The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-25
PASSENGERS,
COLD CRAzED.
DIE AT SEA
Rescued Pilot Of Flying Boat.
Delirious and Exhausted.
Tells Story of Tragedy at
Sea Missed by Ships.
LEAP FROM AIRCRAFT
fBy Associated Press)

''oAASA PobS1h6Sio VI tnC AslI6 bodt,
Miss Miami, which left here Wednes-
day for the island of Bimini, and was
forced down in an open sea by brok-
en- propeller, died of exposure, and two
other passengers crazed by exposure,
jumped overheard into the sea, accord
ing to the stories told by Robert
Moore, pilot of the craft to members
of the crew of the steamer, William
Green, which rescued him last night
from the wrecked hulk of the boat
The fifth passenger, man whose
name, as well as those of the others,
Moore could not give, slipped quietly
into the sea early yesterday, after
having become exhausted from cling
ing to the craft.
Passengers aboard the Miss Miami
when she left here were: Mr. and Mrs.
August Butte and Mr.. and Mrs. Law
renee Smith, all of Kansas City, and
Mrs. ]. S. Dixon, of Memphis.
Death is Feared.
The sub chaser 154, arrived in port
shortly after 10 o'clock today after
having transferred the delirious pilot
from the steamer, William Green
which picked him up. He was rushed
to hospital where it is feared the
exposure will result in his death.
According to the disconnected story
which the exhausted and delirious
pilot told during intervals when he
was rational, two women died in his
arms from exhaustion, two of the
/ passengers became panic stricken and
jumped over board to their death and
| the remaining male passenger finally
| slipped quietly into a watery grave
Friday morning as result of sheer
| exhaustion.
| The incoherent story of the tragedy
as told to the members of the crew
| by the pilot before he lapsed into a
semi-conscious condition is to the ef-
| feet that shortly after the Miss Miami
left this port last Wednesday morning
a broken propeller forced her down
and she rode on the waves in safety
drifting northward in the Gulf
| streams.
/ Hull Springs Leak
Nothing happened until Thursday
morning, when the hull of the fliei
began to leak as a result of hitting
against something. Men and women
passengers took turns using the pump
until all became exhausted. and one
of the women on Thursday night
(Which one Pilot Moore could not saw
jumped overheard.
man, whom he though was her
husband, jumped after her, and both
disappeared, never to be seen again.
The fate of the man and woman de-
pressed the other women and they
tainted away, but were supported by
Pilot Moore for seven and a half
hours.
After seven and a half hours the
i two women died in the arms of the
pilot, and he gently dropped their bod
les into the water, which had now
claimed four passengers.
This left only Pilot Moore and Au-
gust Butte, vice-president of the Lara
bee Flour Mills corporation of Kansas
City, who took turns manning the
pump in an effort to keep the flying
boat afloat
They kept this up until Friday morn
ing when they were so exhausted they
could no longer man the pump.
Flyer Overturned.
About this time a huge wave came
along and overturned the flyer. Butte
and Moore scrambled over the side
of the boat and Moore fastened a rope
around himself to support him in case
he became unconscious. Standing on
his feet he waved white handker-
chief, keeping this up all day long
After crying for help, Butte, reali7-
ing his condition and that death was
! not far away. took roll of money
containing $4,000 from his pocket end
handed it to Moore, saying. You are
a younger man and may be able to
: come through, but I cannot hold out
: any longer" Then he dropped to his
t grave beneath the waters of the At
! lantic.
According to the story of Moore,
| nine boats passed the Miss Miami af-
: ter she was down, one so closely that
, he could read her name, but they did
not see the wrecked craft.
He said that on Wednesday and Fri
! day he saw planes flying overhead.
!. but saw none on Thursday.
, Mrs. J. Stewart Williams, who was
aboard the William Green, took charge
of the stricken pilot when he YVES
rescued In his delerium Moore fan
cied she was his mother and kept re-
. peating Mother, you made me give
up the automobile racing game, but
] don't take my plane away from me-
That divine providence had some
q thing to do with the rescue Is the
firm belief expressed by Captain Will
: lam Wachsmuth. of the William Green.
He said that something impelied
d him to go to point off his regular
r. course and that when he did this
!, he sighted the wrecked seaplane with
: its sole survivor.
1t was dusk when he came from his
cabinet for the. last time Friday night
N before going below and as he looked
:. out over the waters he noticed an
object.
ei Using his glasses he saw that 1t was
- L.
% ship toward the object, and although
, high sea was running lowered a
: small boat. AS the craft reached the
: side of the overturned flier, Moore fell
e exhausted in their arms and was un-
y conscious for some time.
lei ---------.
90 nm D-YJs Osx