Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-30
NAVY PILOT GUILTY
IN LOW FLYING CASE
Lieut.. Williamson Convicted
by Court-MartiaI Con-
Quoted Here.

Lieut.. Thomas B. Williamson, young
aviator attached to the Hampton
Roads naval air base, was found guilty
of violating low-fying regulations over
Washington, July "a, by a court-mar.
tial which announced its verdict at the
Navy Yard today.
Two Of the six specifications filed
against the aviator under the general
charge Of conduct to the prejudice of
good order and discipline" were found
by the court to have been proved. I'm.
der court-martial regulations, any one
specification proved will support the
charge. The finding Of the court as
to punishment. II any. will not be
learned until the case is passed upon
by the Secretary OF the Navy.
Lieut.. Williamson, although greatly
disappointed over the outcome Of the
trial, which opened here Friday. re-
NAMED cheerful as he left the COM
mandant's Office at the navy yard,
where the court has sat, accompanied
by his father, Thomas Williamson, an
attorney of Edwardsville, ILL.,, and
Capt. Field Harris, Marine Corps, both
his counsel. He stated he probably
would return to Fighting Plane Squad
ron 5, his organization at Hampton
Roads, either today or tomorrow.
Will Present Brief.
Mr.. Williamson announced 1t was
his plan to present a brief to the re.
viewing authorities after having been
furnished with transcript with the
entire record of the case. According
to Capt. H. n. Potter, trial judge adj
vocate and prosecutor in the case. the
findings Of the court will be submitted
to the judge advocate general of the
Navy in about a week.
The court opened at 9 o'clock this
morning and after Capt. Potter had
read the proceedings of the previous
trial day, the room was cleared 10
later for the court to delib-
crate on the case.
At 1855 announcement was made
that the court was open and Comdr.
Leo WEIGH, president, informed the
defendant that specifications num-
bered 2, 4, 5 and had not been proved
by the prosecution. Nothing more
WIS said, but the accused officer had
to draw by inference that specifica.
ions l and had been proved.
UISC Oh OHdFStSs
Specification 1, charged violation Of
article 1924 of the Bureau of Aero
nautics manual which provided: "Air
craft shall not fly at low altitude over
populous districts or over such ter
rain as will endanger life or property
in case Of motor failure or temporary
loss of control"
Specification No. 8, charged the Of
ficer violated article 1306-A of the
Bureau of Aeronautics manual pro-
viding: NAVAL air craft will not fly
over populous districts at attitudes less
than 1000 feet, unless authorized by
proper authority or in case Of en-
Specification No. 2, not proved, pro-
hibited acrobats below an altitude of
1900 feet at any time and specifica-
tons 4, 5 and 6 set forth Commerce
regulations governing fly.
ing and acrobatS at low attitudes.
After the Court had been out about
an hour, James r. Covert the court
reporter, was called into the room to
read the testimony of Comdr. Ernest
N. Pace, Of the Bureau of Aeronau-
tics. who had testified that a Navy
fighting plane of the type used at
Hampton Roads and bearing a letter
'F' flew at an altitude between 1000
feet and 800 feet in the vicinity of
Sixteenth street and Columbia road.
After the lapse of several minutes
the court again sent for Mr.. Covert
and requested list of all the wit
nesses with their addresses.
No Indication of Sentence.
After the court had announced its
findings as to the proof of the specifi. |
cations, 1t again went into session for
celebration on what sentence shall |
pc melted out. No indication was
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