The Ironton News

MOVIE ACTRESS
ESCAPES UNHURT
IN PLANE CRASH

Near Jackson, O., Tuesday
Morning; Pilot Also Escapes
Injuries. Senator Sees Cabin
Ship Fall.

A cornfield, nine miles northwest of Jackson, on Route 11, was the scene of an airplane crash Tuesday morning, in which a movie actress and the pilot narrowly escaped with their lives.

Miss Marjorie Gage, 19, an amateur flyer and Hollywood screen player and her pilot, Robert Blair, 35 also of Hollywood, were not injured.

The young woman was one of the entrants in the Ruth Chatterton air derby last summer during the National Air Races. They were enroute from Hollywood to New York City Monday. They left Columbus late Monday became lost and were forced to land in a field on the outer edge of Jackson on Monday night. Miss Gage and Mr. Blair spent the rest of the night in Jackson.

When they attempted to resume their flight Tuesday morning the plane crashed into a shock of corn fodder and one wheel was snapped off the plane.

Loss of the wheel unbalanced the ship. After circling around some time in a futile effort to obtain altitude, Pilot Blair attempted to land on one wheel. The machine whipped around the field, finally coming to a stop with one wing and the tail torn off and the propeller splintered.

SENATOR SEES CRASH

Senator-elect, James T. McElroy, of the 15-16 Senatorial District of Ohio, and James A. Welker, both men officials of Secretary of State Geo. Meyer's office, were eye witnesses of the accident.

The two men were driving along the highway and saw the plane crack up.

By the time McElroy and Welker reached the ship, Miss Gage and Blair, unhurt climbed from the wreckage. The state officials escorted Miss Gage on into Jackson, while Blair remained on the scene until help arrived.

The ship was a beautiful, six passenger, low-wing, cabin monoplane, and was a valuable craft.

Later in the day the flyers went to Columbus by bus, Miss Gage to continue to New York by plane and Mr. Blair to obtain help and return to Jackson to salvage the ship.