If Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates or Warren Buffett mysteriously vanished by falling from an airplane and then was found floating in the sea in his underwear you might expect to have heard about it not only then but for years afterward. But in 1928 when the richest man in Europe, Alfred Loewenstein, fell from his airplane he hardly warranted a few days of press concern. By the time fisherman accidentally found his body fifteen days later, the world had moved on.
The characters in this mystery play were Pilot Donald Drew, Mechanic Robert Little both sealed in the cockpit and unable to move into the passenger compartment while the plane was in midair, a male Secretary Arthur Hodgson, male Valet Frederick Baxter and two female clerks; Eileen Clarke and Paule Bidalon. In a manifest for a Fokker plane number 5192, 25 year old Paule Bidalon accompanied Loewenstein with two male secretaries Louis Bayard and Ernest Liegeois on May 2, 1928 bound for Brussels from the United States. These three had sailed to the United States together on April 25, 1928 and Ernest was listed as a stenographer while Louis and Paule were secretaries. They were heading to the Ambassador Hotel and they expected to stay four weeks to 2 months in the United States. About a week later, they flew back to Europe together with Loewenstein.
On July 4, 1928 a little after 6 pm, the plane takes off from Croydon, England. Only Paule Bidalon and Loewenstein were on both flights. Somewhere over the English Channel, Loewenstein fell out of the plane. The question of murder arose since this was a rich, powerful man and no one could believe that the door would open in midair. Supposedly two strong men would be needed to open it in the air because the airplane manufacturer said that was so. Baxter was the one who looked for him and not hearing him in the lavatory he opened the door but the man wasn’t there. The outside door was “unsecured and was slapping back and forth in the airflow”. Without any other possible explanation we must then assume the door opened and Loewenstein went out. They were able to pass a note to the pilot who immediately landed on a beach and was seen by a nearby army group who immediately went to the scene and questioned the group who were found all outside the airplane. They then flew to the nearest airport. It was all quite strange until his underwear clad body was found later by fisherman near Boulogne-sur-Mer. Why was the body found almost naked?
Immediately, you might be suspicious that something of an erotic nature may have occurred on the flight. It is possible. Sometimes though the real story is the story. The 3° Leo asteroid Loewenstein is on the sabian symbol “a middle aged woman, her long hair flowing over her shoulders in a bra-less youthful garment.” The Leo zodiac sign is fixed fire. Ruled by the Sun with his natural home the 5th house. Alfredo has reached the stage of life where he is no longer young but he is trying to recapture his youth through that strange phenomena of middle aged people pretending to be a teenager again. The Sun is conjunct Venus. Had he found a beautiful Venus to inspire an amorous pursuit?
Erotic Ending Perchance
One of the secretaries, 25 year old Paule Bidalon, had been employed by Loewenstein since April. Now a little over two months later, she accompanied him on this flight too. Another woman was present as well, Eileen Clarke. In this scenario, he is in the anteroom undoing his pants with one of the lady clerks. The 5th house is heavily activated with Taurus Mars conjunct Jupiter. Jupiter is ruling the Ascendant of the horoscope. This combination could be gigantic sexual desire. While he was undoing his pants in the jostling airplane could he have fallen against the door pushing it open enough to slip out. Once falling, the loose pants get pulled off his legs leaving him to be found dead in his underwear, socks and shoes?
Or Did Vanity Go Before the Fall
Vanity. The 3° Leo asteroid Loewenstein might just be suffering this Leonine malady. The middle aged woman wants to look young. Vain. The Sun might just be looking in the Venusian mirror. Did he use the toilet and the air rush up staining his pants with some of the contents of the bowl. Taking his pants off to wash them, did he then try to dry them by opening the plane door. Falling to his death for vanity?
Icarus, the man who falls from the sky, tries to fly too close to the Sun. His wax wings melt and he falls to his death. The retrograde asteroid Icarus falls backward away from the Aquarian moon. The Moon is a symbol of a woman. These two oppose the asteroid Loewenstein. Did this petty Leo, a captain of industry, one of the world’s richest men, riding in his new chariot across the sky anger Helios with his Olympian appetite for Venus? Loewenstein’s wax wings melted letting him slip out into the sky to plummet back to earth.