The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-17

of the Pacific Alaska Anyways and
taken to Seattle.
At midnight Is a. M, EDIT
Crosson expected to take off mo.
mentarily, but was waiting for Z
better ceiling. Clouds hung low
and the weather generally wa
threatening. The flight to Juneau
will take approximately 10 hours
but it will be Monday before the
bodies arrive in Seattle.
The funeral plane will be met in
Seattle by Posts widow, who, but
for a last minute change of plans,
might have been in her husband's
plane when it nose-dived into a
soggy tundra. Rogers widow and
his beautiful daughter, Mary, 23,
also were expected to meet the
plane.
Relatives On Way
Mrs. Rogers and Miss Rogers
were en- route west from Lakewood,
Me-, by train, and Mrs. Post
leaves Oklahoma by plane today
for Seattle. Will Rogers, Jr, Fl,
was en- route east from Los
Angeles by plane, planning to meet
his mother in Chicago or New
York.
Acting on wirelessed instructions
from ]. T. Trippe, president OF Pan
American Always, and Colonel
Charles A. Lindbergh, vice-presi-
dent, Crosson flew here yesterday
for the bodies. Pacific-Alaska Is
Pan-American subsidiary. Only O
few days ago, Crosson, considered
the most expert of Arctic flyers
babe Post and Rogers goodbye In
Fairbanks, where they took off on
the flight that ended with their
deaths. Crosson advised them
against the flight, because OF bad
weather. He braved fog to fly here
for their bodies.
Post Going to Parents
Posts body will be taken to the
farm home of his parents near
Maysville, Oklahoma, where fun
eral services will be held beneath
the trees in front of the house
His funeral, with boyhood friends
and the neighbors who knew MIN
before he sky-rocketed to fame IN
attendance, will be very simple.
Rogers body will be taken to his
home in Beverly Hills, CAL, where
his intimate friends of the motion
picture world were in the deepest
mourning. Arrangements for his
funeral are pending.
The immediate cause of the &C"
cident that took two lives OF In
estimable value to world aviation
and to world amity (Rogers
through motion pictures, radio and
newspapers dispensed homely wit
that llghtened the hearts of mill
lions) was Posts utter confidence
in his new plane and his skill as
a pilot.
FOOlhardy Gesture
He took Off from an Arctic river
Is miles south of Point Barrow
in a heavy fog with a faulty mo-
tor. 1t was a foolhardy gesture
such as only a supremely expert
pilot or the most inexperienced
amateur would undertake. The
brand new Lockheed iow-wina
monoplane, which had replaced
Posts celebrated plane, the Winnie
Mae, rose b0 feet petoFe the InoIo'
missed Are. 1t then plunged head
on into two feet OF water, killing
Its occupants instantly.
Rogers confidence In Posts n.y.
ing skill was Of the unquestioninG
kind. He had Travelled Thousands
upon thousands of miles as an all
passenger. having a passion foi
flight.
Grief for tibet wo men far tran.
scended their immediate circles Of
family and friends. President
Roosevelt, former President Hoo
yer, members OF congress, leading
business men and industrialiets
rulers OF many countries, world
statesmen, all expressed their sor'
row. In London. In Paris. Berlin
Madrid, Tokyo, the accident thai
had taken two believed characters
was a subject OF intense interest.
Rogers Was World Figure
The Novice had made the low.
able personality Of the Oklahoma
cowboy, who for years had pointed
q =" :