1924 Newspaper Abstracts
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol. XXX #13, Thurs., March 26, 1924:
p. 1, c. 5 -
EXPERIMENTING IN
PLANE TRAVEL
BY CLOTHING CO.
A letter was received this morning from Roscoe Turner at Iowa
City, Iowa, where he was stopping enroute [sic] to St. Paul. He was
carrying a salesman from the Curlee Clothing Co. as an experiment in
airplane traveling as a mode of transportation for their salesmen.
The letter does not indicate when Mr. Turner is to return home.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol. XXX #13, Thurs., March 26, 1924:
p. 3, c. 2 -
A message was received this morning from Roscoe Turner at St.
Louis where he went by airplane, stating that he would leave St. Louis
Saturday morning for Boston. He is making this trip by plane, also,
and in the interest of the Curlee Clothing Company.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol. XXIX #20, Thurs., May 15, 1924:
p. 1, c. 6 -
TURNER HOME
FROM FLIGHT TO
BUCKEYE TOWN
Roscoe Turner is back from a flight to Akron, Ohio, from
Humboldt, Tenn., and return, and is bubbling over with appreciation of
the courtesies received and the sights viewed on the trip. At Dayton he
states that all types of planes can be seen at the various fields.
From Paducah on the beautiful farming lands along the Wabash and
the Ohio rivers was more than ordinary impressive. The trip covered
thirteen hundred miles, and the flying time was eighteen hours and ten
minutes.
The Bolivar Bulletin, Vol LVIX, #8, Friday September 26, 1924:
p. 2 (Bolivar, Tennessee) -
MIDDLETON
---------
Quite a number of folks from our town and community are attending
the Tri-State Fair at Memphis this week...
Mr. Turner, of Corinth, Miss., came over to our town last Sunday
in his airplane, accompanied by Miss Carline Stovall, and they were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Cornelius. In the afternoon, Mr. Turner made
several flights, carrying with him several of our citizens, giving them
the thrill of riding in an airplane, together with the opportunity of
seeing how the country looks to those who travel the air route....
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #39, Thursday, October 2, 1924
p. 1, c. 5 -
Missing Image DOS RT1
MARRIED AND
FLEW AWAY TO
ANOTHER CLIME
From Monday's Daily.
Just as the dawn came creeping across the field east of the city
known as the airplane landing place there was a most unusual scene
witnessed on that field. Roscoe Turner and Miss Carline Hunter Stovall,
seated in an airplane were united in marriage by Rev. E. R.Smoot, who
with some difficulty managed to stand on the wing of the machine, which
was later to be their honeymoon boat on an air voyage to Dayton, Ohio.
Only a few of the relatives and friends of the couple witnessed
this most attractive and unusual scene. Clad in their aviation costumes
and ready to go, they listened to an exceptionally impressive ceremony as
the pastor, a warm personal friend of each of the contracting parties,
pronounced them husband and wife. There was no music of any character
but the beautiful ceremony lost none of its impressiveness on that
account. And the brightening of the day as the ceremony advanced, and
the thought of beginning their lives together with the coming of the new
day, not only thrilled this young couple but likewise thrilled those who
were fortunate enough to be present.
The marriage occurred shortly after 4 o'clock and by 6 o'clock
the whirr of the propeller to the big Turner airplane was driving them at
a terrific speed toward their honeymoon destination, Dayton, Ohio. They
go there to attend the big International Air Race meeting, where they
will see the round-the-world aviators, and where they will witness some
of the most daring events of air navigation. Mr. Turner is himself an
experienced aviator of national reputation, some of his aerial
performances being classed as the most hazardous attempts yet made by any
air aviator, while his bride has ridden in the plane with him
sufficiently not to be shy of the journey that was before them when they
waved a good bye and the crowd waved back bon voyage. It was the like of
which has not been witnessed in Corinth and perhaps will never be again,
and for that reason was all the more interesting.
Those who were present at this scene were M. T. Lockman and
family, B. C. Barnes and family; relatives; Misses Gertrude and Frances
Stovall, sisters of the bride; Rev. and Mrs. E. R. Smoot, Chas. Surat and
family, on whose place the landing field is located and the taxi men who
took the party from the city at that early hour.
Arrangements had been made by Mr. Turner to stop at Nashville,
Bowling Green and Louisville for gas. A special tank of sufficient size
to carry an extra amount of gas had been constructed and attached to the
machine and no stops are to be made except for gas. When they departed
they expected to reach Dayton some time this afternoon if they did not
come in contact with strong opposition air currents.
The groom was connected with the United States air service
during the world war and distinguished himself for his skill, daring and
remarkable courage in the handling of aircraft of various types; he is
engaged in the automobile business in Corinth and interests himself in
many ways in aerial navigation. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Turner
residing west of the city, and is a brother of Ave Turner at the First
National Bank, and a young man of character and sterling qualities, and
held in esteem by a large number of friends in Corinth.
His bride, who was Miss Carline Stovall, is a young woman of
unusual personal charm, a musician of rare talent, is organist at the
First Methodist church, and is loved by all the people of Corinth, where
she has made her home the past two or three years teaching music, and in
Kenton, Tenn., her former home before she came here. She is a niece of
M. T. Lockman and is related to the well known Stovall families of
McNairy county and Jackson, Tenn.
His bride, who was Miss Carline Stovall
They will be away from Corinth perhaps a couple of weeks;
returning by way of Chicago and St. Louis, making the entire trip from
here to Dayton and returning in their airplane. On their return home
they are to have apartments in the new building now under construction by
W. W. Hinton on Kilpatrick street.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #39, Thursday, October 2, 1924
STRONG WIND
DELAY JOURNEY
FLYING LOVERS
-------------
Tuesday's Daily.
A telegram from Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Turner at Nashville Monday
afternoon stated that high winds prevented them from proceeding on to
Dayton, in their aerial honeymoon trip. They remained over night at
Nashville and if the winds were favorable were to proceed to Dayton
today, where the big air meeting is to take place Thursday and Friday
...."
St.Louis Post-Dispatch, St.Louis, MO, Thur., October 2, 1924:
p. 3 , c. 7 -
MARRIED IN PLANE WITH
HONEYMOON TRIP BY AIR
-------------
Couple Arrive at Field From
Mississippi as On-to-Dayton
Flyers Race In.
By the Associated Press.
DAYTON, O., Oct. 2.-- The arrival of a pair of aerial
honeymooners and a nonstop flight from Dallas, Tex., were incidents of
the completion of the first event of this year's international air races,
the on-to-Dayton flight. The winner of the On-to-Dayton flight, which
officially started Sept. 20, was announced today to be Charles S. Jones
of Garden City, N.Y., scoring 239 points. He was winner also in the
labor union event today.
Roscoe Turner of Corinth, Miss., and his three-day bride, who was
Caroline Stovall, also of Corinth, taxied to a stop at Wilbur Wright
Field at 3:36 p.m. yesterday. They were married in the former's plane at
5 o'clock Monday morning at Corinth.
Leaving Dallas, Tex., at 5.55 a.m. yesterday, M.M.Merrill arrived
at Wright Field at 3:55 without having made a stop. His flying distance
was 870 miles. His plane is a rebuilt Curtiss.
Available figures show that C.S. Jones of Chanute Field, Ill., is
well in front in the on-to-Dayton race. He has 239 points. Charles
Holman of Minot, N.D. has 228 points. Others high are H.A.Hoyte, of
Maywood, Chicago, with 216 points and Basil L. Rowe, of Warren, O., with
191 points.
[Note: According to the Montgomery County Historical Society, Old Court
House, 7 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402 (513) 228-6271- The
"On-To-Dayton" race was the first event on the race program that year and
was limited to civilians. It was designed to stimulate interest among
civilian fliers and was open to all makes & types of aircraft.
Competitors had to fly from points 200 miles or farther from Wilbur
Wright Field in Dayton. Prizes were awarded on accomplishment of the
planes with regard to distance traveled, speed, # of passengers, and
horsepower engines. Competitors had to start after September 30 and
finish on or before Oct. 1.]
The Sheffield Standard, Vol. XXXII No. 14, Friday, Oct 3, 1924:
p. 1, c. 1 -
ROSCOE TURNER IS
MARRIED IN CORINTH
----------
BRIDE TO TAKE AERIAL TRIP
TO DAYTON WITH HUSBAND
----------
Roscoe Turner, daring local aviator who is flying to Dayton,
Ohio, to advertise Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, was quietly
married in Corinth, Miss., before his departure Monday morning on his
cross-country hop to Dayton.
In a telegram to The Sumner Realty Company, of this city, he
says:
"Because of heavy winds am stopping here until tomorrow. I was
married this morning just before leaving Corinth and my bride is
with me."
This is a modern marriage and came quite unexpected to his host
of friends in Sheffield, who wish the two all the happiness in the world.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., October 3, 1924:
p. 11, c. 2 -
NOTABLES GATHER AT AIRDOME NEAR DAYTON FOR PLANE RACES
PICTURE: [Roscoe and Carline in front of plane, with another couple of
honeymooners from Houston, TX, Mr. and Mrs. Errett Williams.]
Caption: These four honeymooners arrived on the first day. At
the left are Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Turner, of Corinth, Miss., who
battled for two days with head winds in Tennessee before
reaching the aviation city. They were married an hour before
"taking off" for the races are are en route to Chicago to visit
friends. The smiling couple at the right are Mr. and Mrs.
Errett Williams, of Houston, Texas, who made the hop to Dayton
in 11 hours in a Curtis Standard.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St.Louis, MO, Tues., October 7, 1924:
p. 8 , c. 1 & picture p. 33 -
PICTURE: [Roscoe and Carline in front of plane, both in flying gear.
Carline has ribbon saying Mechanic on her jacket.] Caption:
HERE ON AIR HONEYMOON: Roscoe Turner and his bride of Corinth,
Miss., who were wed in a plane on their way to the
International Air Races at Dayon, O., and who flew to St. Louis
yesterday. Mrs. Turner was Miss Carline Stovall.
NEWLYWEDS HERE IN
HONEYMOON PLANE
Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Turner,
Corinth, Miss., Returning
From Dayton Races
Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Turner, aerial honeymooners, arrived in St.
Louis yesterday from the national air races at Dayton on their return
flight to Corinth, Miss., where they were married at dawn Sept. 29 at
Turner's private flying field.
Immediately after the wedding they became entrants in the
On-to-Dayton Race, making stops at Nashville, Louisville and Cincinnati.
They arrived at Dayton last Wednesday, finishing seventeenth in the race.
The hop-off from Dayton was made early yesterday and Turner
brought the honeymoon plane to earth on the grounds of the St. Louis
Training School, north of the city yesterday afternoon. He had planned
to land at Lambert-St.Louis Field but, because of a heavy smoke pall over
the city, took advantage of the landing offered by the spacious grounds
of the Training School. The plane was piloted to Lambert Field today,
and the honeymooners will start for home tomorrow, making a stop at
Memphis.
Turner is a former army aviator with overseas service. Since the
war he has engaged in exhibition flying from his own field.
His bride was Miss Caroline Stovall, vocal teacher and organist
at Corinth. Prior to the start of the aerial honeymoon, Mrs. Turner had
made but four short flights. However, she is enthusiastic in her praise
of a honeymoon-by-air. "The motor makes so much noise it is almost
impossible to quarrel while in the air," she laughed. "I may try making
faces at my husband later," she added, "but I am afraid he will stunt the
plane if I do." The Turners are visiting an aunt of the bride, Mrs. E.
Ammons, 5447 Easton avenue. A photograph of the aerial honeymooners
appears on the pictoral page of today's Post-Dispatch.
Honeymoons by airplane are proving attractive to aviators and
their brides. On July 27 Albert S. Lowe Jr., a member of the St. Louis
Flying Club, and his bride, formerly Miss Irmgard Zetlmels of 316 Skinker
road, left Lambert-St. Louis Field in a plane on their honeymoon. That
this style in honeymoons is not without danger was shown when the plane
fell 200 feet while Lowe was giving an exhibition flight alone at
Shawneetown, Ill., his former home. Lowe's right leg was broken and the
plane demolished.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #40, Thursday, October 9, 1924:
p. 7, c. 6-
..."Go way from home to learn the news" continues to hold good.
In fact it is a long ways to Dayton, Ohio. But it was given out as news
there Wednesday that Roscoe Turner had quit doing stunt flying. He and
his bride are in the Ohio city with the great international flyers
today....
...Miss Gertrude Stovall is in receipt of a telegram from
Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Turner in which they state that motor trouble
en route to Dayton from Nashville cut their average flight too
low to allow them to be considered in the races....
The New York Times, Rotogravure Picture Section, Sunday, October 12, 1924
PICTURE: [Roscoe and Carline in front of plane, both in flying gear.
Carline has ribbon saying Mechanic on her jacket.]
Caption: THE HONEYMOON SPECIAL ARRIVES AT DAYTON: ROSCOE
TURNER AND HIS BRIDE, Who Were Married at Corinth, Miss., at 5
o'Clock in the Morning, With the Minister Standing on a Wing of
His Plane, Report for the International Races the Same Day.
(Times Wide World Photos.
The World-Herald?, Omaha, Nebraska, Sunday, Oct 12, 1924:
p. , c. -
COOING O.K. - NO BILLING
--------
POLICE ARREST HONEYMOON FLIER FOR LITTERING
BUILDING TOPS WITH CIRCULARS.
-----------
The 2 thousand-mile aerial honeymoon flight of Roscoe Turner,
world war flyer and his bride of two weeks, both of Corinth, Miss., was
interupted in Omaha yesterday.
Turner and his bride had flown to Omaha via St. Louis and arrived
here Friday night in their honeymoon plane. Yesterday afternoon, while
Mrs. Turner attended a football game at League park, Turner in company
with J.W. Cunningham of the Curlee Clothing company of St. Louis
proceeded to advertise the baseball game today between the Murphy's and
the St. Louis clothiers by dropping pamphlets advertising the game from
the air.
All went well and the city was plastered before Turner landed at
Pulitzer field. There he was met by Motorcycle officers Musgrave and
Slavin. The two men were taken to the police station and booked for
investigation.
Soft hearted police officials when they learned of Turner's
matrimonial status fixed his bond at $50 so he could go to his wife.
Cunningham's bond was set at 5 hundred.
Officers at the police station were at a loss what charges to
place against the two airmen as there is no municipal ordinance that
prohibits the dropping of pamphlets over the city from an aeroplane. The
decision to arrest the men was based on the ordinance prohibiting the
passing of handbils and followed a complaint made by the chamber of
commerce last week when another aviator covered the city with pamphlets.
Turner and Cunningham stated that they were not aware of the fact
that it was against local laws to drop pamphlets over the city.
Shortly after the arrest of the two men became known J.D. Dorsey,
2215 Spencer street, Louis Simon, and a number of other prominent
business men came down to the police station to protest to Chief of
Detectives Danbaum on the ground that the men were the guests of the city
and ignorant of the fact that they were violating a city ordinance.
"Omaha will get a 'black eye' for such treatment of visiting airmen,"
Simon stated, and urged that the men be released. "Both men did the same
thing in St.Louis before the games between the Murphy team and the Curlee
clothing team and no objection was made by St.Louis authorities," Simon
said.
Danbaum refused to drop the charges, however, on the ground that
the city streets had become littered with the pamphlets, and that the
ventilators above the higher buildings in the city would probably become
clogged again as they did last week after handbills had been scattered
over the city.
"The man who dropped the bills last week did more than a thousand
dollars worth of damage in the city," Danbaum asserted. "The bills lying
about the tops of the buildings are an additional fire hazard, and many
business men have protested against allowing anyone to drop them over the
city."
Cunningham was given his freedom when Dorsey signed his bonds.
Both men will have to appear in police court Tuesday.
In the meantime, the honeymoon, at least the aerial feature, must
wait.
Mr. and Mrs. Turner were married in Corinth September 29 on Mr.
Turner's twenty-ninth birthday, and left at once in Mr. Turner's plane
for the international air races at Dayton, Ohio, where they arrived,
seventeenth in the "On to Dayton" race.
While returning to Corinth, they stopped in St. Louis. There
they found members of the Curlee clothiers, champions of the St. Louis
municipal ball league, in a quandary as to how they could get their
mascot "Snookie," a bull terrier, to Omaha. The only two games lost by
the team during the summer was when "Snookie" was not along, and the
players insisted he be here for the Murphy-Did-Its game Sunday.
Mr.Turner accepted a 4 hundred dollar offer to bring the mascot
to Omaha.
The dog belongs to A.B.Hendry, secretary of publicity for the
St.Louis Chamber of Commerce.
This afternoon, when the Curlee Clothiers play the return game at
League park, Turner will drop the first ball from his plane. Gordon
Maguire, St.Louis centerfielder, will attempt to catch it.
Turner was an overseas army aviator during the war. His bride
was formerly Caroline Stovall of Corinth. Turner is an auto dealer in
Corinth, keeping the plane for his own pleasure.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #41, Thursday, October 16, 1924
NEW THRILLS
FOR AIRPLANE
HONEYMOON
All the thrills of a real genuine romance to Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe
Turner in their honeymoon trip by airplane.... ...Omaha papers state
that the groom and James Cunningham were placed in jail there on Saturday
under a charge of flying too low. But as a letter has been received from
the honeymooners telling of the wonderful fine time they are having in
the state of the Bryans, and Jim Cunningham is back in St. Louis, it is
presumed that all was fixed without trouble.
The Curlee Clothing Company maintains a baseball team and had
gone to Omaha to play a team there for the midwest championship but in
the hurried departure from St. Louis had failed to take along their
mascot, an Airedale bull dog. S. H. Curlee sought out Turner and his
bride and rushed James Cunningham, a former Corinth boy, now employed by
the Curlee Co., and "Snookie" to Omaha ahead of the team. Turner and
Cunningham decided to advertise the game. The police of Omaha saw them
and thought they were pilots who recently had caused trouble by the
distribution of advertising matter in the city, and when they begun the
distribution of advertisements of the ball game they were arrested and
placed in jail.
According to the story of the Omaha paper there was quite
a stir in the old town, the chief of police holding out to punish the
aviators and the officials of the base ball association and the president
of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce intervening, S. H. Curlee and the
secretary of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce all intervening for the
prisoners.
The reputation of Omaha for hospitality was at stake and from
subsequent occurrences it is presumed that all charges were withdrawn
...."
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #42, Thursday, October 23, 1924:
p. 2, c. 3 -
BACK TO EARTH
CAME TURNERS
THIS MORNING
Wednesday's Daily.
After being feasted and toasted for more than fifteen
days in as many large cities of the country from Nashville to Omaha,
stood the test for hundreds of cameras, idolized by the flappers of both
sexes everywhere, commented on seriously and otherwise by the newspapers
from coast to coast, visitors in church, feted in social functions and
the groom seeing his bride and flying companion through the bars of the
Omaha jail ... the aerial honeymooners are at home.
The whir of the engines was heard about 11 o'clock and as the big
machine that had proven its durability during the past two weeks came
into view the eyes of Corinth were turned toward the skies and with one
accord the words "it's them" was uttered, and within minutes Mr. and Mrs.
Roscoe Turner, driven by Mrs. E. M. Cochran, and accompanied by the
sister of the bride and Master Douglas Cochran were in front of The
Corinthian office ...."
The Sheffield Standard, Vol. XXXII No. 17, Friday, Oct 24, 1924:
p. 7, c. 6 -
ROSCOE TURNER TO
BUY NEW PLANE
News reached Sheffield last week of the intentions of Roscoe
Turner to purchase a new three-passenger plane in the early future. The
"Muscle Shoals" plane in which he and his bride made the trip to Dayton
will undergo a motor overhauling before he can fly the ship back to this
district, he stated.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #43, Thursday, October 30, 1924:
p. 1, c. 2 -
TURNER IN NEW PLANE
ARRIVES FROM
THE WEST
Roscoe Turner returned Friday afternoon from an absence of
several days, during which time he visited St. Louis, Mo., Dallas, and
Fort Worth, Texas and Shreveport, La. But the feature of his return was
that he came home in a brand new three passenger airplane.
He went to St. Louis several days ago and there negotiated with
the Robertson Aircraft Corporation for the new plane which he was flying
on his return Friday afternoon. He then delivered H. R. Davis, head
salesman of the Curlee Clothing Co., to Dallas, Texas where he went on
business, especially an advertising campaign.
From Dallas Mr. Turner returned by way of Shreveport, and the
actual flying time from Dallas to Corinth was nine hours and thirty
minutes. The big new plane carries an advertisement of the Curlee
Clothing Co., and S.H.Curlee was one of the passengers who helped to
initiate the new plane in St. Louis.
Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Turner and her two sisters Misses Gertrude
and Frances Lockman Stovall will make a "flying trip" in fact to
Sheffield for a visit with friends.
The Sheffield Standard, Vol. XXXII No. 18, Friday, Oct 30, 1924:
p. 1, c. 6 -
VIEWS DISTRICT
FROM AEROPLANE
J.BERT SMITH AND DAUGHTER
"HOP OFF" WITH ROSCOE
TURNER IN NEW
PLANE
Mr. J. Bert Smith, of The Standard, and daughter, Miss Ellen, had
the pleasure of viewing the entire Muscle Shoals district from the air
Sunday when they hopped off with Roscoe Turner in his new plane, which he
flew from St. Louis, accompanied by his bride.
Mr. Smith stated that he had no idea of the magnitude of the
district until he viewed it from the air. He said the view was most
interesting and that the trip was worth the time of anyone.
At an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet the Muscle Shoals
district took on a different aspect altogether. Mr. Smith and daughter
are thoroughly convinced that the ultimate mode of transportation will be
the aeroplane.
Mr. Smith stated that the trip was one of the most enjoyable he
had ever taken and that his daughter, Ellen, was highly enthused with
aerial transportation. He also stated that neither of them experienced
the slightest sensation of the height they were traveling.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #47, Thursday, November 27, 1924:
p. 5, c. 3 -
TURNER RETURNS
FROM SHEFFIELD
TRIP BY AIRPLANE
--------------
Monday afternoon Roscoe Turner returned from a business
trip to Sheffield coming over by airplane. He brought with him a
number of automobile parts and also a couple of passengers. The
passengers were William Brown of Iuka, and a Mr. Bartlett of
Burnsville. These gentlemen expressed themselves as pleased with
this their first flight, and contemplate taking another.
Thursday Mr. Turner will go to Water Valley by airplane
making the trip to look after business in that section.
The Weekly Corinthian, Vol XXIX, #47, Thursday, November 27, 1924:
p. 6, c. 5 -
...At a meeting of the members of the choir of the First
Methodist church Thursday evening at the home of Mrs. C.F.Gilbert
on Webster street a reorganization was effected. Mrs. Charles
Santana was chosen president, Mrs. W.L. Ellis secretary, Sam
Jones treasurer and business manager, Mrs. Roscoe Turner
organist.
There will be a special musical program for Christmas.
The president will each month appoint some member of the
choir to have charge of the music for that period. Mrs. W.L.
Ellis was appointed for the present until December 31.
The Weekly Corinthian, XXIX #49, Thurs., Dec. 11, 1924:
p. 8, c. 2 -
DOING STUNTS IN
AIR OVER CITY
FROM AIRPLANE
Monday's Daily.
As The Corinthian is closing up the forms for the issue of today
there is a flying machine stunt going on in the air above the city. A
big plane piloted by Roscoe Turner is carrying a passenger named Starnes.
Starnes walked the wings of the big airplane, hung from the wings by his
legs, climbed under the body and swung by his legs from the axle of the
truck, swung a rope ladder and then climbed back onto the plane.
Just what is to begained by thus flirting with fate and giving
hope to the undertaker is hard to understand, but there are a great many
who do these things, and as long as they are done, though no one is
profited thereby, there will be those who will watch and the members of
The Corinthian force belong to that curious throng.
Related data: Excerpt from AERIAL MANIAC
The Weekly Corinthian, XXIX #50, Thurs., Dec. 18, 1924:
p. 8, c. 3 -
LETTER FROM BILL DUGAN
Selmer, Tenn., Dec. 14. [Sunday]
Yesterday was a big day for Selmer. Roscoe Turner was advertised
to fly over the city at 2 p.m., and was on time and both Turner and his
friend performed their stunts well. Thousands of old women stood and
looked straight up until the sun burned their tough old necks; men run
back half a mile and pulled off their hats to see the man walk out on the
wings and skin cats; automobiles were run over like truck wagons;
children were knocked down; people were here from the four wings of the
earth. Some come in cars; some hoss back; some mule back; some a
foot. Thousands of men here that had not washed their faces or combed
their heads in seven years and old women that had not spit the snuff out
of their mouth in ten years. McNairy county is one great county. It is
the home of many Corinthians. Namely, C.S.Graham, Sol Weeks, Rufe Smith,
Guy Chambers, Major and Henry Sharp, P.J.Huggins and old John Redding and
Sam Perkins, but thank the Lord Filmore Baxter was born just over the
line in Mississippi. But Baxter is one good old soul and a blessing to
any town, for his feet are so big he tramps all the insects to death in
the spring.
My next letter will be on the Henry cemetery. -- Bill Dugan.
Related data: Excerpt from AERIAL MANIAC
The Weekly Corinthian, XXIX #50, Thurs., Dec. 18, 1924:
p. 1, c. 2 -
LIEUT. TURNER
TO OPEN FIELD
FOR AVIATION
From Saturday's Daily
On Saturday and Sunday, December 20 and 21, will take place the
opening of the new aviation field by the government at Ford City, or
Muscle Shoals.
Lieut. Roscoe Turner of this city, who has made a reputation as
an aviator throughout the entire country, will have charge of the field,
and there will be army and civilian flyers from all parts of the country
to participate in the proceedings of the two days. The program will be
presented from the air by these aces of the flying world. There will be
both personal and plane stunts to give the witnesses their thrills.
Lieut. Turner will have his part in these proceedings.
The Weekly Corinthian, XXIX #50, Thurs., Dec. 18, 1924:
p. 1, c. 6 -
NOTED TENNESSEE
AUTHOR MAKES AN
AIRPLANE TRIP
Aviators Turner and Starnes navigated the air to Clifton, Tenn.,
Sunday and on their return had as their passenger guest T. S. Stribling,
author and short story writer.
Mr. Stribling made the trip for the experience of a joy ride in
the air and made continuous notes during the trip for future use in his
writings. He returned home this morning going by automobile.
The day was a delightful one for the air trip and all enjoyed it
very much. The passenger, however, was but little concerned apparently
when the aviators informed him they were lost. Casually he made a note
to the effect that the pilot stated he was lost, and then proceeded with
the other notations of his observations.
For more about T.S. Stribling.
The Florence Times, Florence, AL, Fri., Dec. 19, 1924:
p. 1, c. 8 -
BIG AIR MEET
FOR TWO DAYS
------
Stunt Flying and Sev-
eral Other Attrac-
tions Planned
------
Thursday afternoon Lieutenant Turner piloted the Muscle Shoals
plane with Art Starnes out on the wings over Tuscumbia, Sheffield and
Florence. A number of people who saw this stunt got a thrill out of it,
but it is tame compared with stunts that will be given at the Air Meet at
Ford City Saturday and Sunday.
The Muscle Shoals airplane which Lieutenant Turner and his bride
made the trip to the Air Races at Dayon, Ohio, has made its last flight
over the Tri-Cities, for Lieutenant Turner is going to crash it Sunday
afternoon just to thrill the spectators. This stunt is new and original
and is only added to the many other thrills to make the program complete
with the last word in thrills.
In addition to the many death defying stunts of Art Starnes, "The
Safety Last Boy" he will do the death swing twenty feet below the ship
and change planes in mid-air, make a parachute leap and the Dog Parachute
jumper will be on hand.
Following the meet Saturday there will be a dinner and a dance
Saturday night at the Highland Park Country Club for the Nashville and
Birmingham squadrons which will be here for the two days. The dancing
crowds of the Tri-Cities is invited to the dance, from nine until twelve.
Abstracts (c) Copyright 1993 Stephanie L. Sandy
Data transcription by: Milton Sandy, Jr. Corinth, MS - April 20, 1993