Evening star., 1921-08-25
OnyFiueSaued
in Tragedy
Over Hull.
MEN IN GONDOLAS
TRAPPED IN FALL
Disaster Casts Pail
Ouer Britain-TtUO
Americans Found.

By tue Associated ffeSs.
HULL, England, August 25.-DtVers
began at dawn today to explore the
fre-twisted wreck Of the dirigibie
ZR-2, which last evening exploded
above this city and fell into the HUM
Der, carrying with her more than forty
of her crew. Only one American. Nor
man o. Walker. rigGer. and four
British - Flight Lieut.. a. II. Wann,
Ernest Davies. airman; II. Bateman,
scientific assistant, and Walter Potter,
u.echanic-out of forty-nine survived
the disaster that in twinkiing
changed the trial cruise of the airship
into CHASTITY tragedy.
barring the hours OF darkness that
followed the collapse and destruction
of the ZR-3 tugs stood by the wreck
age. and Keen eyes scanned the water
for any bodies that might have been
disfodged by the tide that flowed over
all that remained of what was yes
terday Great Britain's miShtiest dirlgi-
BILE, which officials expected to turn
over to the United States Navy today.
It was believed that the ruins Of the
aerial dreadnaught held the bodles OF
fourteen American and twenty-sN
British officers and enlisted men. VINO
engaged in the final test OF the ma
chine.
Hepe Given Up for Missing.
All hope that there might be other
survivors of the disaster was given
up during the night. The wreckage
fell only 200 feet from shore. and the
six carriages, i'll which most OF the
airship personnel was riding. sank i'm
mediately to the bottom Of the Hum
her. The men in the gondolas, 1t was
believed, would have little chance to
escape after the dirisible struck the
water, as the weight Of engines and
machinery quickly Euined
structure beneath the water. Experts
here were at q loss to account for this
Residents of Hull who were watch
ing the ZR-2 when its cruise came to
a sudden and tragic end declared that
it seemed when the craft attempted 10
make a sharp turn during a speed
test some Of her girders buckled ana
too heavy for the structure to bear
Some members Of the crew appear to
have this same idea Of the cause OF
the accident.
Charles, Harrison Brown Of the
an eyewitness Of the disaster.
Il noticed" he said today. that the
ZR-2 was moving in a peculiar man
ncr. the nose of the dirigible showing
an unusual tendency to drop down. l
q
wrong and watched the machine
carefully. In less than two minutes
the huge envelope broke In two and
fell in flames. / ran to the river
side, where I secured a tug and went sat
fallen. I put out a small boat and
went into the gun cockpit in the aft
section of the airship. and then swan
along the keel l secured the body
of one man and turned it over to the
Esterly's Body mt Mortuary.
The body of Lieut.. Charles G. Little.
one Of the American officers. was to-
day at the Hull infirmary, where he
died after being removed from the
wreckage of the ZR-2. The body Of
inston. d. c.. another. American vic
tim, was at mortuary. and both be-
ing held pending an inquest which
probably will not be held until at
tempts to take other bodies from the
was identified by fellow officer. who
arrived from Howden. while identifi-
cation of Lieut.. Esterly's body was
effected through wallet found in the
clothing.
Harbor officials today expressed
doubt that many bodies would be re-
covered unless they were held fast in
the wreckage or were imprisoned In
the gondolas. They said they feared
Humber would carry them away.
Large quantities Of wreckage were
found this morning to have been float
ed up the river by the tide. and little
a.rship. A diver who went down
early this morning failed to locate
anything material
MaxAeld's Body Believed Found.
Men engaged in the work of SAL
wage reported at the American con-
sulate today that they had found
body believed to be that OF Comman.
the American contingent aboard the
ZR-2, several miles below this city.
Immediately after the disaster John
II. Grout, the American consul; Lieut..
Ger Of the American detachment, and
Naval Physician Taylor assumed con-
troll of the situation for the Ameri-
cans. They are cooperating In the
work Of recovering and Identifying
the bodies. and are preparing an off,
cial list of the missing.
Lieut.. Pennoyer today wired Lon
don hat the next Of kin of the vic
tins Of the accident had been advised.
So far as has been ascertained. Mrs.
Maxfeld is still at Ambrough. near
Howden, where she and her husband
lived during their stay there.
According to Harry Bateman. one Of
the survivors 70 the ZR-2. Flying Of
radio switchboard. He was actually
reporting the ships fall and its
breaking up to the Howden radio sta
tion as he met death, Bateman de.
elared.
Hull People Unnerved.
The people Of Hull were slowly re-
covering today from the horror of
yesterdays disaster at this old North
sea port, which has viewed so much
of mans attempt to conquer the air.
Darkness and the tide of shore cut OF
a view of the wreckage soon after the
airship made her fatal plunge. but
suany Of the townspeople kept to the
streets nearly all night too unnerved
to make any attempt to sleep.
Hulls population mas bsen familiar
s:ruction Of this type of aircraft WAS
Started in England. Flights aiong the
east coast OF such types as the R.33
Or R-3F we're ordinary events and in
past years a number Of craft have
been built in this vicinity. Then too,
Continued on Eleventh Page.)
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