The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-07-25
VOL. XXXII.
MYSTERY SURROUNDS
LATEST AIR TRAGEDY
No Theories Reveal Cause
For Disaster To The
Big Balloon

Chicago. July 22.-Only theories
as to the cause of the explosion and
destruction by fire of the diriglblc
machine resulting in twelve deaths
and injury to 2S other persons yes
tcrday were elected at the first ses-
sion of the coroncrs inquiry today
The cause of the disaster seemed
as far from disclosure as at the mo-
mcnt when flame spurtcd along the
gas bag as it scared above Chicago's
shyscrapcrs before plunging down
through the roof of great bank.
spreading flames among bookkeepers,
clerks and stenographers preparing
10 end their days work
Authorities however. apparently
were determined to place response
blity on some one. Assistant States
Attorney James Lowry, in charge of
Interrogation of witnesses for the
state declared prosecution was GER
tain to follow the inquiry, probably
on grounds of criminal negligence
and carclcssness.
At least four theories for The start
of the fire were heard to-day:
Hear Theories of Cause.
Pilot John Boettlcr, who has been
held in custody, told the states attor-
uey that spontaneous combustion
probably was the cause.
W. e. Young chief of the aeronau-
tical forces of the Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company. owner of the dirigi-
BILE. suggested burning of oil from the
motor cylinders.
Lieut.. Thomas Atkins. purchasing
agent for the Meteor Transport Corps,
L. S A.. was inclined to believe a
leavy valve was responsible and that
static electricity caused combustion.
I Nontrord Morrison. a member Of
the coroucr's jury ana technical eX-
pert. VINO. examined the broken
motor. suggested that he found all
cNhaus's open and that sparks there
from may have ignited the gas bag.
Assistant states Attorney Lowry
asked the CHER of police to take into
custody two officials of the local Of
flee of the Goodyear company for
questioning. Their names were not
divulged. Seventeen persons. most
of them mechanics, of the company's
forces were questioned last night and
today summoned for the inquest.
Pilots Won't Testify.
The first session of the cOroner's
inquest-on which state and federal
officials are waiting before action
looking toward prosecution-wa
marked by the refusal of pilot
Boettner and his chief. Mr.. Young, to
testify. Their refusal was on the
advice of counsel representing the
company.
While local officials asserted re-
sponsibility for the accident was to
be fixed ON some one, no evidence
developed to show the company had
been negligent. The assistant states
. attorney called attention to a letter.
< said to have been written by Mr.,
Young to his assistants urging speed
i'm assembling the machine here.
Lieut. Atkinson testified that the
Goodyear Companys balloons bore an
excellent reputation in the army. The
lieutenant, who Witnessed the acct
dent from an automobile, said;
"The hydrogen escaping from a
leaky valve and mixing with the air,
was probably ignited by static cleo
tricity in the air. do not believe il
was possible for sparks from the eX-
'haust to ignite the bag
The lieutenant testified that he
never had heard of rotary engines
being used in dirigibles. IL under
stand this was in the nature of an eX-
pertinent. From the experience the
pilot had had with the blimp, they
apparently were working all right"
he added,
The twelfth victim of the calam-
ity was Milton G. Norton, "A photo
grapher for a morning paper, who
died to-day Devotion to duty mark
ed his last semi-conscious moment.
He was veetran newspaper photo
grapher and sought the assignment
to go with the dirigible on one OF its
early test flights, His parachute
ignited as he leaped from the ma
ichine's gondola and he fell in the
street. AS death approached he muir
INJURED that he hoped his camera and
plates had not been damaged.
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