Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-23
OFFICERS TO PROBE
AIRSHIP DISASTER,
COSTING 81 LIVES
Continued from Page H.

~ lDlc pluIlSCu " 4Io SaSoII w
ton, narrowly escaped a similar
fate last spring when a captive bal
loon he was plotting at Ross field,
in California, became unmanageable
and the captain 1eaped to safety
from a height Of 1000 feet, it was
recalled today by air service officers.
The balloon was careening perilous-
ly at a height of $4,000 feet when
CAPTAIN Watts opened a valve which
caused the great gas bag to plunge
like a plummet to earth. When
about 1000 feet from the ground, the
army officer realized, he told broth
err officers, that a safe landing would
be impossible and he leaped to the
ground in q parachute, making a
safe landing.
Unconfirmed reports that the
huge bag of the dirigible was in n
flimsy condition before starting on
it's flight. will be investigated, it
was stated today, by an army board
of inquiry. Officers and enlisted
men replying today to reports that
mechanics who worked on the Roma
when she was first brought to
Langley Field had declared its en-
velope was in a frail condition.
pointed out that the airship had
been given several thorough tests
by experts before an atter?nt was
made to fly her.
The board of inquiry will be
named today or tomorrow and a
complete investigation of the dis
aster will be made, air station Of
ficials declared
Relatives and friends of the Roma
victims have not been allowed to
view the blackened and charred bod
les, most of which are burned be.
yond recognition.
Work of Identification progressed
slowly last night, the officers and
m en- from Langley field detailed for
this work completing their eXamina-
ton shortly before daylight.
A curious crowd milled about out
side undertaking Establishments far
ITO the night. One or two ventured
inside on one or another preteXt, but
staggered out gasping for breath d
few seconds later.
AS work of Identification dragged
through the night and into the morn
ing hours there was one man who
stood stoically by, never shifting his
position. He was DR.. Jesse H. Ma
bry, of this city, the only relative Of
any of the Roma victims who has
thus far seen the bodies. He was
locking for his brother, Captain Dale
Mabry. Man after man was identi-
fled or sent back for a later exami-
ne ton. The last body brought i'll
proved to be that for which he was
waiting. Friends took the physician
outside.
list of Survivors
The official list of survivors of the
Roma, as reported to the navy de-
partment, Includes the following:
First Lieutenant Clarence H.
WEIGH; lather, w. B. WEIGH, Papil-
lion, Neb.
Captain Walter J. Reed; father,
William F. Reed, Scarsdale, N. Y.
Major John r. Reardon; wife, Mrs.
John D. Reardon, 800 Elm street,
Washington
Sergeant Virden Peek; father, How
ard Peek, 1904 Lafayette avenue.
Sergeant Harry A. Chapman;
mother, Mrs. J. r. Ward, 1926 Fred
erick avenue, st. Joseph, Mo.
Charles Dworaclz, civilian in charge
of assembling at McCook field, Day
ton, O.
Ray Hurley, civilian employed by
national advisory committee for
aeronautics.
Lieutenant Byron T. Burt, Jr.
Sergeant Joseph NJ. Budenback,
father of George Budenback, All
East Market, Akron, o. Corporal AL
bert Flores.
Official Death List
The official list of dead in the
Roma disaster, made public today
by the army air service follows:
Maj, John G. Thornell, married
home address Sidney, Iowa; wife,
Mrs. John G. Thornell, Langley
Field, Va.
Maj. Walter w. Bautsmeier, mar
ried; home address, 81 Anerican
street, Freeport, ILL.,; Mrs. c. F..
Bautsmeier, mother, same address.
Capt. Dale Mabry, single; home
address, POI Cardy street, Tampa.
Fla; brother, G. E. Mabry, Tampa,
Fla.
Capt. George Watts, single; home
| address, Indianola, Miss; emergency
address, Mrs. 3. D. Watts, mother.
| same address.
Capt. Allen P. MacFarland,
| single; home address, $40 North M =
ridian street, Indianapolis; emerg-
ency, Mrs. Mary F. MacFarland,
| mother, same address.
Capt. Frederick j. Durrschmidt,
| single; home address, 100 Main
| street, Derby, Conn. emergency,
| Max A. Durrschmidt, father, same
First Lieut.. John r. Hall, mar
ried; Kingsville, Mo-; Mrs. John r.
Hall, wife, same address,
First Lieut.. Wallace c. Burns,
| married; home address, Brandon,
| Miss; emergency, Robert Burns,
| father, same address.
First Lieut.. William E. Riley,
married; home address, 526 East
| Eighty-sixth street. New York;
| emergency, Mrs. Minnie H. Riley,
| wife, same address.
Savannah Man
First Lieutenant Clifford Z.
| Smythe, married, home address, 1923
Winthrop avenue. Chicago; emer,
| gency, r. NJ. Smythe, same address.
First Lieutenant Wallace c. Cum
mings. married, Springfield, Tenn;
wife, Mrs. Cummings, 406 North Ivy
street, Monrovia, Cal.
First Lieutenant Ambrose V.
| Clinton. married, home address, sol
East Charlton street, Savannah, Ga;
emergency, Mrs. Harriet Clinton,
same address.
First Lieutenant Harold X. Hine,
single, home address, Psi West ave
rue, Bridgeport, Conn; emergency,
| Paul Hine, brother, same address.
Master Sergeant Roger c. Nc,
Nally, :nt..her, 1915 Stiles street,
Philadelphia.
| Master Sergeant lanes MURRAY.