Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 6, 1928, Winnipeg, Manitoba Pirates of the air i one a u too leg flier Goose Chase. It was not the first still no of the Cloud hoppers. Of he would t a bellow8 but about it when some one Etsil a Gin Mill or ude0lr8d3i of one of the gunmen he was sore be tji j friends was leaving with s1s Hirn five Hun Cirod dollars i and told Bellows the gang Ornia in they re prob v Vert Lyl Aizic a Fri d Hurriel telephoned instructions Hadley a air Jinai terminal in new Jersey. Burke Ai ranged car and checked out of through depart i it in ranged to a warning to every route from York to California radio Brostl complied with a request to i very everyone he Vicinity of u Field Large out for the Stolon plane. B of ii your men bad Jivon to Reading by i -3 air Pijie Thuu had not deployed sky is a vast place. There is Javore southward across the Texas Border space in it to hide than there sen line the ground and the criminal leaves no tracks on the Clouds obviously these Border patrol planes instead of closing in on Andrews had of seen anything of the pursued and his gang it was possible or the would have signalled they were running away from them hey by have at a Speed of More than 130 mus Beadma and Burkt an hour. Had they really headed for flying the length of the California the Southwest Border country might Border line Reading sighted Sia More they not have thrown out inform patrol planes evidently flying sentry Tion to this effect to put pursuers off along mexican Frontier. Apparently the Trail had not seen the fugitives. Andrews had known from the they flew at altitudes varying from first after the mail planes had been three to eight thousand feet. Reading stolen that he might expect Pursuit and Burke were flying at four thou from the government s flying Detec Sand when they sighted the Daric Green Tive. Would he risk a Long and mass below which was the Pacific Ocean hazardous Pursuit race across the the White surf was Only faintly visible. Country to reach his old stamping heading with the Light. 01 san grounds on the Herd when per Diego and the of Rockwell haps it might be safer to hide in Field in sight considered the possibility i a that and his gang had crashed. Reading turned thes things Over it they had it would be useless to in his mind and decked that an search for them in the desert and Drews must have had a Long distance Mountain country until morning he getaway in mind when he stole Bur and Burke cruised about for an hour. Man s plane. But was t it possible further search in the night air of that he would try to make for the Southern California now seemed almost Northwest where he might operate useless. The fugitive had had plenty As a smuggler across the Canadian of time to arrive if they had been head Borer Rig in n straight line for la Juvalla Mere was nothing to do now How Ever but continue to take a Chance and stick to the southwestward course wer Light and time would show whether he was 1 to a the right Hunch eid at eld when radio signals began to come through. Then came the message. Plane until morning. Police headquarter assented reported that it had thrown a dragnet Over los Angeles and its environs and would make a thorough search for the gang. Heading urged the tired and Dis gusted Dan who was still muttering about Niagara Falls to go to bed crossed Oregon state Boundary. They hoped to catch sight of he Cloud hoppers somewhere net the Columbia River the Boundary a tween Oregon and Washington the morning s work proved to Cut Tut for them. At Sunrise read ing was aroused and called to rhe Telephone. It was the police who reported that the Cloud Hopper had reappeared shot Down a guard of two policemen detailed to watch the abandoned plane filled it with Gas Oline which they brought in a stolen truck and had taken to the air. Later they had been seen passing Over Burbank toward the North. It was evident that Andrews consid ered that the Southwest would too warm for him in the immediate future and was headed for the Northwest. To was. Little More than a thousand Miles of flying to sound where it was Likely he knew of smugglers biding places. The fugitives could easily reach the Northwest country before Sun Down. The plane could carry plenty of fuel for a nonstop flight. It would be easy to land and hide in the labyrinth of land and water that was puget sound. There were hid ing places also further North across the Canadian Border especially on Vancouver Island. Reading s earphones. 32cl tit. My Ayi Hie co aisles a Effie Yeoman known to spite the noise the motor. He acknowledged the signals and listened to a five passenger Cabin monoplane. Along the information if the stolen waa profitable done tonight in a Field Between p Ane Burke was berating the stupidity of the police for not placing a guard about the d ? from it was Able Oad. At better ii Uio. It had n he la and Lon ii in monoplane. Of Cross the message Angeles and san Pedro. It had run this is the radio operator at me fuel and was forced to land Wichita Ai drome. We have just received word that about an hour before you landed Here Andrews landed the stolen plane in a pasture near steal a passing automobile in which they disappeared in the direction top when rending asked plane ajctu1 a t it a t err line filling station a few Miles South Angeles. We Are calling in t. Of Here held up the attendant with an what s the fastest two seater you Lave on hand ready to that two place fighter. I m build automatic and forced him to fill the tanks. Andrews and its three companions took of toward the Southwest before help could be summoned. I am informing the Border to Reading thanked the operator Ana told him that he and Burke would Fly North and land at the latter a private Ai drome on his ranch near ing forty of them for the govern to two Hundred Miles an tie continent in to tops. Reading thanked the operator and los i planes a heading Arm relayed the i Sage to Burke. It had using his motor exhaust Reading open cock i signalled briefly in Morse do close what s the Crri Isong about twelve Hundred in How Many minutes can you Oil got to get Oil .j.3 ground Agiu but. As Speed of around 130 Miles an hour direction. Right you Are would s o a blown their Speed which Reading had estimated was Rass it was evident that Andrews had and Burke hopped to it with Tow x in Early Sta e. Of no Linht. Enough to catch the stolen plane before caught sight of his pursuers and the result that in eighteen minutes they Tei ims decided to with Only it reached the California Border coun Border patrol perhaps from an Alt were speeding North. The Cloud take try. The motors had shown no signs of Tutle above theirs avoid had sheered hoppers had a Start of nearly two they Couin Strain and he now decided to open up to the not caring to risk hours. It would take them about sine a Wichita or Oklahoma City. A bit. Adding ten Miles an hour to his being shot Clown in an attempt to eight hours to reach puget sound. They Siu of Dodge the Speed. Burke followed suit. Cross the Border. Burke s ship could make it in a Little a a Jar air Aromas the detective. Reading feared to ask More of the again the Cloud hoppers had is Over five. They had a Chance Olk Cre Ilie Taie of. Jul that is motors for the Long stretch across the caped when they were almost with catching the fugitives nearly an o increase Meam a bit. Southwestern desert and Mountain in the flying detective s grasp. The our before they were Likely to land. Country and Felt that this Speed would Long and weary Chase across the enable him to catch Andrews before he continent had resulted in another. Frustration. Andrews and i have sent special warnings South Central plates. They will o come Cic there reached the Border. There was a possibility o Uei wild there a n a Hunce thai be caught before see Tihoni. Drews would head South Ami to use of Rry Iny to Una in Texas but on the airways along the country in which there Rauw. If we Noin along adequate facilities be Lucky. The rail is too Acu Long or of Hunt be away up with them pais Liera knowing it. T an across could find a in forty five minutes they Hall roared up and Over the juncture of the Sierra Nevada mountains and his piratical Crew the coast Range. Dan was Givich hiding place in los the motor All he throttle he dared. Titis was Angeles until they found an oppor our by St re were no for Landing and taking of f such a plane As. They were flying and the risk i is great. The detective thought it most Likely Iasi the Cloud hoppers would try to Trinity to get away. It was not yet noon when Leav mount Shasta behind they continued into Mexico somewhere Between Murou to set .1 straight course for and san Diego and heart for Tia and try to oct them to Juana. He Hall so instructed the Border he a order. I be i is patrol. In Borer Patroi to be Andrews would have the advantage of darkness. It would be after sur. Or Aix ret into . Down Wincn Andrews Proi Jaby Trincis to Viil Nitie Lilieni i or a while 2- a Tough Job to round them they d Lio Low unti they Ilai wets the if eith r of he crossed the Colorado they must go in years to River Between Arizona and California. Heading hoped for a Clear cloudless night. There would be a Moon lacking Only a few Days of Bright sky to weariness Anil failure s sting o Inalle a forced lauding on the motors snarled angrily at i a and All the hurts which life can life shall summon them from me i.ulu1 j to tasks which leave the Finger. Ami set them to the tasks Ivsich it would Nave them Flo. I numb inquired Burke. it s a the sir keeps new demands put upon them but con bring and that hour is my const Nul care it Tuncsi cowl Iris so sed North of Vishi Trion a Gaaei to Vest by be aide. Bureau had Swiss the they must go out perhaps the nightly Burden of my to appear a Western Sun made Golden pinwheels of alone prayer when Hoy the propellers and right Encl to face the world which 1 have lord teach me Wisdom teach known. How to fit them for thy purpose wings As they passed Low Over the in South Southern Foothills of the Rocky Moun in Kmieci gains in new Mexico near Santa winding gala River toward Yuma. _ half hour s for Shoula each the coast in less l my ran nto Nyrhe sign Naco set in an Evjy j dories sky before they reached As yet Haci received no Yuma and the Colorado River. The in. T any somewhere Gulf of California was visible toward taif were scud the South. I Jiong in he Reading and burst sept Sharp watch had headed for the for a sight of the pursued plane As he -imfci01 by now Chucy they crossed the River and entered a Reading soon caught sight of the shadowy lines of a Border patrol plane Jutt. And never do i see them smile hey to must submit. But what i sense that after while god Grant that i shall have that certain Day that in to be them or s a alter Neon they landed at Wichita were Thev ate Sand Stoen of a military Type. Another. Neither carried the Wiches while the planes were nothing had been heard at arc Rome there of the Elvin i Een and red suts customarily Dis thirty minutes after their night nolo her the detective and his not Burke Oacle switched on their own to the air again did not Tea Andrev 5 fear my began to reel slight mis would risk reveling their presence by to whether they showing any lights. If they carried any not. After All be on a Vild which was to be doubted. 1928, Edgar a. Guest waa Clear Only slight. V Cloudy and there was a Cross wind from the v. Bill Ltd we High. Reading had i sighted the Columbia River a when Hla practice ear caught birr in the rhythm of the motor. The moment it conked dead. They had been flying at three thou Sand feet. Burke now Sharp -. In order not to loses Speed to stall and As he did so he Looker about for a Landing place. Spott Luy a Field less than two Miles to he made for it. Landing a fast plane with a dead motor in an Uncertain Field la a Job calling for the Best skill of a Good Pilot. Dun was a Good Billot using Hla Best skill and Arter a circling Glide he set his ship Down in an almost perfect Landing. But not quite perfect for the left wheel of his Landing gear struck a Small Hummock and the tire burst. Reading and Burke were on the ground almost a soon a the stopped rolling. Guess there Are still a few bugs in Thea new said Dan Wrath fully. Ill get Busy with it and May be we can get Back in the air again in time to catch those Birds if they Are still in the let me have the emergency tool said heading and i la get Busy with the Flat fortunately both men were expert mechanician As Well As pilots and in less than half an hour repairs and Ceu made. Dan had found that the Prin Cipal trouble was n faulty adjustment of the Carburettor. Reading was re moving the Jack from beneath he repaired wheel when Dan finished. The motor responded instantly and the plane again leaped into the air and Over the Columbia River. Dan decided to Force his engine to make up for lost time and opened the throttle almost to its limit. The indicator now trembled slightly past the Uon Milu Mark. They were flying Between Rainier in solitary Snow capped Man Deur and the Harbor City of Seattle. When hardly More than four Miles ahead and two thousand feet a Boru them they caught sight of plane. It seemed to be heading for puget sound. It might be any plane o a legitimate Mission but it greatly interested read ing and his Pilot. As they neared Seattle the machine ahead now clearly visible As a Cabin monoplane Dove swiftly toward the sound. Burke gave her the gun for everything the motor had. If that s the Cloud Hopper it s cold meat this he muttered to him self. _ when Bellows described the stolen plane to rending he had told him it carried a machine gun and was painted Grey. Now at less than two Hundred Yards the detective saw this was plane that had Given him it four thousand mile Chase Over the Contin ent. He tapped Burke on the shoulder smiled and nodded his heart. Dan understood. An experienced combat flyer. Dart had permitted the plane ahead to dive to an Altitude be Low his which was now less than Twenty five Hundred feet. It was Evi Dent that it had been heading for the labyrinth of puget sound where no doubt Andrews had smuggler friends willing to hide him if he landed safely. It was evident now that tie flying fugitives had sighted their pursuers for there was a Dull red Flash from their machine Pun which was be ing operated through the roof of the Cabin. But the Mark Airship was bad. And the pursuing plane was not lit. They were now far Over the sound. Reading and Burke warmed up the fore and aft machine guns with a few bursts. Veteran air fighters they would not waste ammunition until they got the proper Range. They would have preferred to capture the Cloud hop pers alive but they had been tired upon and it now seemed to of a matter of their lives or the lives of the murderous air pirates. Dan firing through ins own propel Ler from a position less than two Hundred feet to the rear and above the tall of the enemy plane shattered its propeller. He Thot Down Ward past the crippled plane he saw the dark grim visage of Andrews above the controls. He was trying for a l lading Landing. There was another burst from the roof of the Cabin and just before Dan drove his plane out of the pirates Sun Range Reading fired. Andrews crumpled Forward on his controls. The stolen plane plunged the water in a spinning crash. The Long Chase was Over. The bodies of the four air plane thieves were recovered from the sound the following Day and the Coroner s jury voted its thanks to the flying detective and his Deputy. Mcclure newspaper Syndicate Story Section free press Winnipeg saturday october 6, 192a a g thirties ;