Evening star., 1937-05-08
Navy Board of Inquiry Con.
vened as Commerce De.
partment Plans Its Probe
to Start Monday.
SHIPS RADIO CHIEF
EXPIRES IN HOSPITAL
Capt, Pruss Is Reported Improv.
ing-Germany Rushes Work on
New Airship, but Graf Flights
to South America Will Be Sus.
pended, DR.. Eckener Reveals.
BY the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
LAKEHURST. N. j., May 8-The
Navy Department ordered a court OF
inquiry convened today to investi-
gate the destruction of the German
airship Hindenburg at the Naval
Air Station here with loss of S.
lives.
The public investigation began as
soon as announced. The Commerce
Department already had arranged for
public hearings to start next Monday
at the reservation.
The members of the board were:
Capt. Gordon w. Haines, command
er of the Naval Ammunition Depart
ment, Fort Mifflin, Pa; Lieut.. Comdr
Roland Mayer of the Naval Aircraft
Factory Philadelphia; Lieut.. Comdr
Cornelius V. S. Knox, Naval Air Sta
ton, Lakehurst; Lieut.. Daniel S.
Weintraub, Naval Air Station, was
designated recorder.
Death Toll Now 35.
Two deaths in the early morning
raised to 35 the number who lost
their lives In the crash of the giant
skyliner-pride Of Germany's air
feet.
The order convening the board in
structed it to make thorough in
vestigation" of AL circumstances sur
rounding the disaster"
1t was issued by Capt. F. c. Mar
re ,,t Of tho At h
Naval District. Philadelphia.
Capt Haines said he did not know
how long the inquiry would require,
but would take "at least few days" "
The American Zeppelin Transport
Co. announced that with the eXcep-
ton of the body of Capt. Ernst Leh-
mann, all of the crew dead would be
returned to Germany as soon as pos
sible.
Lehmann's body, it was expected,
would be held in a Jersey City NOR
tuary until the arrival Of his widow.
A son of the couple had died at Easter
time.
Scope OF Boards Study.
The boards study was TO include a
report on the number injured, dam
age to property, responsibility for the
crash and the interest of the United
States Government
The board will report to the Secre-
tary Of the Navy upon the cause and
the responsibility for the disaster, -
Capt. Haines said.
The first witness to be called, he
said, will be a ships officer by the
name of Bauer. The hearing, he said
would parallel the Department of
Commerce hearing.
Officials later announced that ques-
tions of procedure would be consid-
cred first in closed meeting and that
no witnesses would be called until
Monday at 10 am.
William Speck, chief radio officer
of the airship which plunged in flames
upon the Lakehurst. Naval Air Sta
ton grounds here Thursday night at
the end of its first crossing of the
year. succumbed in New York hos
pital. A German passenger, Erich
Knocher, died at Asbury Park.
The man who commanded the ship
on 10 safe voyages to Lakehurst from
Germany last year-Capt. Ernst Leh-
mann-died last night.
Capt. PrusS Better.
Capt. Max Pruss of the airship was
reported improved today in New
York hospital, where he was removed
last night. His condition was still
serious, however.
officials strove today to correlate evil
dence that ultimately may establish
the cause of the shattering explosions
and billoWing fire which sent the
ICoo uINnENPITPG pooo A20