Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-08
TWO KILLED, SEVERAL
HURT At FLYING FIELD
Aviator Starting Machine Turns to
Avoid Boy, Hits Woman, Swerves
Into Tennessee Crowd.

CHATTANOOGA. Tenn. December 8
(by the Associated Press).-Two per-
sons were killed and three probably
fatally injured and several others
ernoon at Mari Flying Field. when an
airplane struck "A crowd of spectators
while starting on an exhibition flight.
The dead are: Lena May Shell. age
seven, and Mrs. Malissa Myers.
The injured were rushed to hospi-
tails, where it is expected two more
will die. V. Price Hollingsworth, the
aviator. and his mechanician were
taken into custody and an investiga-
ton into the causes of the accident
Most Of the injured are children.
Another Flyer Landing.
The accident occurred at $3.50 pm.
Aviator Eddie Stinson was fixing to
make lapding and was flying close
to the ground. The attention of the
crowd was attracted by the machine
in the air, but, according to Hol-
lingsworth. when the former started
from the northern end of the field for
the take-off. the crowd formed a lane
at least 100 feet wide. Hollingsworth
testified at the inquest that his ma
chine was running forty miles an
| hour. not quite fast enough to jump
off. when, looking to the right. he
saw a small boy in his path. He was
forced to swerve to the right to avoid
hitting the boy. when his machine
struck the woman and the impact
turned the airplane. which was Just
about to leave the ground TO the left,
running into the crowd. Hollings-
worth declared that he did not see
Mrs. Myers, but knew that he had
struck somebody when he felt the i'm
pact.
He insists that after he had turned
to the left he tried to take the air
and go over the crowd, but the ma
chine had lost it's speed and it was
Impossible to leave the ground
1t was brought out at the inquest
that the airplane did not have any
sort of brake and would stop only
when its energy was exhausted. Hol-
lingsworth testified that he shut off
his power Immediately upon finding
that he could not go over the heads
of the crowd. and that the machine
ran fifty feet before it came to a
standstill Other witnesses testified
that only the GOODNESS of Holdings
worth prevented many others being
killed.
Threaten to Lynch Aviator.
Following the accident. when the
crowd realized what had occurred,
many men lost their heads, women
and children screamed and cried and
large number of men swarmed
around the airplane. threatening to
lynch Aviator Hollingsworth and de-
claring their intention of burning
the machine after dark AS a pre-
caution against any damage the
crowd might do to his machine Eddie
Stinson hoped off and landed about
ten miles down the Tennessee river.
Sheriff Bass threw guard around
Holiingsworth's machine. which was
so badly damaged as TO prevent fur
ther flights. The left wing of the ma
chine was torn nearly off when it
| came into contact with the head of
Mrs. Myers. A hole in the center of
the left wing was caused by a little
| girl named Baker crushing through
| it.
| V. Price Hollingsw ORTIZ a CONNER
| cial fier. who was driving the air
| plane. is a native of Chicago, and
| came here on invitation to participate
in the dedication of MARI Field a few
days ago. He is out on bond under a
| charge of manslaughter.