Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-08-25

denied by all IN authority.
Tens of thousands of specta
tors saw several men climb out
side the balloon and drop from
the falling mass. which was en-
veloped in smoke, and Others
jump into the Humber as the
crippled craft came over the wa
ter. AS the dirigible struck. the
wreckage above water was burn
ing and there was slight chance
Tor any of the men caught inside
to escape.
Tugs immediately put out into
the stream and brought ashore
the five survivors. who were tax
en- in anbulances to hospitals
Among these was the American
quartermaster n. O. Walker, who
died soon after reaching the hos
pital from burns which he had
received. Lieutenant Little also
was rescued from the debris alive
but succunbed to his injuries on
reaching the inhrmary. A rescue
tug pulled another American out
of the water. He was dead. In
side of his coat was the name
Commander MaXfield.'
One member of the rcscuing
party said that when they got
alongside the burning airship the
pilot of the tug asked ior volun-
teers to board the part that still
was almost intact. Jumping up
on the wreckage, the rescuers
ripped open part OF the fabric,
while parts of the defris were
pulled away by means of ropes.
The task was a hazardous one.
because one of the ballonets was
still filled with gas and another
explosion was feared.
Among the wreckage an Amer
ican naval man was to be seer
hanging by his coat to d girder III
the frame of the airship. 1t wa:
believed he was dead, owing to
the peculiar position of the body,
which was no treCovercd.
Another rescuer said one was
hanging on the tail of the ship
apparently uninjured. while anoth
or was found floating in the wa
ter. Both of them were saved
While the rescuers were at work
the balloon began to turn over
and the rescue party had 10 re-
turn to the tug.
When first seen from Hull the
ZR-2 was approaching the city
coming from a southeasterly di-
rcction over the Humber toward
Hull. When sailing ON an even
keel above the city. according to
some cye-witnesscs. a huge cloud
OF dense smoke burst from the
tail of the aircraft. 1t was thought
the ZR-2 was sending ont smoke
screen as an exhibition. but to
the horror of thousands OF spec
tators, it was seen that she had
broken in two and was taking a
nose dive which apparently would
bring her down into the throngcd
streets.
Then there came a loud explo-
sion and a great crash followed
by another explosion. which was
accompanied by the breaking Of
glass in the windows on hand, the
whole being reminiscent of war
times, when German airships
bombed Hull and exposions shook
the whole town. Today's CON
cussion was SO great it wrecked
windows over an area OF abCut a
mile square.
Some spectators assert that
the airship began to buckle be-
fore any flame or explosion was
seen or heard. The broken halves
of the ZR-2 reached the water
nearly a mile apart. The gener-
al opinion of the public Of Hull is
that the commander of the air
Ship accomplished a remarkable
: 1eat or bravery III dlVertlnS the
descent of the vessel SO that ii
| fell into the water instead of in
the crowded streets.
1t was a moment OF terror ion
the populace when the disaster
occurred People in the streets
rushed madly to cover. fearing
| that the massive wreck would fai
upon and crush them. The ter.
ror gave way, however. to horror
as the wreck plunged into the riv
er.
| During the fall of the airshil
three members of crew were OBJ
tserved making a thrilling para
chute descent. They came dowl
INTO the river. where they wer,
rescued by small boats. Al
who jumped from the fallin'
craft lost their lives. They ha,