Evening star., 1925-09-25
COL. HALL ASSUMED
D|R|G|BLE MOTORS
FAILED, HE STATES
Testimony Yesterday Was
Not Based on Fact,
Army Man Says.
NO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE
ON BIG BAG WAS NOTED
Rigger Asserts Gas Containers
Stayed Entact Until the
Ship Broke Up.
By the Associated Press.

LAkEHURST. n. J.. September
25.-Re-eXamined today before the
naval court of inquiry. Col. c. G. Hall.
United States Army observer aboard
the Shenandoah on her fatal flight.
said his statement of yesterda V
that the failure of two engines of the
ship furnished a possible contribut-
ing cause to the disaster was more
in the nature of an assumption than
a statement of fact.
DO you know at what time the
engines failed?" asked Lieut.. Comdr
Rosendahl, senior surviving officer
OF the airship.
1 do not know" was the reply.
Was II after the uncontrolled rise
began showing that we We're in the
vortex of The storm? ?" pursued Comdr
Rosendahl.
Il cannot say" the Army officer
returned. Il thought all engines were
going full speed until the ship was
wrecked"
Testified of Engine Failure.
What is your opinion as to the
relia bility of the Shenandoah's en-
gines?"
II believe there have been no more
reliable aviation engines developed
than those of the Shenandoah.
In his testimony yesterday Col. Hall
expressed the opinion that the failure
of two Of the airship's FIVE engines
made more probable the drawing of
the big craft into the vortex of the
storm which wrecked her after a spec
tacular fight of Is minutes. One en-
gine went out because of a cracked
cylinder and the other because of a
radiator leakage.
Chief Gunner Raymond Cole esti-
mated that ii was approximately 4:3o
am. Central time when he passed the
ships galley and saw thermos bottles
and canned goods falling down in the
keel of The ship. This was when the
Shenandoah was on the first flight up
just before she began the uncontrolled
ascent with her bow sticking almost
straight up in the air.
Further testimony that no sound of
gas cells giving way was heard before
the breakup of the ship was given by
William Richardson, Navy photogra-
pher on board. Richardson was in his
bunk when the vessel began to go to
pieces.
Chief Aviation Rigger Louis A.
sound indicating any rupture of the
helium gas cells.
Saw Engines Fall.
Alley said he actually saw the cars
containing engines and 5 break loose
from the Shenandoah in the air This
was at 4:40 am. Central time by the
clock in the crews space.
The witness was positive that the
control car broke away from the hull
at about the time the main structure
began to go to pieces.
Did you see the control car thrown
free?" asked Admiral Jones.
Il did not. / arrived at by conclu-
sions by my own reasoning from the
noise"
Alley said that a moment later the
ship broke forward of amidships and
that Immediately after this engine
cars 4 and tore loose, carrying with
them the section of the ship between
frames ITO and 13O. The cars swung in
the air for a time on their support
wires, the weight tearing out part
of the bottom section of the hull.
The witness declared that he actual
ly saw the frames of the ship break
at the keel forward of amidships. He
previously had heard crashing sounds
Ship Under Pressure.
When the ship reached the highest
altitude of 6,065 feet the gas bags
were under pressure. Alley testified
He added that he heard no escape
of helium gas at any time and that
he could not have heard valving of
gas.
An opinion that the reported fail
ures of the engines of the Shenan-
doah were minor in character and
not a contributing cause to the dis
aster was given by S. S. Halliburton,
chief machinist's mate and assistant
engineer officer of the ship
Halliburton paid this tribute to
Lieut.. Edgar Sheppard. chief engineer
of the Shenandoah. who was killed:
Lieut.. Sheppard was the most able
engineer officer / have ever known.
Continued on Page 4, Column 81