The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-14
FOUR KILLED
IN PASSENGER
PLANE WRECK
Stories of Suffering and Hero
ism Told by Survivors in
Crash of Sea and Air
Boat lust Off the
Cuban Coast

KEY WEST, Fla, Jan. 13.-The
Henry M. Flagler arrived here at 9
o'clock tonight with the four sur
vivors of the seaplane Columbus,
which was wrecked and sunk 81
miles northwest of Havana at 2
o'clock this afternoon, carrying four
of its passengers to their death.
Those who lost their lives were:
Edwin F. Atkins, Jr., 80. New York
capitalist; Miss Grace Mcdonald of
New York, nurse, and Mr.. Atkins
two children, Edward F., III, and
David.
Mrs. Atkins, Pilot w. E. Miller,
Miss Julia Haverty of New York,
Otto Abrams of New York and the
mechanician, Harold Thompson,
were rescued.
Seas Running High
Capt. John Albury of the ferryboat
Flagler saw the seaplane fall when
he was about three-fourths of mile
distant, and Immediately turned his
ship toward it. The seas were run
ming very high and several attempts
had to be made before lifeboat
could be landed. Mr.. Atkins and Miss
Mcdonald were swept off the wreck
age, to which they were clinging be-
fore the lifeboat could reach them.
The two children who were asleep in
the cabin are believed to- have been
killed instantly when the wreckage
was carried on top of huge wave
and catapulted into the middle in
mose-frst
1--WE were flying about 200 feet in
the air at the rate OF 65 miles an
hour when l noticed that the engine
on the right side of the plane was
missing" Pilot Miller said. II i'm
mediately attempted TO adjust it, but
couldn't and. reducing the speed.
forced a landing. ess.l sass..
Children Asleep
"The seas were running very high,
waves Is or 20 feet in height leaping
up. We hit on the top of one wave
and then went into the middle of the
next one, nose-first. The passengers
opened the cockpit of the cabin and
came out except the two Atkins chill
dren, who were asleep at the time
and evidently were stunned and
killed instantly by the impact with
the wave"
The pilot said that Mr.. Atkins was
clinging to part of the wreckage,
when a huge wave washed him off
also carrying away Miss Mcdonald.
True to the traditions of the sea,
women were rescued first. True also
to traditions, the pilot was the last
to leave the plane.
After Mr.. Atkins and Miss McDon-
aid had been swept. away, Miller sue
ceeded in holding the others onto the
wreckage until the rescue was eff
fected A wave turned a part of the
plane they were on completely over
the pilot said but by strange bit of
luck the survivors were dropped back
on to the wreckage.
LifebOat Launched
The lifeboat was launched about
$50 yards from the plane and on
reaching the wreckage several at
tempts had to be made before the
survivors could be transferred, the
waves washing the lfeboat back
time and again. The pilot praised
the heroism of Captain Albury and
the crew for their heroic efforts in
the face of great difficulties.
Mrs. Atkins was the first to be
placed aboard the lifeboat and was
followed by another woman survivor,
Miss Haverty. Mr.. Abrams went next
and then the mechanician. After the
rescue the lifeboat had to wage what
for a time seemed a losing battle in
order to get back to the Flagler.
None of the survivors are believed
to be in a serious condition, although
they are suffering from bruises and
the shock They were placed in a
hospital here.
Mrs. Atkins, it was stated, appar-
emily is dazed and as yet does not
realize what has happened.
An effort will be made to recover
tho hodies of the victims. but the
part of the sea where the disaster
occurred is infested with sharks and
little hope was held out tonight that
a recovery would be possible:
Mr.. Atkins, VINO was spending the
winter in Cuba. came to Key West
yesterday to join Mrs. Atkins, who
had Just arrived from Boston. The
plane was on it's regular daily voyage
to Cuba.