and when the girl cut loose from it
the top parachute opened nicely.
Then she cut loose for the second
time and just as she did so she was
seen to throw up her hands and
slide from the bar on which she was
riding. She was attached to this
bar by short rope which was tied
to what is know among the profess
sion as "life belt" around her body,
but just at the time the rope tauten-
ed with her weight the parachute op-
ened with a jerk and the belt was
cut apart as though 1t were made of
paper.
The girl was up in the air about
1900 feet when she broke loose from
the parachute and came hurtling to
the ground at a terrific rate of
speed. She struck on the dry, hard
earth of pasture field, in which her
body made an impression to depth
of about eight inches. Every bone
in her body, it is said, was broken
by the force Of the fall. Her back
was split open for nearly its entire
length, the back portion of the skull
was pulverized and the features
were unrecognizable.
The man said that it was the
opinion of the balloon crew that the
girl was seized with fainting spell
which caused her to lose her grip on
the ropes of the parachute bar. She
was an experienced rider and had
made many successful ascensions at
Lakeside Park, Flint, during past
seasons. She is said to have been
absolutely fearless and nothing but q
sudden attack of illness could ac-
count for her falling.
Following the accident a purse
was taken up among the concession
people along the street and among
the citizens of Mayville and a
beautiful casket was purchased fol-
the dead aviatrix.
Rose Foster, as she was known
was formerly Miss Rose Humid.
shamer, of Birch Run, and her par.
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. Humid.
shamer, now reside in Flint. 1t is
said that her mother and sister were
present in Mayville on the day of
the tragedy and witnessed her plunge
to death.
The dead girl was niece of Mrs
Ed. Neeley, of this place, and the
latter and her daughter, Mrs. Elmer
Remember, attended the funeral
which was held at Gracelawn ceme-
terry, Flint, last Saturday.