The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-08-19

Two persons were burned to death
and a third, a woman fatally
burned. late yesterday yhen a
airplane crashed during the dedication
OF the new flying field here The three
were passengers in a machine piloted
by Benjamin Hughes of Mineola, l. /,
who escaped with minor injuries
The dead ars James Trahan of this
city and his FIVE -year-old son, Norman.
Miss Evelyn Harris Of Brattleboro
was burned so severely she died to-day
Her brother. F. n. Harris. president of
the Outing club, which was in charge
of the exercises, witnessed the accident
from another plane $500 feet in the
air
The crash came when four planes
we're in the air performine stunts"
as the final feature of the dedication
program Pilot Hughes, with his three
passengers, had just taken off when
the wing of his plane touched tree
top. The plane slowed around and went
into nose dive. In its descent it came
in contact with some high tension
wires and Immediately burst into
flames. 1t fell on the bank OF the West
river, some distance from the flying
field, at a point where there were no
spectators.
The passengers were entangled in
the wreckage and II was some time
before help reached them. Trahan and
his little son were dead when spec
tators of the accident reached them
and Miss Harris was seriously burned.
Hughes was thrown clear out Of the
plane and escaped being burned.
Governor James Hartness, who had
given an address at the exercises, was
witness Of the accident, which oc
CURED in full view Of the crowd Of sew
eral thousand persons assembled for
the dedication ceremony.
The meet, which was the fret ever
held here. gave promise Of being
marked success up TO the time of acct
dent, everything had gone well and
shortly after 4 o'clock it was an
nounced that some arobatic stunts
would be performed. Three OF the seven
biplanes which came for the meet at
once took the air for the stunts and had
begun when Pilot Hughes and the three
passengers started for pleasure fight.
The machine went in the opposite direc-
tion from all the previous take-offs and
Governor Hartness was heard to re-
mark at once, "that is good way 10
do The rOriole" seemed 10 have hard
work making elevation end the crowd
wondered whether il would clear the
trees that skirted West river at the
north end of field. Then they saw
the right end of the plane strike against
the branches, turning the machine part
Nv around il took rose dive, striking
some, telephone wires. also some high
tension wires, and brilliant fash of
fire ensued.
The plane fell just across West river
from the field SO il was impossible for
the crowd TO render assistance except
by swimming the river or going around
about auto trip, which many did. A
few who were on that side of the river
watching did what little they could and
succeeded in getting Miss Harris out
of the wreck, but phone pole which
was pulled down lay across Mr.. Trahan
and his son. The boy was in his fs-
theirs lap when they died. Mr.. Trahan
leaves a wife.
Miss Harris is daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. Charles A. Harris. and is
about % years old Her father is
treasurer Of the Brsttleboro Savings
bank. She and her brother have been
widely known ut-door enthusiasts. F.
Fl. Harris was an aviator in the World
war and has won many tennis cham
pionskipe.