The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-17
Bodies OF T1uo Dead
Started For Home
Continued from Page u

in his inimitable manner, a world
figure. Post, hero of two flights
around the world, was universally
regarded as one of the worlds
greatest flyers.
A few hours after a shocked
world learned of the accident, the
United States senate passed al res4
olution calling for government
purchase of the Winnie Mae, and
soon afterward the house gave its
approval. The plane, which car
ried Post on both his famous
flights, will be placed in the Smith
sonian Institute. In st. Louis, the
Spirit of st. Louis medal for out
standing contributions to aviation
was awarded posthumously to
Rogers by the aeronautics division
of the American Society of Me-
chanical Engineers.
Death cut Post down in the
midst of his newest efforts to ad-
vance aviation. He was expert
menting with flights in the strato-
sphere, hoping to develop a tech
nique and equipment that would
shorten the air time between the
east and west coasts of the United
States to seven hours. His new
plane had been purchased espe-
cially for the experiments after
four failures in the Winnie Mae.
Wealth of Rogers
Rogers was believed to have left
an estate valued at between S.
100000 and 100000. Through
insurance and other assets he was
said to have established a trust
fund of 100000 for each of his
three children.
Post was believed to have died
practically penniless, outside his
ownership of the wrecked plane
and the Winnie Mae. He earned
great sums, but everything went
back into airplanes and aviation.
His widow will receive $4,000 for
the Winnie Mae, the sum congress
appropriated.
Exploits of Post
The world recalled the exploits
of Post-his dash around the world
with Harold Gatty in 8 days, 15
hours, 81 minutes in 1931-his one
man flight over the same route in
1888 in days, Is hours. 40 min
utes. OF Rogers, 1t recalled only
a lovable character who usually
appeared on the stage in chaps and
sombrero, to twirl a rope and
philosophise in an authentic plains
mans drawl, and in the movies as
rough-handed and full-hearted.
Neither Post nor Rogers had the
least fear of death. Post dared 1t
again and again. Rogers composed
his own epitaph:
when / die, my Epitaph, or
whatever you call those signs on
gravestones, is going to read:
I joked about every prominent
man of my time, but / never met
man l didn't like
II am proud of that, I can hard
ly wait to die SO 1t can be carved.
And when you come around my
grave. you'll find me sitting there,
proudly reading It,"
Rogers said that in Boston in
Hamlet In Grief.
Crosson brought his Arctic plane
into this hamlet OF 10 whites and
200 Eskimos to find It intense with
shock and grief. A native hunter
arrived Thursday, all but exhaust
ed from Is miles OF fast traved over
rough terrain OF Dogs and lakes,
shouting excitedly that the bird
men" were dead.
He gave his news to this corr s-
spondent and STAFF Sergeant sts.n-
ley Morgan OF the United States
army signal corps. They didn't be-
lieve him at first, but after he had
jabbered his story twice, Morgan
manned a whale boat with a ma
tive crew and with the correspond
snt set out for the scene.
They Arrived six hours after the
accident. The Lockheed, badly
smashed. was on it's back In two
feet OF water. Rogers body had
been thrown clear. and the Eski-
mos who witnessed the accident has.
covered 1t with down sleeping
bag. Posts body was SO firmly
wedged In the cockpit that they