New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-18
Death Of the ''FIyinE Man,

The London Daily Telegraph Of the tent
instant gives the following account of tn
:ata! accident 20 NJ. do Gyoof. the "Flyia
Man.
/: was announced yesterday tina; at 3,
+. NJ. NJ. de GrOOt. the Flying Man. woult
repeat at the Cremorne Gardens "ll
astounding performance Of flying through
the air distance of 1000 feet" True tOthis
announcement. the Flying Man did endeavol
20 repeat the exploit which he had accom-
.,ished in safety ten days before. and perish
ed in the attempt. N. de GrOof was Bel!
Sian. who had expended years in construct
:rg for himself an apparatus with which he
believed 1t possible to initiate the flight
o. bird. The general outline of this
apparatus was in imitation Of bat 9
wings, the framework being made of cane.
and the Intervening nembranes of stout
waterproof silk. The wings were in all thir.
tyseyen feet long, with an average breadth
OF four feet. while the tail was eighteen feet
by three. These wings were inserted into
two hinged frames that were attached to a
wooden stand. upon which the aeronaut
took HIS place. Here he had three levers
which he worked by hand to give his ma.
chine propulsion or guidance. as might be
required: his theory being that having start.
ed from given height he could manage his
descent SO as to reach the earth by a sort of
inclined swooping motion. without risk of
conclusion.
About a year ago NJ. De Groof made an
attempt to descend from great height on
the Grand Place at Brussels. The effort
was n failure. but gUomme Iolani. as he
was then called. escaped unhurt. though
lis network was afterward torn to pieces
10y the crowd. On Monday. the twenty.
ninth ultimo. however. NJ. De Groof re.
reated his experiment at Cremorne Gardens
with success.
The wings and stand were attached to a
balloon. guided by Mr.. Simmons. who. after
drifting over London toward Brandon. in
Essex. released his companion at consid.
cradle height--300 or 100 feet. ii is said
and the flying apparatus was immediately
set in motion. For time" it is stated,
lit was q race between the :rronaut and
the flyer, De Groof winning by two fields
lengths. and attaining the ground in perfect
eafety.'
How the accident occurred last night can
not be clearly ascertained. The apparatus.
previous to the ascent, seemed in satisfactory
order. AID De GrOot-though. according to
custom. he took an atiectionate farewell of
his wife-apPeared to be fully confident of
making a succe ssful ascent. About quar-.
ter to eight o'clock the balloon was cut
loose. and rose slowly in the air. bearing
with it the flying man and his gear. There
was hardly u breath OF air. q circumstance
which might have been supposed to be
favorable to the performance Of an zero.
nautical feat Of the kind. Be this as it
may. however. when the balloon had
attained . height OF three or four
hundred feet the unfortunate performer
seemed either to mistrust his own powers or
the capability Of his apparatus, tor he was
fieard by the spectators below shouting to
she man in the balloon to bring him nearer
.he earth. This request was complied with. |
ana the balloon descended slowly toward |
Nobeft street. which lies quarter of a mile |
or SO TO the north of Cremorne Gardens.
On approaching St. Luke's Church, Mr..
Summons. the ballOonest, was heard to say:
. on must cut loose now, or You'll come on |
the church roof The answer was. Eyes:
ies me drop INTO the churchard," and these |
were no doubt the last words De Groof |
uttered: lie cut the rope when about |
eshty ieet IRON the ground. but to the hor-
rOr of the spectators who must have MN.
bered many thousands, the apparatns in.
stead of initiating with the pressure of the
air, collapsed, and turning round and round
in it's descent, fell with great violence
in Robert street. yard or two from the
curbstone. Assistance to the unfortunate
man was instantly forthcoming. Although
still breathing. he was insensible: but the
dispatch with which he was extric..c j from
the wreck of his apparatus au,- conveyed
to Chelsea Intirmary T ,ed IN vain. He |
never recovered consciousness, and on his
arrival at the hospital the surgeons pro-
Inn dead. Madame de GrOOf, who
N..-esseU ier husbands fail, tainted at the
.iEhc, and still more painful scene took
place q short time later, at the hospital,
when she learned the whole sad truth. The
was carried OF in shreds before
he police could secure il.