Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-01
TWO DIE AS PLANE
CARRYING us. MAIL
FAL[SIN FLAMES
Max Miller and Gustave Pier
son Victims at Morris
town, N. J..
By the Associated Press.

MORRISTOWN. N. j.. September Il
Two men were burned to death in a spv-
ernment all-metal mail airplane this
morning which fell IN James street, this
city. The plane was flying at low alti-
The plane was flying at low alti-
tude, and the pilots seemed to be ex-
periencing trouble with the engine.
Sounds of backfire were heard. and
the farmers in the vicinity, who were
watching its maneuvers. saw the
into flames. 1t hit the ground with a
terrific thud and tremendous ex-
plosion occurred, throwing mail bags
hundreds of feet in every direction.
The pilots were pinned under the
wreckage, and death was doubtless
Although the bodies were not
charred beyond recognition their
clothes were burned nearly off, and it
was impossible to identify them
through this means.
A note book found in the wreckage
contained the name of T. T. Miller,
and a collar was marked T. r. L. The
mail bags bore the tags Jefferson
Terminal, Chicago, and carried mail
for Ohio, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Much of Mail Destroyed.
A great portion of the mail was
completely destroyed. Some was raked
In burlap bags by the farmers in the
vicinity. 1t was postmar4sed Hudson
Terminal, August 81, $50 p.m.; Penn
sylvania Terminal. New York, and
Philadelphia.
Postmaster W. B. Haley of New ver-
non. was one of the first on the scene
and took charge of the government
mail, summoning Postmaster Burke of
Morristown, who arrived shortly
afterward. The sacks of burned mail
were put in a truck and sent to the
Morristown post Office for shipment to
New York. Deputy Sheriff Young ar
rived shortly after the accident and
prevented the crowds which had gath
cred from interfering with the work
OF hremen, who had been called, in ex-
tricattng the bodies.
The only mail plane known to he in
the vicinity Of Morristown was said
by postal officials to be one of those
engaged in the New York-Cleveland-
Chicago run, scheduled to leave New
York for the west early today. 1t was
driven by Max Miller, one of the most
experienced mail pilots, assisted by
Mechanician Rierson.
Wife OF Miller Works Here.
Mrs. Mary T. Miller, wife of Max
MllieI' pilot OF a mail airplane, who,
together with his mechAnician, Gus
tave Rierson. was kill when the
plane caught fire andv fell to the
ground at Morristown, N. J., is a
daughter of J. Edwards Thomas Of
1904 Hobart street. this city. -
Mrs Miller. who is employed in the
air mail division of the Post Office De-
partment was at work this morning
when news of her husbands death
was given her.
Post Office officials said Miller was
regarded as one of the most proficient
pilots in the service. He had a SIM
liar accident. in which his plane took
nre. some time ago, they said, but he
extinguished the flames while still in
air.
The Post Office Department TODAY
received brief report of the acci-
dent. No details were given beyond
the fact that the airplane caught fire
while in the air. The plane was en-
route to Cleveland and Chicago from
New York.
The accident at Morristown was the
fourth case of a mail plane taking
FIRE. it was said. in $4,000 miles Of
flying. Mr.. Thomas, Mfller's father
in-law. said this afternoon that the
body of the young airman would
probably reach Washington tomor-
would likely take place Friday
CLEVELAND, Ohio. September L.
Postal officials and officials of the
New York-Chicago mail plane, which
left New York early this morning,
was due to stop here at 1890 am. for
fuel