Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-11

Department OF Commerce.
LAKEHURST, N. j., May II IT,
Department OF Commerce investiga-
tors decided today to get q complete
picture OF the Hindenburg disaster
from eye-witnesses before seeking the
opinions Of experts on what caused the
explosion that destroyed the dirigible
with loss Of IS lives.
Chairman South Trimble. IT.. An.
nounced following a private confer
ence today that the investigating
| board had studied the testimony of
Comdr. Charles E. Rosendahl of the
LakehurSt Naval Station and William
F. Won Meister, vice president of the
American Zeppelin Co., but reached
no definite conclusion on the dis.
| aster.
They said, however. the testimony
yesterday gave them an excellent
background and enabled them to chart
the investigations course.
To Call Ground Crew.
Tr1mble said that before any tech
nlcal experts are called the investipa-
tors will hear the ground crew wit
nesses. naval men at the scene and
civilians before hearing the members
OF the Zeppelin crew.
Inc only break in this procedure,
he said, will be to hear Or. Hugo
Eckener, head OF the German invest1-
eating commission, when he arrives at
Iakehurst Thursday or Friday.
Alter todays session, Trimble pre-
pared to leave here for New York City
to attend services late today for the
German dead. The other two investi-
gators, Dennis Mulligan and Maj. r.
w. Schroeder, were to be escorted by
naval station officials on a tour of the
grounded Zeppelin Los Angeles to
learn something about the construc-
ton Of airships
The mystery Of the disaster deep
ened further as aeronautical experts
appeared inclined to scout the two
foremost theories advanced for the
Hindenburg destruction.
When the airship plunged to de-
struction in the horrible hydrogen
fire, the major suggestions were that
either spark of static electricity from
the ground or backflre spark from
an overheated motor touched of the
highly inf1ammable gas. Both hypoth-
eses were in question today.
Comdr Rosendahl, eyewitness OF
the disaster and the countrys rank
Ing dirigible expert, dealt a blow to
the ground spark theory yesterday
when he indicated strongly he did not
believe this or lightning was re-
sponsible for the doom Of the ship.
Backfire Theory Discounted.
The unanimity Of Rosendahl and
other expert eyewitnesses as to the
exact spot where the furiously burn
ing fire first broke out appeared today
to bring into serious question the pos
sibility OF an engine backf1re spark
acting as torch to the gas
This Interpretation was pointed out
by q Navy offcer who withheld his
name, in discussing the formal and
ff-the-record evidence so far avail
able
The expert witnesses are agreed.
he said, that the fire first broke forth
on the upper side Of the Hindenburg
stern, just forward Of where the
stabilizers start. This spot, he pointed
out, Is comparatively remote from the
stern engines, being probably more
than 100 feet above and also to the
rear Of the nearest motor nacelle.
With the evidence developed to this
extent, the Department Of Commerce
investigation OF the tragedy halted
today so that crew survivors and Navy
men from the air station here might
attend the funeral services in New
York for "a of the Hindenburg's COM
pany. Hearings resume tomorrow.
Motion Pictures Shown.
The board viewed motion pictures
OF the disaster after public hearing
ended yesterday, but commented that
none Of them showed the Hindenburg
at the exact moment the fire broke
out. The movie cameras did not get
the stricken ship in focus until after
she was plunging, buckling and in
flames, to earth One board member
expressed interest that the sound track
OF one newsreel f1lm showed it was
exactly 80 seconds from the first ex-
ploeion until the blazing hull hit the
landing field.