The New York herald., 1921-05-30
AERO CLUB MOURNS
THREE BIG FIGURES
Miller, Batchelder and Connol-
ly Leaders in Distinct Fields
Of Aviation.

1t takes exceedingly bad news to dam
of the death of seven men, including
three of the most prominent figures in
American aviation, yesterday shocked
members of the Aero Club of America
BY strange chance Col. Archie
Miller, Maurice Connolly and Amos G..
Bachelor governor of the Aero Club.
were leaders in the three distinct d.
visions of aviation. the military, COM
mercial and civilian branches. Each man
killed was flyer. accustomed to facing
the dangers of an element more treach-
erous than the sea. Aviators here are
certain that the men in the plane, in
Guiding the pilot Lieut.. Ames. did every
thing possible to avert the crash, and
met death bravely when 1t came.
The accident is regarded as the worst
blow aviation has received in this coun-
try. Maurice Cleary, governing director
of the Aero Club of America, said. not
only because Of the death of the lead
ers but also because it will call again
into question the safety of aeropautics.
Hundreds of flights are made daily in
safety. but the occasional accident is all
that the public hears about he said.
Col. Miller is we'll known here as the
officer, who, as commandant OF Mitchell
field and other army fields on Long
Island. made arrangements for the no.
table New York-Toronto, Trans-conti-
mental and other big air races and re-
ceived the officers of the R-34 on tkeir
arrival here after crossing the Atlantic.
He was born In Chicago in 1873 and ed
ucated at the University of Kansas and
ST. Louis University.
MiIIer's Career Brilliant.
His military career began in Cuba in
1898 as a first lieutenant of State vol
unteers. Later he fought with the vol
unteers in the Philippines. winning the
Congressional Medal of Honor In 1901
he entered the regular army. choosing
the cavalry branch.
In October, 1917, he became a lieu
tenant-colonel of the Air Service, later
receiving the rank of colonel. During
the war mis- assignments included com
mand of Kelly Field No. 3, the aviation
camp at Waco. Texas. and Camp Greene.
N. G. After the war he was assistant
to the Director of Military Aeronautics.
Recently he completed a course at the
General Staff College in Washington. He
Is survived by his wife and several
children.
Mr.. Connolly was the Washington rep
resentative of the Curtiss Aeroplane
and Engineering Corporation and for
merly was general sales manager. Dur
ing the war he held the rank of major in
the Air Service.
Mr. Connolly was born in Dubuque.
Ia, In 1871 He was graduated from
Cornell University in 1897. and received
the degree of LIB. next year at New
York University and later did post
graduate work at oxford and Heidel-
berg. He was a member from Iowa OF
the Sixty-third Congress. 1913-1915, and
was delegate at large to the Demo-
cratic National Convention at st. Louis
in 1916. He had many business connec-
tions in Iowa and was State Exalted
Ruler of the Iowa Lodge OF Elks in
1918. He was a regent and member of
the executive committee OF the Smith
sonian Institution and belonged to a
number of clubs. including the Metro
politan. National Press. Army and
Navy and Aero.
BatcheIder an Organizer.
Mr.. Batchelder. a governor of the
Aero Club. was a former newspaper man
and a native of Attica, ". Y, He was
known not only for his work In aero
nautical circles, but also as one oil
the founders OF the American Automo-
bile Association. He was largely re-
sponsible for the good roads movement
in this country. and was credited with
having built up the membership of the
A. A. A. to 500. 900. At the time of his
death he was chairman of the board
Of this association.
Recently Mr. Batchelder devoted him
self to aviation. During the last three
months ne was busy campaigning for
national aerial laws which will make fly
ing safe by regulating machines. pilots.
&C. He planned too to launch a great
membership campaign for the Aero
Club of America, through which he
hoped to further the cause of aviation In
this country.
Lieut. Ames enlisted in the British
army at the outbreak of the war and
later was transferred to the American
forces In France. He has been con-
nected with aciation for several years.
His last assignment was as testing and
engineering officer at Boiling Field. near
Washington. He was regarded as an
authority on aero-engineering. He was
married about three weeks ago.
The machine In which the men we're
flying, the Curtlss Eagle. Is OF n type
introduced I'm the fall of 1919 as one of
Americas first commercial airplanes. AT
that time IL was equipped with three $50
horse power motors. but later the power
plant was changed to a single 400 horse
power motor. The Eagle, which was OF
the enclosed type. had wing span OF
sixty-one feet. This was the type of
plane In which several attempts to beat
the duration record of more than TWEEN
ty-four hours have been made at Mitchell
Field, Mineola- The plane has been very
successful as passenger and freight
carrying machine.
Glenn Curtiss issued this statement:
According to the reports we have re-
ceived the Eagle was caught In n ter
rife electrical storm. There is no other
plausible explanation OF the accident
than that the alrplnne was either struck
by lightning or wrecked in the gale. The
Eagle In civilian and official use has
had a record OF 100 per cent. safety We
have investigators at work and expect
10 obtain a more definite report to-
morrow"
CHEMICALS FIGHTING OIL FIRE
n. ~