UNMASKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 9

UNMASKED.

"WRONG WAY" FLYER. LIE DETECTOR DOES TRICK. LATEST AMERICAN HERO. , (IYom Our Own CorresfK>ndent.) SAN FRANCISCO, August 10. America never tires of hearing Douglas "Wrong Way'' Corrigan reiterate that he actually intended to return from New York to California when he unconsciously found himself over the Emerald Isle, much to his own amazement. Ever since his return to the United States from his exploits in Ireland he has been subjected to constant questioning by reporters and the public generally, but irrespective of his curious methods in aviation he is firmly ensconced art one of the greatest idols of the American people. A lie detector showed that Douglas was fooling when he said he "certainly" started for California on the flight which ended in Dublin. The lie detector was applied on the good-natured Corrigan at a dinner honouring him in Boston by Dr. William Moulton Marston, New York psychologist. "Because Douglas may have deceived himself in 'his flight across the Atlantic, we are offering this test of- selfdeception," Mayor Maurice J. Tobin said. The instrument records blood pressure in the form of a graph. A truthful statement, Dr. Marston said, was recorded as a normal curve. "Did you really start for California?" Dr. Marston asked Corrigan. The crowded ballroom was hushed as Corrigan replied: "Certainly," but his voice was feeble. Dr. Marston looked at his chart. "I'm really sorry to say tliere is a slight rise here," he said, and the crowd roared with laughter. The detector showed a normal curve when Corrigan asserted he did not change the destination of his flight after taking off from New York. After a roaring welcome when he arrived by airliner at Washington, a tour through the streets packed with cheering spectators, the flyer visited Dennis Mulligan, Director of the Civil Aeronautics Authority. The 1221b Corrigan and the 2001b official who had suspended the Corrigan 'plane's license because of the unauthorised transAtlantic flight emerged from the halfhour's conference with broad smiles. "Has all been forgiven ?" reporters asked Mulligan. "Well." beamed the official, "you cannot resist Niagara. He's a grand boy." Mulligan said he talked to the young flyer about reinstating the license for the ship, and later Corrigan was ordered to remove one of the 'plane's auxiliary tanks to effect better visibility. Prepare for " Regular Job." , After the Washington welcome, Corrigan hurried back to New York to reassemble his fIOO-dollar "jalopy," and then prepared for what he called a regular job. He told a group of Government officials he intended to accept a copilot's job with an airline company. "Co-pilot?" an official asked. "I thought you'd be a bigger shot than that." "No," smiled the unassuming flyer, "I guess it will be a long time before I'm a big shot." It was just after this that the Bureau of Air Commerce said Corrigan would be allowed to fly the "crate" as soon as it had been given a new inspection. In the interview between Mulligan and Corrigan, the dialogue ran like this: Mulligan: "What about explaining your conduct?" Corrigan: "There's nothing much to explain except that I flew on the wrong end of the needle of the compass and got to Ireland instead of California." "Are you certain ?" "Yes, I'm awfully ashamed. I certainly expected some worse punishment than suspension of my license. I thought you'd give it to me when I got back here." "Your flight has had a tremendous effect on the world." "Well, it wouldn't do for every kid in America to jump in any old "crate and go flying off." Corrigan was as nervous as a schoolboy in a principal's office when he was introduced to Mulligan. He twisted his fingers and stood first on one leg and then the other.