South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-23
ARMY OFFICIALS
PROBE CAUSE OF
ROMA DISASTER
Board of Investigators Exam
ines Survivors Witnesses
and Experts.
80 DEAD IDENTIFIED
Air Service Chief Says Failure
of Elevating Rudder to
Work Was Cause.

NORFOLK. Va. Feb IA
statement by Maj. Gen. Mason NJ.
PATRICK. head Of the army air serv-
ice. thar he believed the destruction
If the airship Roma was due 10 an
accident 20 the controls regulating
The altitude Of the craft, stood out
Wednesday night as the only official
statement from any Of those investi-
eating the accident which Tuesday
caused the death Of "a persons, the
injury Of eight others and the
demolition OF the worlds largest
semI-rigid airship.
Meanwhile Wednesday night the
army board OF investigators. called
into session Wednesday. continued
its hearings behind closed doors.
None Of the proceedings was allowed
10 seep out Of the quarters occupied
10y the board.
Elevating Rudder Failed
Cen. Patrick expressed his opin-
ion on the basis of testimony he had
heard thus far and substantiated
statements previously made unof-
hciaUy by survivors OF the wreck
that the elevating rudder. a con
trivance resembling the wings OF an
airplane and attached 20 the stern
of the Roma. buckled and fell for
ward forcing the craft into nose
dive. which ended when she crashed
into n high power electric transmits
sion lire. caught fire and burned
with the greater number of her
crew and passengers pinned be-
meath. only a tangled mass OF what.
was once the steel framework OF the
proud queen of the army air fleet
remained TO mark the spot AT the
Hampton Roads army base where
the Roma fell Meanwhile at New
port News. where the dead were
taken. relatives and friends arrived
60 identify the bodies and make ar
rangements for having them re-
moved % their homes for burial
No Explosion i'm Air
To was reiterated by army officers
Wednesday that there was no ex-
piosion or fire while the Roma was
in the air Cen Patrick. who came
here by airplane from Washington
Immediately upon being advised of
the accident. declared there had
been none. adding that the fire and
resultant explosion were caused by
the high tension electric wires
which the Roma struck when II
plunged 10 earth.
Army officials also emphasized
that the rudder had given way and
that the fire did not occur until the
IN NJ 10
Just how long the official inves-
LEGATION viii require was not indi-
Gated wednesday night. although
every effort was made TO complete it
as quickly as is consistent with a
thorough probe of the entire situa-
ton The board of investigation
consists of Mai. ID. Johnson. chair
man. Mai. J. H. Jouett and Mai J.
McNurney of Langley field They
have interviewed all the survivors Of
the accident and are questioning eve
witnesses and technical experts as
wen as others
Thirty Dead Identified
Five of the II injured men who
were first taken 10 the public health
service hospital have now been
found strong enough TO be removed
to Langley field. They are Mai. J.
ID. Reardon. Capt. Walter J. Reed.
Lieut. G.. II. Welsh. SerEt Bieden-
bach and Corp. Flores
a small morgue in Newport News
housed the dead 80 Of whom had
been Identified Wednesday night
Noue was allowed TO see them ex-
cer, for purposes OF identification.
bat wives. mothers and sweethearts
gathered about and a crowd was IN
evidence all day. The bodies were
badly burned and identification in
many cases. was made by watches or
other articles OF jewelry recovered
with Them. Capt. Dale Mabry. COM
mander OF the Roma was the last OF
those identified and his brother. DIR.
]. II AIa5ry Of Newport News. was
the first relative OF any OF the dead
who was allowed 10 enter the
r-nrCue