davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
Expansion of Helium
By Hot Air Blamed
By Crew for Disaster

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Sept. A.
Destruction of the giant dirigible
| Shenandoah was caused primarily
by the expansion of helium in the
great gas bags.
This was the opinion Of some Of
the survivors Of the Ohio disaster
expressed early. today when they
passed through this city on their
way to Lakehurst, N. j., the hons
of the Shenandoah.
During a brief stop at the North
Philadelphia station, John H. Col
lier, aviation chief rigyer, whose
home Is, in Moscow. Idaho, said
that in his opinion a warm cur
rent of air through which the shiT
passed, brought about an expansion
of helium and caused the heavy
tension on the Orders, which the
construction of the big boat would
not meet satisfactorily.
Lieutenant T. Hendley. who was
in charge of the survivors, said
that in his opinion the disaster was
brought about by unforeseen cir
cumstances.
mo one is to blame" he said
ut was probably due to a cross
gale which struck us in the center
when we were in a warm air cur.
rent. This caused three inflated
bags to burst,
"At 4:45 D. m. Thursday, I had
just gone off duty and was about
to tumble into my bunk after com
ing from the control room. There
was a terrific rolling of the ship
side, fore and aft.
II rose hurriedly and in three
minutes was dressed. l started foi
tho control cabin.
1.-THE weather had been fine. The
moon played hide and seek al
night. Suddenly, without warning
when / reached a point fifty fee
from the control cabin, the shiI
took a series of nose dives like thu
bucking of a broncho and rapidly
descended 1000 feet.
"It then righted, and at a terrible
rate of speed assembled 5000 t.
5000 feet. I was holding on to tn
| control wires with all my strength
to keep from falling out.
I'VE assembled and descended sew
| eIal times in fifteen minutes ant
then we suddenly stopped motion
less as II held back and pulled
back by a mighty hand.
II looked up and saw that thre'
| debated. Then there was a terrifi,
| blast and shock. There was a warn
| air current about this time. Thu
ship buckled, fell apart, and on
part started to crash to earth.
"I was on part that floated, a.
/ were most of the survivors wh'
are with me. We floated over sew
eraI valleys, amost striking thu
ground at intervals, and ascending
again. 1t was horrible experience
All can say is that when thu
remnant of the dirigible, once TIT
pride Of the navy, finally reached (
point within a short distance of thu
earth I jumped, together with sew
eral others.
II wanted to say this for mysel
and my men: We all thank Coz
that we are safe, and are mighty
| glad to be back in Philadelphi;
again. Mother earth feels might!
good right now, but we are read,
| to go up at once If our orders ar,
| such when we reach Lakehurst."
All the men were cut and bruised
and each walked painfully with /;
| limp.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
Wilbur Denies Charge
That LansdOwne Was
Opposed to Flight Date

Charges Of the widow of Lieu
tenant Commander Zachary Lans-
downe that he had opposed the ILL.,
fated flight of the Shenandoah to
the West were denied at the Navy
Department today.
Officials said that the promised
trip to Middle Western cities was
postponed from July to September
in the belief that weather condi-
tons would be more favorable later,
but that Lansdowne selected his
own time for starting.
Commander Lansdowne's judg-
ment," said Secretary of the Navy
Wilbur. was that it would be safe
to make the flight when he did.
The Navy Department would never
have permitted the ship to go out
against the judgment of the COM
handing officer or if he had regis
tered protest against the trip"
Wilbur talked over the telephone
this morning with his aide, Captain
Walter Gherardi, at Lakehurst,
and was told that Mrs. Lansdowne,
in a statement to Gherardi, had
denied charging that Wilbur had
ordered the trip of the Shenandoah
over the protest of Commander
Lansdowne.
Officials said any discussion Of
structural weakness of the Shenan.
doah was premature in advance of
a thorough technical examination of
the wreckage, but quickly depre-
Gated the reported statement of
Captain Anton Heinen, civilian
naval employe, that the airship was
rendered unsafe by any change In
her safety valves.
It was pointed out that the
, maneuv 1ing of part of the ship
for ten miles as a free balloon in
dicated the valves were in good
working order.
1t was learned at the Bureau OF
! Arronautics, however, that some
changes had been made in the
valves of the Shenandoah and that
some of them had been removed
! A search was being made today for
! the report from Lakehurst on this
alteration, which was made by the
technical experts at the air station.
! Captain Heinen has not been con
pected with the Navy Department
since June, 1924. when his contract
as a civilian employee expired.
At the request Of relatives, the
bodies of Liuetenant Commander
Lansdowne and Lieutenant K. w
Sheppard. of Washington, will be
buried at Arlington National Gene
terry. Sheppard was engineer Off
Ger of the Shenandoah. He was
reported as missing for several
hours yesterday before his body
was discovered.
The Navy Department today re
ceived the following message from
the chief of staff Of the British
royal air force:
Ion behalf of the royal air force
IL wish to offer our most sincere
sympathy in the loss of the airshir
Shenandoah and so many of hel
crew. We deplore the misfortune
which has deprived aviation o.
Lieutenant Commander LansdoWnC
and his comrades"
A similar message was received
4 from the secretary OF state for ali
of Great Britain. He said:
! ION behalf of the air council
express our profound regret at th'
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04

feet. He sunk it to win with s
and quared the match.
The cards:
Out
Gum .....45 5444 3 6--39
Jones $500. 65 344 4 $40
Tenth hole, 461 yards (par 49,
Gum outdrove Jones considerably
Jones hooked his second short and
into rough. Gum was home in
two. so feet away. Jones made a
pretty shot to get home in three,
4 feet away. Gums approach putt
was 2 feet from the cup He missed
square.
Eleventh hole, 395 yards (par a.
Both were home in two. Gum away.
Gums approach putt missed by
inches. So did Jones. All square.
Twelfth hole, 621 yards (par 81
Gum hooked his tee shot into a
bunker and played safe out on to
the fairway. He missed his third
and bounced it into q trap at the
left. Jones fooled his second. and
was short of the green with his
third. Gums out was still short
He finally got home in five. Gum
missed twenty-five -footer and
stymied Jones. Jones' putt trimmed
the cup. Jones, / up.
Thirteenth hole, 164 yards (par 81
Both were home from tee, Jones
inside, fifteen feet from the pin.
Gum ran past cup, four feet Jones
trimmed cup trying for a birdie two
Gum sank his putt for a half.
Jones, 1 up.
Fourteenth hole. 349 yards (par a
Jones second found a trap at the
left. Gum. was home in two, ten
feet from cup. and almost sunk 1t
for his four. Gums approach was
dead for a four and he won the
hole. All square.
Fifteenth hole, 40 yards (par A.
Jones sliced into rough. Both were
trapped on their second Gum
carrying beyond the green. Gum
took two to get out. but was four
feet from the pin. Jones' approach
was dead. Gum sank his putt for
half
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
"LOs Angeles" Designer
Doubts That Tornado
Wrecked Big Craft
By International News Service

BERLIN, Sept. A vertical
gust of terrific velocity which flung
the huge dirigible to the ground
and smashed her backbone-this
was the cause of the Shenandoah
disaster, in the opinion OF Doctor
Hugo Eckener, Zeppelin expert, de-
signer and pilot of the Los Angeles
in her transatlantic flight to
America.
Doctor Eckener, who wirelessed
his sincere sympathy to Secretary
Wilbur when word of the disaster
reached him, expressed his views on
News Service today
at seems improbable that the
airship was disrupted while in the
air." he said. 1.-The most probable
theory, in my opinion, is that a
vertical gust smashed the ship to
the ground, where she was de-
stroyed.
II do not believe that a tornado
because tornadoes are easily dis
cernible from a long distance aid
could have been avoided.
Is LtltAL LIG uEdLH
Of a part of the crew depriVes the
United States of expert navigators
and trained men,"
Although German newspapers
were unanimous in their expression
of the deepest regret and sympathy
for the United States in the disas
ter, one also found occasion to sug,
gest what the United States Navy
Department has emphatically de.
MED, that mismanagement of the
dirigible was at fault.
THE disaster was probably due
to the lack of experience OF the
American crew. said Deutsche
Taguezeitung.
Vossische Zeitung praised the
victims as the first pioneers of
Zeppelin flying in. peace time. and
Der Tage expressed the hope that
the disaster would result in
solidarity of all nations using
dirigibleS.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
Machinist''s Mate Says
Ship Shot Up at Angle
OF 40 Degrees i'm Wind


PITTSBURGH, Pa, Sept. A.
Commando r Weyerbacher's theory
that a lightning bolt was respon-
sible for the crash OF the Shenan.
doah, whose construction Weyer.
bacher superintendent. apparently
received some substantiation in the
accounts of nineteen survivors of
the Inflated craft. The men were
due at the Philadelphia navy yard
early today, after passing through
Pittsburgh late last night.
Although the Navy Department
asserted that lightning was not re-
sponsible for the disaster, the sur
vivors agreed that lightning flashes
were almost incessant during the
storm.
THE storm was at its height just
before dawn" said Walter Johnson,
Of Minneapolis. chief machinist's
mate. I'VE made absolutely no
headway against the gale, although
we had four motors running.
I'm the teeth of the gale we made
superhuman efforts to keep her
nose down, bringing into play all
the surface of her special fins, but
it was all to no avail. The ship
kept rising.
suddenly, ABOUT O'CLOCK we
shot into a bunch of clouds. The
lightning increased. Where before
we had managed to keep somewhat
ahead of the worst of the storm,
now it had overtaken us. The
winds from opposite directions
caught us and stood us on end.
THE ship rose at an alarming
rate of speed, now almost straight
up, at an angle of ninety degrees
to the earth. We chung on to
the nearest support with our fin
ger nails, with our teeth, our soft
soled shoes digging into whatever
afforded the least semblance OF
stability.
my motor froze about this time
due to the vibration which .racked
the whole ship, opening. the pet
cocks. Looking through the port,
holes OF my No. power car
could see gasoline percolattng
through the fabric of the ship.
From then on, didn't do much
thinking. / just hung on. The
ground rose up quickly, and
Jumped when my part of the shiT
was about fifteen feet from the
ground"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
OUTSIDE FABR|CSTOLEN
FOR rain COATS"

ing. versions of the Shenandoah
disaster were passed from mouth
to mouth here today. Eye-witnesses
of the aerial tragedy were many
and each one had different story
CycIonic Squat Blamed
It was generally agreed that the
Shenandoah was caught by a cy
clonic squall, that after it had got
out of control, it dropped severa
thousand feet and, that under the
terrific strain the ship suddenly
dropped apart.
The rear end earesned to the
ground. The forward half drifte6
on for about ten miles.
Thirteen of the dead were crushed
in the fall of the control car
Twelve were killed outright.
They were horribly mangled. The
thirteenth, Machinist's Mate Gales
tino Mazzuco, first class, was found
unconscious.
His skull was fractured and one
eye gouged out by a beam. He
died in a few minutes.
Sheppard Badly Mangled
The last body to be found was
that of Lieutenant E. w. Sheppard.
the wreck of the main part of the
ship.
1t. too, was badly mangled.. Shep-
pard landed in small creek. His
hands in death still clutcfed q
broken guy wire.
Chief Petty Officer Arthur Carl
son was on watch when the crash
came.
81 was just lucky. That's all.
Carlson said. That's the only rea-
son am here today. I went on
duty at 8 a. m.
I'VE were riding about $500 feet
high when We hit a storm the
ship suddnely got out of control.
For ten minutes we were at the
mercy of small cyclone.
mo other wind could have faxed
the Shenandoah. Can you imagine
how we felt?
sour engines were going full
speed ahead with the nose headed
straight down to the earth. But
we kept going up and up. -
Dropped 5000 Feet
when we reached an altitude
of $500 feet, we began to fall. We
dropped sograpidly for more than
5000 feet that / had to hold on
with all of my strength to keep go
ing down with the ship.
THE first thing we did then was
to make the valves clear.
This was followed by throwing
off the water ballast and all the
gasoline tanks. We dropped about
$4,000 pounds of gas and water
ballast.
There wasn't much time for
anything else. 1t all happened so
quickly. I knew. the men in the
control car were doing all they
could.
After that 3,000-foct drop, the
ship seemed to almost right itself.
Then it turned on it's tail at a
height of about $500 feet, and
crashed
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
Mrs. LandsdOwne Did
Not Blame Navy for
Crash; Funeral Plans

NAVAL AIR STATION. LAKE.
HURST, N. j., Sept. 4.-Lieutenant
Commander Zachary Lansdowne,
commander of the Inflated naval
dirigible Shenandoah VINO was killed
while ION duty" when his airship
crashed to earth in Ohio yesterday,
will be buried in Arlington Cemetery.
The widow of the Shenandoah s
commander telegraphed officials of
the Navy Department at Washing
ton today notifying them of Lands.
downe's desire to be laid at rest
in Arlington. Mrs. Lansdowne re-
quested that the body be ) sent
there.
Mrs. Lansdowne said her hus.
bands brother. Ralph Lansdowne,
telegraphed from Cleveland last
night that he was leaving for Belle
Valley. Ohio, to take charge Of the
body Of the dead commander.
Mrs. Lansdowne explained that
she did not hold the Navy Depart.
ment responsible for tho death of
her husband and the others aboard
the Shenandoah.
II do not blame the depa rtment
but Captain Lansdowne had op.
posed making the flight az this
time" Mrs. Lansdowne said.
"He knew the situation in the
Ohio Valley at this season, having
been born in Greenville, Ohio. He
isked the Washington officials ia
postpone the flight until more
favorable season. He was siren.
uously opposed to making the flight
now"
Mrs. LansdoWne said she was
unable to understand how the for.
ward control car should have fallen
ia the manner related in newspaper
accounts. She pointed out that
there WSEe strong steel cables hold
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
ESQ.,, HAS
new AWARDS
tcontinued from First Page.)

CONTINUED from First Page)
Of Washington the Ilappiest an.
nouncement during the course OF
contest. the winners OF which will
be announced In this newspaper to-
morrow.
Regardless of whether Washing
ton takes part in the series or not,
Skillet" Is going to take the two
first winners to the two opening
games, which will be played in the
competing National League city
probably Pittsburgh.
These two main awards are over
and above the announced prizes and
are entirely voluntary on the part
Of this newspaper. The significance
of this additional world series en-
tertainment Is emphasized in the
fact that Washington is more than
likely to participate in the series.
in which case Skillet is obligated
only to take ten contestants to the
local end.
A Second Surprise
Moreover. and as q second sur
prise for the thousands who are
holding their breaths until tomor.
row to see how they Jared in the
contest, fourteen successful fans are
to see the Washington end OF the
series, owing to a five.cornered tie
for the tenth position. Five en-
trants had their teams as near to
Ruti's and wrote as meritorious
explanations for their teams for the
tenth price, and. according to the
rules Of the contest, all ties were to
receive like recognition at the hands
Of the judges.
Thus, the total awards In skill
lets contest amount to two trips
with Skillet" to the first two
games played in the winning Ma
tional League city and fourteen free
seats to every game played in Wash
ington. Only a remote possibility
remains that the original promise
Of two trips to one end OF the outJ
of-towp series in case Washington
misses, will have to stand by itself,
as Washington is considered "in"-
as the saying goes.
Chance for Comparison
Further revelations as to the iden-
tity of Babe Ruth's team will be
found in the sporting section of to-
days issue. SO far two members
of the champion Griffmen. Bluege
and Goslin. have been picked by
Ruth. as have two members of the
.Dace.setting Pirates. Wright and
Cuyler. This is considered q very
happy and interesting circumstance
by Skillet" as those two teams are
almost certain to battle 1t out for
the 1925 championship, and 1t will
be interesting to observe how
Wright, CuyIer. Bluege and Goslin
perform when lined up against each
other.
In tomorrow's Times Ruth's en-
tire team, together with the names
of the fourteen winners Of seats to
the local games. two of whom will
go to either Pittsburgh or Ne2Ff
York with Skillet for the two
initial games Of the fall classic.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
R. VANDERBILT
IS DEAD
CONTINUED from First Page.)

side. IL is said. Just before death.
The mother Of the stricken null
ti-millionaire had been summoned
from her summer home here.
Five physicians attended Wander
biIt but he was beyond the power
of medical or surgical treatment.
Reggie Vanderbilt, leader OF
Newport horse show and widely
Known throughout the country,
was the son OF the late Cornelius
Vanderbilt and Mrs. Vanderbilt.
The mother has a summer home
here His sister is Countess Sze-
chenyi.
were married in 1922 1t was
second marriage for Wander
bilt. His fret wife, formerly Miss
Kathleen Nelson, obtained d.
vorce and later remarked, now be.
ing Mrs. Sydney Jones COlford, jr.
Vanderbilt has been In good
health, and the sudden heart at
tack which caused his death came
without warning.
News Of his death shocked the
summer colony here, Of which he
was a prominent member.
Vanderbilt was in good health.
Fairy today, 1t is said he suffered
a hemorrhage. Telephone wires TO
New York were kept busy and
Gloria and her mother hastened
back to the bedside OF the stricken
young man OF wealth.
Died In Second stroke
Weakened by the first hemor-
rhage, VanderbiIt's heart was un-
able to Withstand a second, which
closed out his life.
Youngest son of the late Cor
nelius Vanderbilt, Reggie" was q
grandson Of Commodore william III.
Vanderbilt, founder Of the great
Vanderbilt fortune that now stands
enlarged but divided among many
descendants of the famous New
Yorker.
Reginald's share. when he reached
| the age of tWenty-one, was $12,-
| SOC, 900 outright and S., 900, 900 in a
| trus tfund
Vanderbilt once created wide
spread excitement nj and about
New York by series of wins TO-
falling $4,000 in a New York
gambling house. But his luck
broke and the flushed youth was
prevailed upon to stop playing after
| losing $61 900.
Vanderbilt next came before the
public spotlight when he fell IN
| love with Miss Cathleen @. Nelson,
daughter of Mrs. Frederick H
Nelson, OF New York Opposition
| in the form of age and religious
differences were finally overcome
and the young couple were married
here in April, 1903.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04
7ENlR HUNTERS STRIP AIRSHP EVEN OF STEEL GlRDER
Sheriff Chaperones
Marriage After
Elopement
By international News Service

AMARILLO, Texas, Sept. 4.
An elopement, q marriage in
jail, and a honeymoon with a
deputy sheriff as chaperone.
That's the manner in which the
marital bark of B. L. Melon
aid and Miss Louise Gonzales,
of Indiola Calf, was launched
and took its maiden sail. The
pair was arrested here and
taken back to California on a
charge of removing mortgaged
property sport model road
ster in which they were riding
from the State.
Accor ling to McDonald's
story, they left California in
tending to marry at once. But
they were in a hurry, and the
process of marrying takes up
time, so the ceremony was put
off until they were landed in
Jail here. Acting on the adj
vice of the sheriff, Mcdonald
called in a justice of the peace
and marriage vows were made.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04

EAST HADDAM, Conn. Sept. 4.
Frank r. Dawson, seventy.three,
of Moodus, was gored by a prize
bull at the Haddam fair here when
he slipped on the grass and fell
at the beasts feet in the judging
ring.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04

ing the car to different sections
of the main bag and that even If
some of these cables had let go,
others should have held the car
to a portion OF the dirigible.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-04

terrible accident to the Shenandoah
with the loss of so many of her
gallant crew, and beg to offer our
deep sympathy for the relatives Of
those who have been lost.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-12-02
UNITED STATES DISTRICT
COURT DISTRICT OF MIN
NESOTA SECOND DIVISION

In the Matter of Alfred Joserh
Gerhard and Louis William Gerhard.
co-partners as Gerhard Brothers and
as individuals, bankrupts.
In Bankruptcy No. 2438.
Notice is hereby given that Alfred
Joseph Gerhard and Louis William
Gerhard, co-partners as Gerhard
Brothers and as individuals, mer-
chants, of Lamberton, in the county
of Redwood, in said division, were on
November 18th, 1925, duly adjudgeI
bankrupts and that the first meeting
of creditors will be held at 202 Odd
Fellows Block, Mankato, Minnesota ct
10 o'clock in the forenoon of December
14th, 1925, at which time and place
creditors may attend prove thei.
claims, appoint a trustee, and transact
other business. Notice is further given
that a creditor has filed a petition
that at such meeting the trustee to be
elected shall be authorized to sell the
property composing the estate at pri-
vate sale, and that such petition will
be heard at the same time. Upon the
application of any creditor the bank
rupt win be ordered to appear for
examination.
Dated at Mankato, MINI. Novem.
Der 81, 1925.
HORACE w. ROBERTS,
Referee in Bankruptcy.
Gilt.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-12-02

winter with his daughter.
John Show left Tuesday for Min
neapolis after being employed in this
vicinity for q month.
Mike Show transacted business ut
Redwood Falls Tuesday.
Norman Peterson is attending
school at Holland, MINI.
A. A. Lawrence of Springfield spent
Thanksgiving with the Show family.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur Evans motor
ed to New Ulm Tuesday on business.
Mr.. and Mrs. Joe Sayre and family
left Tuesday for points in Iowa where
they will visit relatives two weeks.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tonak spent Sunday
afternoon at Wanda.
Francis Lipetzky entertained his
school mates at birthday party at
his home Friday afternoon.
The Julius Jensen family were Wis
itors Thanksgiving Day at the Adolph
Olson home at Storden.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry O'Callaghan
motored to Bookings, S. D., and
were guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
johnson Thanksgiving Day.
Margaret Ruddy of Washington,
S. D. spent her Thanksgiving vaca-
ton with the w. Evans family.
Lenora Fredrickson spent the week
end at her parental hom near Golden.