The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-04-06
DEAD BODY FOUND
Saved From AirshIp to Die in a
Swamp.

NEW YORK. April j.-The body or
Nocquet, the missing balloonist, was
found last night in Bass creek, New
York.
Death in the waters of small stream
winding through the meadows along
the south shore Of Long Island, be-
tween Jones Beach and Amityvllle
ended the daring balloon ascent of
Paul Nocquet Il French sculptor of
note aud an enthusiastic amateur aero
naut. The body was found on the
muddy shore of the creek. where the
tide had left it, and not great dis
lance from where Nocquet's collapsed
balloon was discovered by the life
savers of Jones Beach.
The discovery of the body put m end
10 search which had included ocean,
land and marshes and which had been
begun under the direction of NocquetS
associates of the Aero Club Of New
York as soon ms word was received
that the balloon had been found with
no trace of It's missing occupant.
Nocquet evidently landed safely with
his ear aud in fighting his way ont of
the meadows in the darkness had
traversed about iwo-tifthS of the dis
lance from Jones Beach 10 Amityvlle
when he died. lie had crossed thirteen
or fourteen different islands and had
swan or waded through the runlets
between them. Up 10 almost the last
he wore his overcoat, which must have
been water soaked from the time he
took the first channel, lie stopped on
the next to the last island he reached
and removed the life preseryer and
the overcoat and then resumed the pre-
server.
He must have felt that his strength
was giving ont, and the lights of Am
ityvile must have seemed almost ms
far away as when he started. The
overcoat still sodden. was found near
the edge Of the island just where he
had cast II off before making the last
swim.
He crossed the runlet and climbed
on to the boggy. shaking mass of mud
sand and dead PUSHES known as Cats
island. He crossed il distance Of
perhaps 100 feet and apparently as be
reached the near bank he must have
stumbled and fallen exhausted into the
shallow creek. He may have died
from sheer exhaustion or heart disease
before falling When the body was
found it lay face down in the bog.
That Nocquet travelled as far as he
did is considered wonderful. lie must
have struggled the last mile Of the
two he travelled under fearful difficult
ties. He essayed "trip that a strong
man could not possibly complete in
daylight.
The vulve controlling ropes of the
balloon when found Indicated that the
/ descent bad been started by Nocquets
action and that IL must have been
gradual
When Nocquet started on his flight
the wind WAS blowing out 10 sen This
meant that unless he should consent 20
come down after being up but short
time. having started from the Bronx,
be would surely be blown across Long
Island aud out over the ocean. a life
prescrver was carefully strapped in
side the basket and the word TO let go
was given
The big bag scared into The air. how
cred over Long Island City few min.
utes and then began It's Hight across
Long Island. Ii passed over Jamaica,
Garden city. Westbury, Jericho and
Cold Spring Harbor; then darkness
came and shut il from view.
Captain Austin OF the Jones Beach
life saving station, who found the hal
loon, reported that it apparently had
been dragged along some distance In
the sand Tracks about the balloon
seemed to indicate that the aeronaui
had survived his flight. This fact CAV,
the searchers courage throughout thC
day.
Captain George Smith Of Amityville
who had joined in the search, founC
the body.
At about the time the balloon was
first discovered by the beach patro
cries were heard out on the bay in thu
direction of the Islands by Henry Pur
dy, who lives in house boat. He sup
| posed the calls might be those Of nigh
shooters or fishermen shouting to eacl
other and paid no great attention t.
them.