The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-04-29

= noon he left for Malta again with
5 the purpose of examining the
: wreck and salvaging any parts of
the plane of value.
Sheriff Henry Lowe, A. t. Lis
: tug, and Dwight Lohn, county treas
urer and former business associate
of Schnitzler drove to Malta Mon
day when news came of the find
ing of the bodies. From Malta Lohn
accompanied Lowers on his flight
to the scene of the crash. Lowers
is an expert aviator of long ex-
per1ence, dating from wartime. AS
Senator Schnitzler's pilot he had
taken him on many trips in the
four-person cabin Travelair used
by Hedberg and Schnitzler Sun
day. Probably no other person is
as competent to reconstruct the
incidents preceding the accident
and to draw conclusions as to the
causes. OF curse exactly how the
tragedy came about never can be
known.
Lowers and Lohn landed on the
tableland at the top of the fateful
hill within 500 feet of the wrecked
plane. A survey was made of the
whole situation and Chris Mallory
and other ranchers were interview
ed. Lowers believes that when the
Senator discovered where he was
he decided to set a course as near
ly as possible direct to Havre.
Ranch buildings over which the
plane had passed indicated the
course being followed at the time
of the accident. The valley of
Woody Island creek, which is
through a region of badland breaks,
is several hundred feet deep at its
lowest parts and as much as three
miles wide in places. Between the
high, steep bluffs that form the
sides of the valley are
small hills Of buttes. Flying low
enough to keep the ground in view
Zone rancher said the plane nearly
hit his windmilD they went down
into this valley at a place where
it was wide. So wide that quite
probably, after flying over some
small hills, they thought they were
across when they still had the
main ascent to scale. The fog
hung thick and low that morning,
according to what ranchers told
Lowers. A bank of gray earth ris-
ing Unexpectedly in front of a
plane moving at perhaps $50 miles
per hour, a stiff tail wind adding
to normal speed, might not be dis
cernable through a wet windshield
for as much as 100 feet. The dents
in the bank did not indicate the
nose Of the plane had been turned
upward when it hit.
The terrific force Of the impact
crushed the body of the plane to-
after the manner of a clos
accordian. 1t did not flop over
its back, like some accounts
said Lowers. Only parts of
tail bore any resemblance to
heir former shape. The spot struck
~ the plane was 80 or 40 feet be-
ow the brow of the hill.
The Wolf Point men did not see
bodies before they were re-
moved from the wreck. Descrip-
ions by those who e%xtricated the
bodies told of mutilations almost
90 horrible to repeat. Senator
,chnitzler's body was in much
worse condition than that of Pilot
Iceberg, his legs being crushed
nd his head nearly torn from the
'ody. Parts of the face and head
we're missing. Teeth and other
of the head and body or
odies were collected by Lowers
buried near the spot. Nothing
ould be found of 500 in bills Mr..
chnitzler was known to have TAX
n with him. A crowd of SO to rs
eople was constantly around the
-reckage after the news had
pread.
l.. NJ. Clayton, funeral director,
'ent to Malta to take charge Of
lie remains. Accompanied by H. c.
karie, cashier of the Schnitzler
ank at Froid, they were taken to
ulbertson and from there to Froid
2 hearse by Clayton.
Messages
The Schnitzler family has re
a flood of kilograms and tel
phone calls, sympathizing with
EN- in their loss. Following is q
ire from President Hoover:
Ny Dear Mrs. Schnitzler:
81 am shocked and deeply griev-
to learn of the death of your
and I send you my heart
1t sympathy in your sorrow. Mr..
,hnitzler's passing ends a life of
'~efulness to the country and his
SIS will be felt. With the public
grets,
Yours faithfully,