The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-06-15
WHEELOCK DIES
AS PLANE FALLS.
Former Kenoshan and His
Bride Killed in Sensa-
tional Accident.
WERE ON HONEYMOON
Former Salesman at National
Office Supply Store Meets
Tragic Death in Chicago.

W. c. Wheelock, formerly of Kenosha
and his bride of a week, were killed
yesterday at Ashburne Flying Field in
Chicago as they were starting on a
honeymoon by airplane. John Metzger,
who was pilot of the plane in which
they were riding escaped fatal injuries.
Mr.. Wheelock was formerly employed
as a clerk in the store of the National
Office and Supply company on Wiscon-
sin street and he worked in the store
during the months of March and April
of last year He made many friends in
Kenosha and the announcement of the
tragic death of the couple came as a
shock to these friends in Kenosha.
Hundreds of visitors at the flying
field saw the fatal plunge Several
pilots were aloft at the time and the
scurrying spectators who tore across
the field narrowly escaped being struck
as the pilots, fighting a treacherous
series of air currents. sought to make
their own landings
Then, as the weight of the fallen
plane and engine was lifted away,
Mr.. Wheelock was found, wedged I'M
der the engine, with his wife a few
inches in the rear, but far enough
to keep her from the tremendous
weight of metal that had been the
ships power plant.
Wife Dies in Hospital.
Mr.. Wheelock and the pilot were
placed in Mr.. TayIor's machine and
taken to the Englewood hospital. Mr.
Wheelock was dead before the hospi-
tai was reached, and was taken to
Bourne's undertaking parlors, 1884 W.
Sixty-frst street.
Mrs. Wheelock was taken to the hos
pital in another car. There doctors
tried for two hours to save her, but
she died, ten m inutes after S. P.
Wheelock, her father-in-Iaw, arrived
from Zion City.
The accident happened just eight
days after the marriage of the victims.
On June 8, Mr.. Wheelock went to VAL
paraiso, Ind, and brought back Miss
Bula Breshears, who had been princi-
pal of the Valparaiso High school.
They we're married in the Grace Mis-
sionary church at Zion by the Rev.
Thomas Nelson and then went to the
home of his father at 2712 Enoch
avenua in that civ
From there they started on a honey
moon to the east. Only yesterday
morning they returned to the home of
Mr.. Taylor at 1925 Seeley avenue.
Served in War.
During the war, Mr.. Wheelock served
as a lieutenant of infantry, but fire.
quently sought transfer to the air
service. After lunch yesterday he told
Mr.. Taylor that he and Mrs. Wheelock
wanted to go to the Ashbourne field to
Finish our honeymoon in the air." he
said. With Mr.. Taylor's family they
motored to the field
At first Pilot Metzger said it was too
windy to fly, but finally agreed.
AS they got into the plane, Mr.. Whee-
lock sat on the right of the passenger
seat, with Mrs. Wheelock at his left.
Mrs. Wheelock could not get settled
into the seat because it was too mar
row. Her husband moved over as far
as possible, but still it was necessary
for the two to put their arms back of
each other in order to get into the
plane at all. Then Mr.. Taylor said he
called attention to the fact that the
safety strap was too short to en-
circle both.
"The starter said it was all right;
that there wouldn't be any stunts"
Mr.. Taylor said later, "and they pushed
off, There was one single circuit Of
the field at about 200 feet altitude,
then as the plane rose to about the
400-feet level, there was series of
jump movements and then the crash"
Pilot Tells of Crash.
In the hospital Pilot Metzger said
the wires of his elevating control
"would not work"
"T tried to manipulate the elevator
and found that the wires stuck" he
said. 81 don't know whether Mrs.
Wheelock's dress had caught in the
wires or what, but | do know that I
could not move them and that the
plane was out of control"
It was this angle of the situation
that interested Coroner Hoffman.
81 am going to Ashbourne the first
thing this morning to start an investi
cation" said the coroner. believe
that the future of aviation and the
plan to make Chicago the aerial CEN
ter of America demands the elimina