The morning call., 1893-04-17

to take place at BOP. NJ, the aeronaut to be
king of the Clouds" This meant Frank
Hagal. In his place his bride of SIX weeks,
Lille Hagal, appeared.
A fierce wind blowing landward rendered
it necessary to raise a windbreak of canvas.
This was lowered once, as the ropes holding
il were found unable to bear the strain. In
spite of the windbreak il required the ser
vices of twenty or thirty men aud boys to
hold the balloon as it filed with hot air
from the furnace below.
As it wrthed and twisted in their grasp
the aerOnant, clad in gaudy blue cotton
tights, fastened herself to the parachute
with which she was to descend. From
time To time she would glance anxiously at
the swelling balloon, but she said nothing.
As the balloon filled, voice from behind
the screen was heard TO cry; Let her 90.
She'll catch fire..
Hold her." shouted Hagal; she's not
full yet"
But the first call had done its work A
dozen men mad lOosed their hold. The pulley
on the land side was held longer than that
on the side toward the sea. The supporting
pole on the east fell. The wind was blow
ing fercely toward the land. Everything
tended to keep the balloon from going
directly upward.
As it rose from the ground Hagal leaped
for the ropes, crying:
For Gods sake, men, hold It'll For Gods
sake, don't leave goF'
a gust Ol WIN Dulltu LUe IOpH from MS
grasp. ana, as the balloon was held for the
moment over the furnace, the flames caught
the iBfammable sides.
AS il rose burning, the gaping crowd at
first seemed amused at the wnman's endeav-
ers to free herself. Their amusement speed-
lily changed to anxiety. then to horror, as
they saw the balloon rise and be dashed
toward the large building at the terminus OF
the railroad.
For an instant it seemed as If it would
pass over the building with its human
freight.
Then an involuntary "OhP' came from
the horror-stricken assemblage as the
woman was dashed against The side Of the
building, smashing in the frame and glass
of a window. The balloon passed just over
the caves.
The now unconscious woman was dragged
over the building, striking the house again
and breaking window in the next story.
By this time the flames had eaten great
hole In the side OF the balloon. The hot air
escaping, 1t descended so that the ropes
holding Mrs. Hagal were caught in the
caves of an adjoining building.
She hung. suspended about twelve feet
from the ground for several minutes A
man then mounted the roof and severed the
ropes binding her to the parachute, and the
limp. lifeless body fell into the arms Of her
distracted husband beneath.
She was carried to the kitchen Of neigh
boring restaurant. There it was found
that she was yet alive. but as she was car
ried to the train, her lower limbs dangling
belplessly revealed the fact that both were
broken below the hips. This fracture must
have been made when she struck the build
Ing the first time.
Mrs. HaRal is a slight, pretty young
woman. about % years old. She is quiei
and retiring and is well liked.
A young lady in speaking of the matter
said: Next Friday will make six weeks
that Lille has been married. They had
only been married few days when MIR.
Hagal asked her how she would like TO &c
up in balloon. She thought he was fool
ing and said she thought it would be fine
'His response was, All right; You shall
go up next Sunday
when she found he was in earnest she
didn't like to eat her words, so she made
the ascent 1t was a failure though, be-
cause she was so scared she didn't have the
strength to pull the rope that loosed the
parachute.
all right. This was the fourth. She didn'i
want to go up at all. She told Frank TheI
husbanGl that the wind was blowing too
hard and that IL was too cold. But he
said it was all tight, and for her to get
ready.
''ITs a drawing card to have a woman
make an ascension. and the railroad people
paid him extra for that. But he was adVer-
tised to go up this time, and don't see why
be didn't do it,"
Just fifteen minutes before the balloon
went up," said another young lady, whose
eyes were red with crying, "Lillie ran
down to her husband to ask him If she
must go up BE said yes, 60 she came back
and got dressed"
Frank Hagal. when seen late in the even-
Ing, said that the balloon was loosed toe
soon.
''It was not nearly full. Besides, the
ropes were not loosed properly, though
had told the man how to do it a dozen
times.
''The balloon caught fire. but that would
not have mattered if the balloon had only
been buoyant Bough to have risen high from