Arizona republican., 1922-03-27
PILOT DESCRIBES
SUFFERINGS WHEN
AIRBOAT w RECKED

LHepunllc@n -. r. Leased wire
MIAMI. Fla, March 26.--Graphic
details OF the loss Of the flying boat
Miss Miami with five passengers
were given tonight by Pilot Robert
Moore from his bed in a local hos
pital, where he is slowly recovering
from the effects OF his 55-hour fight
against thirst, starvation and the
dangers OF the Gulf stream.
Moore lad thrown off entirely the
delirium from which he was suffering
when picked up yesterday by the
tanker William Green, but the at
tending physicians said there was
grave danger OF pneumonia develop
ing from his exhausted condition and
prolonged exposure.
While the pilot, still shaken with
horror OF his experience, told his
story, crews OF seaplanes and naval
craft were returning from a fruitless
ali-day search for the bodies OF Mr.
and Mrs. August Butte and Mr.. and
Mrs. Lawrence Il. Smith OF Kansas
City, and Mrs. J. $. Dickson Of Mem
pnis, who occupied the passenger pit
OF the Miss Miami when she took off
Wednesday morning, supposedly FOR
a z0-minute flight to the. Island Of
Bimini.
The search will be continued to-
morrow.
I'VE left Miami" said Moore, ''at
11.04 O'Clock last Wednesday morn
ing in the face Of stiff northeasteriy
wind. At 11:41, about three minutes
out Of Bimini, something broke off
the propeller. automatically looked
for O ship or a shoal 10 land by.
saw a fishing smack and volplaned
down to the water. about a mile
cway, in it's course.
II asked the passengers not to be
afraid We were in no immediate
danger and the craft was drawing
near. The winds, however. were rig-
ing, and before long the hull OF the
boat gprang a leak. The nose of the
plane began rising. Then a big wave
came and lifted us. The plane turned
over and we were all thrown into the
sea.
"Mrs. Butte came to the surface
first. then Mr.. Smith and Mrs. Smith
or the three none could swim. suc-
ceeded in getting them 10 the over
turned plane. Mrs. Dickson and Mr.
Bulte had not appeared on the sur
face. Mrs. Butte made this discov-
cry.
Rsseuss Women
"My God my husband, where Is
he?' she cried.
II told her he would be all right ir
a few minutes and dived into thc
water, but I could not locate either
him or Mrs. Dickson. Mrs. Butte be-
gan to weep. / dived into the water
and obtained cushions from the plane
to use for life preservers. As / re-
turned to them l. saw the body 81
Butte floating. I stepped directly II
front OF Mrs. Butte and obstructec
her view. As the body passed me
noted a wound on his forehead. lie
must have been killed before NJ
struck the water when the plane
overturned.
within the next so minutes thu
scene changed twice. On the horizon
we sighted the fishing boat We be.
gan to laugh and contemplated being
picked up. I was confident we woule
be saved In fact, felt like whls'
Ting. l believe / did. 1t kept up my
morale.
"And the fishing boat changed it:
course.
'I cannot understand in Gods world
why il did not keep on toward us
He knew 7 was in that locality some
where: he had seen me come down
/ could see his name on the boat, les:
| than half a mile away. as he went on
THE winds rose during the night
and the women grew weaker. Al
| least II times they were swept over
| but / swan out and got them ano
brought them back each time.
| Saw Other Boats
1.-The next day our hopes rose as
/ We saw other boats pass, but none
came within less than a mile and
! half of us. ! tried TO keep up the
morale Of the others by telling then
they We're sore. 1t worked marvel
/ ously, but one of the women, Mrs
! smith. became utterly demented
! I'VE weathered the storm oi
| Wednesday night after a terrible eN'
perience and Mrs. Butte died Thurs.
| day. I saw Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
! slasped in each others arms and one
| Of them suggested that they close
! their eyes and Jump overheard. Bu'
! they didn't, and Mrs. Smith died ir
| her husbands arms. We released tho
| bodies OF the two women and they
| floated away.
".All right, Bob he answered
promise that If you return you vii
| tell her sons how brave their mother
was. Tell them the facts and tel
| them the truth about me. You vii
know as no other how L died. Tel
| them for me, boy
'TIe removed three dollar bills from
his pocket and asked me TO give one
to each OF his three boys with his
! dying message.
| 81 pushed his body into the sea and
4 all alone kept up my courage as besl
l could. The SUMS heat had blistereC
| me and the thirst was maddening.
J cheNpd the ends of nv fingers Unit
| blood came to appease my thirst.
! saw boats pass and waved to them
! but none saw me. AS dusk APP
! preached Friday night I began to be-
lieye that it was all up. ! tied a rope
( to my neck but I was so weak il
! seemed there was not much use.
| guess [ was unconscious when the
I boat came after me for / don't re-
1 menber much nlorek