The Washington herald., 1922-05-06
BOAT RESCUES TWO
One Craft Lands Safe
In River, Occupants
Unframed.
BODIES TAKEN
FROM WRECKAGE
Lieut.. Selden of D. c.
And Ensign Miller
Are Victims.


Killed instantly when their plane
coliided head on with a seaplan=
piloted by Lieut.. Conldr c. Y. John
ston. commandant Of the Naval Air
station. 500 feet over the Potoma,
River. midway between Alexandria
and Washington. yesterday after
noon shortly before O'Clock.
The death plane plunged into the
river as the two machines separated.
Lieut.. Comdr. Johnston piloted ais
wrecked machine, carrying Ma
chinistS Mate G. w Jacobs. TO a
safe land ng in the river about 500
feet distant. escaping with minor
injuries
Witnesses TO the spectacular a.
collision rushed from shore in small
craft. picking up Johnston and
Jacobs. Only a wing Of Seld"n-s
plane was visible. both members OF
the machine being caught in the
wreckage beneath the surface.
Never Saw Other Plane.
Johnston was speeding south az
full speed. while Selden's plane ~a-
coming north. Johnston saws ne
never saw the other plane. Ms frs,
intimation OF danger coming from
the impact after which he SAYS his
engine wobbled and his power was
gone. 1t is believed Johnston's
plane must have been a few feet
higher than Selden's Both were
said TO have been driving at top
speed.
The boat projection on the lower
part of Johnston's plane was SHAFT
tered and Il Is believed this must
have struck Selden's machine az
rectly. killing both him and Miller
instantly. How Selden failed to see
Johnston speeding toward him. cou-
Piled with Johnston's complete iE-
norance of Sslden's onrushinS ma
chine. is a mystery.
Mrs. DENLY Phone. Secretary,
Autoists on the Speedway and
along the two banks uf the Po-
tomsc telephoned word Of the ac-
c.dent TO police and in a few min
utes the Harbor precinct tug was
dispatched to the scene Secretary
Of the Navy Edwin DENLY per-
sonally ordered a tug from the Ma
val Torpedo Station an command of
c. J. Hackett and manned by thirty.
He was informed of the collision
by Mrs. DENLY. who was motoring
in the vicinity at the time.
Divers from the tug located the
bodies Of Selden and Miller after
an hours search and the wrecked
plane was hoisted from the river
at o'clock last night. after which
the bodies were removed.
Stephen J. Williamson diver who
located the bodies. declared both
were badly mangled and both men
undoubtedly had been killed by the
impact Of the collision.
johnson Directs Rescue.
Lieut.. Comdr. Johnston. pilot Of
the other collidingr plane. per-
sonally directed the rescue work
from the deck Of the naval tug.
Suffering from the nervous shock
and lacerations from the collision
which had torn his clothes he re-
NAMED on the scene until the plane
had been hoisted and the bodies
recovered.
The two planes. both % the tor
pedo type. had left the field about
40 o'clock. Ensign Miller. who
works in the Bureau Of Acronautics.
Navy Department. was accompany
ing Lieut.. Selden to make a rudder
test. Navy officials declared last
night they did not believe that his
experiments on the rudder could
have caused directly the accident.
known as Athlete.
Lieut.. Selden was 25 years old.
native Of the District and
popular leader among the younger
group He was the son OF George
r. Se!dsn. 1881 Ingraham street.
Selden was a graduate Of Central
7 L
during his schools days as an ath-
lete. holding the District Junior
tennis championship in 1916. He
served one year on the Central
High School football team and two
years was a member OF the Cen
trail basketball team. He was a
member OF the Naval Air station
baseball team.
Selden enlisted in the navy at
the outbreak of the war and served
for two wears at Long Island in the
navy air service. He was stationed
az tho Naval Air Station here since
1919, and was known for his dar-
ing.
Lieut.. Selden is survived by his
parents and two brothers. George.
Of New York. and Paul. OF Wash
ington.
Turn. over tn Crash.
SeIden's plane crashed aimsst in
the middle Of the river near t;e.s-
boro Point which Is about nidNay
between the War College and Alex
andria.
The plane struck water SIDEWAYS,
apparently turning over as II
crashed. One wing protruded above
the surface. Both Lieut. Seldeu
and Ensign Miller were found tan
gled in the wreckage above ths
engine and just beneath the sur
ace. The river is about twenty
seven feet deep at this point. '''~
other portion OF the machine rs
buried in the bed.
Ensign Miller Was 3s years old
and resided at 81 Cecil street H.
attsville. Md. He was a veteran "a.