The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-14
GALE, THE HRosAur.-Tho Paris correspond.

GALE, THE HRoSAUT.-The Paris correspond
ent of the New York Courier and Enquirer says
"Thc Eronaut, Gale, with whose exploits in
the air all Paris has been for the last two months
familiar and whom, believe, your correspondent
has more than once noticed has come at last TO a
dcplorabe end in the exercise of his perilous voca
ton From Paris he proceeded with his balloon
to Bordeaux, and was there astonishing the town
by his ascensions on horseback. Gale was an Eng
ishman, and was unfortunate not to speak
French with desirable correctness and tluency.
His ascension had been made with complete sue
cess. He had rcgained the earth, and multitude
of country people seeing nearly the spot at which
he descending, had collected to gaze at him,
his balloon and his horse, and to extend to him
their aid, if necessary. The horse speedily
freed from the belts, by means of which he had
been suspended, and the balloon, thus discharged
of considerable weight, again became lighter
than the atmosphere, and struggled hard 10 re-
ascend.
''Thc directions of the unfortunate man were
misunderstood by his willing assistants, and the
cords which had already bound the balloon to the
earth securely were again loosed-Gale at the mo-
ment entangled in the net work. The balloon
dartcd up, carrying Gale along with it, By des-
perate effort, he regained the sort of fiat which
had been suspended above him and his horse, and
intended 10 carry the Sand bags used in the ascent.
There il would seem from the report OF his appear
ance and conduct by the spectators below, he must
have been Immediately sufiocated by the gas which
was freely escaping from the balloon, for he lay
motonless, like one dead, upon the flat platform.
w hat afterwards happened will be never known
with certainty. lie and his balloon were soon lost
to the sight Of gazers. Not returning to Bor
deaux within a reasonable time, search was COM
menced in the direction the balloon to take.
About midnight it was discovered rolling on the
surface of the ground having safely descended with
out injury OF any kind. Inquiry and search for
the body was Intellectual the whole of that night.
1.-The next morning, laborer going to his work
in the fields was attracted to something in the
| woods which was object Of fright TO cows which
were passing near IL was the body Of poor Gale.
which had fallen a mile a half from the spot where
his balloon had been found. Iii supposed that the
anchor which in the second ascent of the balloon
had been taken up dangling at tho head OF a long
rope. caught in passing some object the surface
of the earth and caused the platform, unprotected
by any railing, upon which Gale was lying, TO dip.
This motion threw him off Many Of his bones
were found 10 be broken. portion OF his face was
already devourcd by wild animals Of the woods.
Gale had led very adventurous life, full of Incl
dent. lie had been lieutenant in the British
navy. He had spent several years OF his life among
the Indians. He had been play actor. Ii was
only since lsiS that he had adopted the new and
his last vocation Of lkronaut. Many Of your read
ers will remember man who in 1891 performed,
for n hundred more nights, in rapid succession,
| at the Bowery Theatre, New York. the part Of
| Hdzeppd That Gale, who has just come
| to the melancholy end above recounted."