New-York tribune., 1921-05-14
Is Air Mail
Deaths Charged
To Negligence g
Lieut.. Eversole Submits
Names of Aviators Said
to Have Been Victims
of Gross Islefficiency
Supported by AMdavits
Asserted Mem We're Forced
to. Sign Statement Craft
Were Safe Under Threats

CHICAGO. May 13.-Specific charges
that thirteen men have been killed in
the air mail service because of what
he termed "gross mismanagement, in
efficiency and criminal negligence"
were made by Lieutenant c. G.. Eversole
in testimony presented to the govern
ment to-day through a Federal COM
mittse which has been conducting se-
cret Investigation of air mail condi-
tions.
Lieutenant Eversole's testimony,
which has extended over several days,
made statement of more than 100000
words, which he signed and swore to
to-day.
Included in the evidence were affida-
Wits from several pilots and mechanics
now in the service, all of which corrob-
grated Lieutenant Eversole's charges,
and statement written by Pilot J. P.
Christensen previous TO his recent
death in fall at Cleveland.
Explains the Fatalities
Eversole's testimony went into de-
tail as to the deaths of the thirteen
aviators and gave his explanations for
these fatalities. He listed: Pilot Carl
Smith. killed at Elizabethtown, N. j.;
Pilot Stoner, killed at Goshen, Ind. {;
Pilot Bryan McMullin, killed at Ba-
tavia, Ill; Pilot Sherlock, killed at
Newark, N. j., Pilot Max Miller and
Mechanician Pierton, killed at Morris
town. N. j.; Pilots Stevens and Thomas,
killed in Ohio; Pilots Rowe and Carol
and Mechanician Hill, killed at La
Crosse, Wis; Pilot Stewart, near
Minneapolis, and Pilot j. P. Christen-
sen, head of the Air Mail Pilots AS
sociation.
The testimony and evidence pre-.
sented by Lieutenant Eversole alleged
that attempts had been made by fiele
officials to "get" Christensen and force
him out of the service because Of worl
in organizing the Pilots Association
and because he was known to be gath
ering proof of alleged negligence BY
officials.
A pencil written statement from
| Christensen naming the other twelve
pilots mentioned as men whose death
| he believed to have been due to negli
gence of officials was presented b!
Lieutenant Eversole, who said Chris
tensen gave it to him few days be
| fore his death.
Concerning the rules that pilots ana
/ mechanics iIoSe oiEA q osasSiiA~@.e sAA'~'
| they had inspected their ship before
going up, Lieutenant Eversole testified
| that the men either had to sign the
statements or lose their jobs and that
it did no good to protest that the
ships were in poor condition.
The committee through which his
testimony was presented was headed
| by Charles Clarahan, postal inspector
who will send the evidence to Wash
ington.
Carelessness of Drunken Crew
! EversoIe charged to the inspector
/ that the death of Pilots Carroll an,
Rowe and Mechanic Robert Hill wa
due solely to The carelessness. of
l."drunken crew. at Checkerboard field
"That plane left Chicago on an ex
|perimentai trip, Minneapolis bound, o.
a Tuesday, Everscle said. "On Sun
day it had been supposedly prepare,
for the flight by the crew at the al
! mail field here. That Sunday I hav
verified before the inspectors some 9
4 the crew were soused to the gills. On
4 man get so drunk he lay in one of tn
4 hangers most of the next day with
hangover.
I "I can prove that when the plane ief
Chicago there were FIVE leaks in th
j gas system-three in the pump an
i two in the tank.
"Two officials were responsible 70
the purchase of eight Junker all-meta
planes, at cost of $235,000. believ
the planes cost about $1,000 each I
. build in Germany