Alice Chauvin SWAMPQUEEN
2007-03-25 22:14:33 UTC
A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States >
Louisiana > St. Mary
http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=3Ddisplaycat&catid=3D20=
76
Direct link to article:
http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=3D34425 Submitted by:
Barbara
Article Title: Unknown Newspaper
Article Date: =A0 1936
Article Description: Pilot Killed in Plane Crash
Article Text:
Pilot Killed in Plane Crash
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Machine Falls Into Woods At Harelson Just After Take-Off
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Path Torn Through Trees as Plane Falls to Earth with Terrific Force,
Making Noise Heard at Airport, Three Miles Away - Gas Tank Torn; Bodies
Thrown from Wreckage.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
MILLIONAIRE VICTIM WAS PIONEER AVIATION ENTHUSIAST IN LOUISIANA
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Worthen, Pilot, at Controls Just Before Takeoff, but Man Holding Stick
at Time of Fall Not Known; Former Marguerite Clark, Widow of Victim,
Reported En Route to Baton Rouge.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Harry P. Williams, millionaire businessman of
Patterson and New Orleans, a pioneer in aviation in Louisiana, and Jimmy
(Red) Worthen, his crack pilot and traveling friend, were killed six
minutes after taking off from the East Baton Rouge airport last night at
about 9:30 o-clock, when their plane, a new Curtis-Wright biplane, which
airport officials said "left with a cold engine," went into a nosedive
near Harelson.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The pilot missed an open field and plunged
through a dense forest of young and old timber, tearing the plane to
pieces. The two men's bodies were broken up and they died instantly,
according to Acting Coroner Ashton Robins, who arrived at the scene of
the crash within an hour after it occurred.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0From eye witnesses and police reports early
today, it was ascertained that the two men took off from the local
airport at about 9:30 o'clock, headed back to Patterson. They had laid
in sufficient food for several days, and were believed to have been
prepared for a longer flight after they reached their home city. The
luncheons were composed of much raw steak, fruit, bread, butter and hot
drinks in thermos bottles.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Tr=
ouble
in Starting.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Leaving the airport, they seemingly had trouble
in gaining altitude. People all over the surrounding country declared
they heard the plane "popping" as if it had not been sufficiently warmed
up before the take-off.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Jack Porrier, fireman, who lives a mile from
where the plane dove into the woods said that he heard the plane
"popping" and then saw from his back window, with his wife standing
beside him, the plane's landing lights flare on just at the approach
from a clear field into a dense woods and swamp. Thereafter, they said
at the scene of the crash, they heard the plane crash into the woods,
hit a small tree, then ram a big tree and "explode." However, the plane
did not catch fire, but the heavy timber upon which the plane was torn
apart caught fire when the plane's tank was jerked loose from the
fuselage and splattered gasoline over the tree and sparks from the
collision of the plane against the tree set the gasoline afire.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Sh=
oes
"Blasted."
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The impact was such that both men's shoes were
"blasted" from their feet.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The plane hit the ground ahead of the big tree
on one wheel and swerved to its doom.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The crash occurred on the Sharp's farmstead,
which is said to be partially wooded and swampy.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Evidence at the wreck showed that the plane lost
its left wing when it hit the smaller of the two trees. It then ran
ahead 100 yards through small timber, clearing a place as wide as itself
for that distance which looks like a right-of-way. Then came the crash
against the heavier tree, and the whole plane seemingly "exploded" into
the air and parts of it flew through the air for some distance.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Pl=
ane
Hits Tree.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The motor itself was torn apart and half of it
embedded itself into the large tree, then fell to the ground, leaving a
deep impression on the timber, "like half a doughnut."
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The two bodies were found 40 feet from the
plane, and 20 feet apart. Mr. Williams' body was lying in a bunch of
weeds on the edge of a swamp. Worthen's body was lying in the opening
cut by the mad crash of the plane through small timber.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The airplane, according to R. G. Broussard,
manager of the airport, was brand new and cost $3,000.*
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Ca=
rried
Coloneley Commission.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0In Mr. Williams' pocket was found, in addition
to other things, a newly signed gold-filled notification that he
yesterday had been appointed a colonel on the staff of Governor Leche. A
photograph bearing his name and a picture of himself and his pilot's
license were also found on his body. In Mr. Williams' pockets also was
found $17.50; in the pocket of his pilot was found $1.50. Each carried a
pocket knife and Mr. Williams also carried a pair of goggles.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Mr. Worthern's** body, was badly broken up.
There was a deep gash in his throat and neck and his skull was
fractured. On his feet remained only one sock, the shoes and other sock
having been "blasted" off by the force of the contact with the timber.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Op=
en
Field Near Crash.
Plainly visible near where the pilot steered the plane into the small
timber and unhappily hit the heavier growth was an open field, but in
the darkness he missed this and turned on his lights to make a landing
when he failed to gain elevation. There was no place to go except into
the swampy small timber and he might have emerged alive with his
passenger had it not been for the solitary tree which cracked up the
plane. This tree was hit six feet from the ground.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The open field they missed was back of them
after they hit.
Deputies V. C. Williams and C. L. Long of the sheriff's office were
first at the scene, which is gained by taking a mud road for a mile and
a quarter off the gravel road, which in turn runs off the Hammond
highway at Harelson.
They in turn notified the police, and Capt. MacBurnie Heard immediately
notified a funeral home and the acting coroner, and took the latter to
the scene of the crash.
The bodies, wrapped in white canvas, their limbs grotesquely twisted and
visibly so through the clothes about them, were carried back to the
Rabenhorst parlors quickly, but it took until after midnight to carry
the bodies from the scene to the mud road, thence to the hard road and
back to the city.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Inquest at 10:00 A. M.
Dr. Robbins has called an inquest for this at 10 o'clock at Rabenhorst
funeral parlors. Witnesses of the crash who will testify are: Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Porrier and J. D. Sharp and Sam Sharp, all of whom saw the
plane drive into the woods.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Williams Pioneer in
Field
Mr. Williams, the pioneer American aviation enthusiast, was widely
known. It was he who financed the internationally famous exploits of the
late Wedell brothers, James R. "Jimmy" and Walter Wedell. Mr. Williams
was head of the Wedell-Williams Aid Service, Incorporated, which is well
known for its construction of speed planes.
He was the husband of Marquerite Clarke who early this morning was
reported to have left for Baton Rouge after hearing the news of the
crash.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Worthen Was Veteran
Flier
Mr. Worthen had been with the Wedell-Williams Air Service since its
organization by Mr. Williams and the late James R. "Jimmy" and Walter
Wedell. He learned to fly in Mississippi and went to Patterson from
Jackson, Miss.
"Red" as he was known, and the late Wedell brothers were the first
pilots in the Wedell-Williams organization.
Mr. Broussard, airport manager, said he did not know who was at the
controls of the plane.
"Johnny was at the controls when I turned on the lights to let them get
out of the field," he said, "but I do not know whether he stayed at the
controls after Mr. Harry got in the plane."
*$3,000 could be $9,000 (have to check on cost of planes in 1936).
**Worthern is misspelled - should be Worthen
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
LA-Old-News
=A0=A0~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0
~ =A0 ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM
http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to
LA-OLD-NEWS-***@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the
quotes in the subject and the body of the message
SWAMPQUEEN~REINE DES BAYOUS La VIE C'EST BON! You have to dance like
nobody's watchin'
And Love like it's never gonn'a hurt. You! yoU Live All Your Life, All
Your Life Long!
AND
When you reach the end of your rope you will find the hem of His
garment.
Louisiana > St. Mary
http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=3Ddisplaycat&catid=3D20=
76
Direct link to article:
http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=3D34425 Submitted by:
Barbara
Article Title: Unknown Newspaper
Article Date: =A0 1936
Article Description: Pilot Killed in Plane Crash
Article Text:
Pilot Killed in Plane Crash
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Machine Falls Into Woods At Harelson Just After Take-Off
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Path Torn Through Trees as Plane Falls to Earth with Terrific Force,
Making Noise Heard at Airport, Three Miles Away - Gas Tank Torn; Bodies
Thrown from Wreckage.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
MILLIONAIRE VICTIM WAS PIONEER AVIATION ENTHUSIAST IN LOUISIANA
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
Worthen, Pilot, at Controls Just Before Takeoff, but Man Holding Stick
at Time of Fall Not Known; Former Marguerite Clark, Widow of Victim,
Reported En Route to Baton Rouge.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0_______
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Harry P. Williams, millionaire businessman of
Patterson and New Orleans, a pioneer in aviation in Louisiana, and Jimmy
(Red) Worthen, his crack pilot and traveling friend, were killed six
minutes after taking off from the East Baton Rouge airport last night at
about 9:30 o-clock, when their plane, a new Curtis-Wright biplane, which
airport officials said "left with a cold engine," went into a nosedive
near Harelson.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The pilot missed an open field and plunged
through a dense forest of young and old timber, tearing the plane to
pieces. The two men's bodies were broken up and they died instantly,
according to Acting Coroner Ashton Robins, who arrived at the scene of
the crash within an hour after it occurred.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0From eye witnesses and police reports early
today, it was ascertained that the two men took off from the local
airport at about 9:30 o'clock, headed back to Patterson. They had laid
in sufficient food for several days, and were believed to have been
prepared for a longer flight after they reached their home city. The
luncheons were composed of much raw steak, fruit, bread, butter and hot
drinks in thermos bottles.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Tr=
ouble
in Starting.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Leaving the airport, they seemingly had trouble
in gaining altitude. People all over the surrounding country declared
they heard the plane "popping" as if it had not been sufficiently warmed
up before the take-off.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Jack Porrier, fireman, who lives a mile from
where the plane dove into the woods said that he heard the plane
"popping" and then saw from his back window, with his wife standing
beside him, the plane's landing lights flare on just at the approach
from a clear field into a dense woods and swamp. Thereafter, they said
at the scene of the crash, they heard the plane crash into the woods,
hit a small tree, then ram a big tree and "explode." However, the plane
did not catch fire, but the heavy timber upon which the plane was torn
apart caught fire when the plane's tank was jerked loose from the
fuselage and splattered gasoline over the tree and sparks from the
collision of the plane against the tree set the gasoline afire.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Sh=
oes
"Blasted."
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The impact was such that both men's shoes were
"blasted" from their feet.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The plane hit the ground ahead of the big tree
on one wheel and swerved to its doom.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The crash occurred on the Sharp's farmstead,
which is said to be partially wooded and swampy.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Evidence at the wreck showed that the plane lost
its left wing when it hit the smaller of the two trees. It then ran
ahead 100 yards through small timber, clearing a place as wide as itself
for that distance which looks like a right-of-way. Then came the crash
against the heavier tree, and the whole plane seemingly "exploded" into
the air and parts of it flew through the air for some distance.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Pl=
ane
Hits Tree.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The motor itself was torn apart and half of it
embedded itself into the large tree, then fell to the ground, leaving a
deep impression on the timber, "like half a doughnut."
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The two bodies were found 40 feet from the
plane, and 20 feet apart. Mr. Williams' body was lying in a bunch of
weeds on the edge of a swamp. Worthen's body was lying in the opening
cut by the mad crash of the plane through small timber.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The airplane, according to R. G. Broussard,
manager of the airport, was brand new and cost $3,000.*
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Ca=
rried
Coloneley Commission.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0In Mr. Williams' pocket was found, in addition
to other things, a newly signed gold-filled notification that he
yesterday had been appointed a colonel on the staff of Governor Leche. A
photograph bearing his name and a picture of himself and his pilot's
license were also found on his body. In Mr. Williams' pockets also was
found $17.50; in the pocket of his pilot was found $1.50. Each carried a
pocket knife and Mr. Williams also carried a pair of goggles.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Mr. Worthern's** body, was badly broken up.
There was a deep gash in his throat and neck and his skull was
fractured. On his feet remained only one sock, the shoes and other sock
having been "blasted" off by the force of the contact with the timber.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Op=
en
Field Near Crash.
Plainly visible near where the pilot steered the plane into the small
timber and unhappily hit the heavier growth was an open field, but in
the darkness he missed this and turned on his lights to make a landing
when he failed to gain elevation. There was no place to go except into
the swampy small timber and he might have emerged alive with his
passenger had it not been for the solitary tree which cracked up the
plane. This tree was hit six feet from the ground.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The open field they missed was back of them
after they hit.
Deputies V. C. Williams and C. L. Long of the sheriff's office were
first at the scene, which is gained by taking a mud road for a mile and
a quarter off the gravel road, which in turn runs off the Hammond
highway at Harelson.
They in turn notified the police, and Capt. MacBurnie Heard immediately
notified a funeral home and the acting coroner, and took the latter to
the scene of the crash.
The bodies, wrapped in white canvas, their limbs grotesquely twisted and
visibly so through the clothes about them, were carried back to the
Rabenhorst parlors quickly, but it took until after midnight to carry
the bodies from the scene to the mud road, thence to the hard road and
back to the city.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Inquest at 10:00 A. M.
Dr. Robbins has called an inquest for this at 10 o'clock at Rabenhorst
funeral parlors. Witnesses of the crash who will testify are: Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Porrier and J. D. Sharp and Sam Sharp, all of whom saw the
plane drive into the woods.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Williams Pioneer in
Field
Mr. Williams, the pioneer American aviation enthusiast, was widely
known. It was he who financed the internationally famous exploits of the
late Wedell brothers, James R. "Jimmy" and Walter Wedell. Mr. Williams
was head of the Wedell-Williams Aid Service, Incorporated, which is well
known for its construction of speed planes.
He was the husband of Marquerite Clarke who early this morning was
reported to have left for Baton Rouge after hearing the news of the
crash.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Worthen Was Veteran
Flier
Mr. Worthen had been with the Wedell-Williams Air Service since its
organization by Mr. Williams and the late James R. "Jimmy" and Walter
Wedell. He learned to fly in Mississippi and went to Patterson from
Jackson, Miss.
"Red" as he was known, and the late Wedell brothers were the first
pilots in the Wedell-Williams organization.
Mr. Broussard, airport manager, said he did not know who was at the
controls of the plane.
"Johnny was at the controls when I turned on the lights to let them get
out of the field," he said, "but I do not know whether he stayed at the
controls after Mr. Harry got in the plane."
*$3,000 could be $9,000 (have to check on cost of planes in 1936).
**Worthern is misspelled - should be Worthen
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
LA-Old-News
=A0=A0~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0 ~ =A0
~ =A0 ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM
http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to
LA-OLD-NEWS-***@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the
quotes in the subject and the body of the message
SWAMPQUEEN~REINE DES BAYOUS La VIE C'EST BON! You have to dance like
nobody's watchin'
And Love like it's never gonn'a hurt. You! yoU Live All Your Life, All
Your Life Long!
AND
When you reach the end of your rope you will find the hem of His
garment.