Evening star., 1953-08-03
Ex-Maine Governor,
Two Friends Die in
Private Plane Crash
BY the Associoted Press

ALLENTOWN, Pa, Aug. 3.-A
private plane crashed into a
wooded hillside yesterday, killing
a former Governor of Maine and
two of his friends.
The dead are:
William Tudor Gardiner, 81,
of Bath, Me-, and Boston, partici-
pant in a famous World War II
exploit, an outstanding collegiate
athlete and Names chief execu-
tive from 1929 to 1892.
Edward E. Chase. go, of Cape
Elizabeth, Me-, a State Senator,
investment broker and brother
of author Mary Ellen Chase.
Edwin S. Burt, so, of South
Portland, Me-, a wholesale
groceryman.
Had Attended Reunion.
The three longtime friends
were flying home in Mr.. Gardi-
ner's plane after attending a re-
union of the seth Pioneer In
fantry Association at Shamokin,
Pa. They served with the group
in World War I.
About 13 miles north of this
city, the plane, reported flying at
5000 feet. appeared to have
fallen apart in mid-air. The men
were believed pulled from the
plane by air suction. They
plummeted to earth as the plane
crashed nearby. Rain and heavy
clouds were reported in the area
The Lehigh County sheriff's
office said preliminary investi-
cation showed the right wing of
the Beechcraft Banana plane
had ripped from the craft. Civil
Aeronautics Administration Of
flcials were investigating.
Mr.. Gardiner, a colonel in
World War II, won the Legion
of Merit. one of six decorations
given him by his own and allied
countries, for exploits in Italy.
Took Part in Rome Venture.
He was 81 when he and Gen.
Maxwell D. Taylor, now COM
manding the 9th Army in Korea,
made a daring trip into German
held Rome before American
forces invaded Italy in 1943.
In full uniform, except for
caps, they landed from a British
submarine. motored to Rome and
spent 20 hours under the Ger
mans noses in conferences with
Marshal Pietro Badoglio. They
gained a pledge of loyalty to the
allies and information that vital
ly affected the course of the war
AS an undergraduate at Har-
ward. Mr.. Gardiner was a men,
ber of the crew and rowed in in
ternational competitions here
and abroad. In 1918. his junior
year. he won the national inter-
mediate sculling championship
and shared in the double sculling
title.
Served in Maine House.
Mr.. Gardiner served three
terms in the Maine House, the
last as speaker, before being
elected Governor.
He and Mrs. Gardiner, the for
mer Margaret Thomas of Boston,
had four children, Tudor,
Thomas, Margaret and Sylvester,
who died in 1947. All four served
in World War II.
Mr.. Chase headed his own in
vestment firm, the Maine Secu-
rites Co. of Portland.
He served five terms in the
House, the last as floor leader
of the Republicans in 1851, and
was in his first Senate term.
He formerly was president of
the trustees of the University of
Maine, his alma mater.
Mr.. Chase is survived by his
widow and three children, Ed
ward of Bangor, Robert and
Barbara, both of Cape Eliza
beth.
Mr.. Burt was sales manager
for Cummings Brothers, a whole
sale food firm of Portland. He
served in both World Wars and
was a colonel and provost marshal
at Camp Polk, La, in World War
II. He leaves his wife Minnie and
two sons, Edwin of Chicago and
- n,,rf