The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-08-05
THE ..FLY1NG MAN"

The London Daily Telegraph OF
the 10th inst gives the following
account of the fatal accident to NJ.
dc Groof, the 'sFlying Man." It
WAS announced yesterday that at
7:30 p. m. n. de Groof, the Flying
Man, would repeat at the Cremorns
Gardens sshis astounding perform
ance Of flying through the air
distance OF 5000 feet" True to
his announcement, the Flying Man
did endeavor to repeat the exploit
which he had accomplished in safety
ten days before, and persisted in
the attempt NJ. de Groof was
Belgian. who had expended years
in constructing for himself an ap-
paratus with which he believed it
possible to initiate the fight of
bird. The general outline Of this
apparatus was in imitation of bats
wings, the framework being made
Of cane, and the Intervening mem
branes Of stout waterproof silk.
The wings were in all thirty seven
feet long, with an average breadth
Of four feet, while the tail was
eighteen feet by three. These
wings were inserted into two hing
ed frames that were attached to q
wooden stand on which the mron
ant took his place. Here he had
three levers which he worked by
band to give his machine propulsion
or guidance az might be required;
his theory being that having start
ed from a given height he could
manage his descent 80 as to reach
the earth by q sort of inclined
swooping motion, without risk OF
conclusion. About q year ago NJ.
de Groof made an attempt, of which
our correspondent at the time tel
egraphed the particulars, 10 descend
from q great height on the Grand
place at Brussels. The effort was
. failure. but L'Homme Volant, as
he was then called, escaped unhurt,
though his network was afterward
torn in pieces by the crowd. On
Monday, the Goth ultimo, however,
N. de Groof repeated his expert.
ment at Cremorne Gardens, with
success. Mr.. Baum, the proprietor
Of the gardens, had, it seems, after
making an engagement with him,
felt some uneasiness as to the re-
suit, and at first refused to allow
the trial 10 be made. The Flying
Man protested the absolute feast.
Utility of his scheme, and insisted
On the contract being carried out;
and this was done. The wings and
stand were attached to q balloon
guided by Mr.. Simmons, who, after
drifting over London toward Bran.
don in Essex, released his compan
ion at considerable height-3OO
or 600 feet, it is said-and the flying
APPARATUS was Immediately set in
motion. "For q time," it is said,
1T was q race between the eronaut
and the flyer, De Groof winning by
two fields lengths, and attaining
the ground in perfect safety"
How the accident occurred last
night cannot be clearly ascertained.
The apparatus, previous to the
descent, seemed in satisfactory
order, and De Groof-though, &C
cording to custom, he took an of
fectionate farewell of his wife
appeared to be fully confident OF
making q successful ascent. About
quarter to 8 o'clock the balloon
was cut loose, and rose sloly in the
air, bearing with it the Flying Man
and his gear. There was hardly a
breath Of air, o circumstance which
might have been supposed to be
favorable to the performance of an
mrOnautical feat of the kind. Be
this as it may, however, when the
balloon had attained a height OF
three or four hundred feet the
unfortunate performer seemed to
either mistrust his own powers OF
the capabilities of his apparatus,
for he was heard by the spectators
below shouting to the man in the
balloon to bring him nearer the
earth. This request was complied
with, and the balloon decended
slowly toward Robert street, which
lies q quarter of mile or so to the
north Of Cremorne Gardens. Or
approaching st. Luke's Church
Mr.. Simmons the balloonist, was
heard to say: You must cut loose
now, or you'll come on the churcl
roof The answer was, Yes; lei
me drop into the church yard, anc
these were, no doubt. the last words
De Groof uttered. He cut tn.
rope when about eighty feet from
the ground, but, to the horror o
the spectators, who must hav'
numbered many thousands, tn
apparatus, instead of initiating will
the pressure of the air, collapsed
and turning round and round i,
it's descent. fell with great violenc
in Robert street, yard or tw'
from the curbstone. Assistance t
the unfortunate man was instantl.
forthc6Ming. Although he still
breathsd, he was insensible; blu
the dispatch with which he wa
extfica4e6 from the wreck of hi
apparatusaud conveyed to Chelse
Infrmary proved in vain. H
navar recovered consciousness, an,
on his arrival at the hospital tn
surgeons pronounced him dead
Mime. de Groof, who witnessed he
husbands fall, tainted at the sigh
and q still more painful scene too
place short time later, at the hot