The Washington times., 1906-04-05

NEW YORK, April 5.-The finding of
VIII today in a pocket in the clothing
OF Paul NocqUet, the Belgian sculptor
and amateur aeronaut. whose thrilling
night balloon ride ended in his death
in a tangled mOrass on Cott Island. in
Great South bay, lent confirmation to
the theory that Nocquet committed sui
eide
The win. written in ink on a double
sheet OF note paper. stained by the
muddy water through which ne noun-
cered, left all Of the scuIptor's prom
erty TO his mother in Belgium. This
together with Nocquets recent denras-
sion, and the fact that he once he
fore attempted 10 kill himself. is CON
vincing his friends that his death was
not an accident.
Despondent at Failure.
One Of the causes which contributed
10 the sculptor's depression wass the
rejection recently by the Societv Of
American Artists Of his statue repre-
senting President Roosevelt after the
capture OF game on a hunting trim. II
was returned 10 him after he had Sent
II for exhibition.
Nocquet was bitter over the soctsrv-s
action He felt that 1t was a reelection
on the President. who had accepted the
statue, as well as on his own artistic
achievement The statue represented
the President in an attitude of eIation-
holding alOft the cub OF 2 mountain
lion in his left hand, while his right
hand grasped the carcass of the parent
lion
Coroner Moore, of Bay Shore. L. /
decided 10 hold an inquest this after
NJ Nj h. .uars 4
From all outward appearance Nocduet
died from heart failure. following com
plete physical exhaustion and the men
tai anguish he must have felt when he
believed he was being carried TO sea
by the big gaS-filled balloon. The body
is at an undertaking establishment az
Amityville-
Tied to Stake:
At O'Clock this morning a delegation
from the Aero Club, of America, arriv-
ed at Amityvine to take charge of the
body. They learned that the body was
still on the little island where It had
been found, having been secured with
a rope, one end of which was tied
10 the dead mans ankle. and the other
end TO stake driven into the marshy
ground. 10 prevent the tide from sweep
ing il away
With Capt George Smith, the fisher
went 10 the island III launch, and the
body OF the Inflated aeronaut. who had
sacrificed his life 10 his passion for
ballooning. was taken to Amityville.
DR.. Julian B. Thomas and Israel
Ludlow started out today to cross 20
Cott Island for the purpose of deter
mining 10 their own satisfaction what
could have influenced a man 70 try 70
cross the islands to the mainland in
the dark. They are expected to return
in time to be present at the inquest.
NOcqueTS body was found after men
had searched the lagoOns and sandbars
near Jones' Beach for many hours.
After the balloon was found by Can
men came from every direction to aid
in the search for the lost aerOnaut
How It Was Found.
Captain Smith was returning alone IN
his catbOat to the mainland from Jones
Island at nightfall. after assisting all
day in the search for traces of Nocquet.
and was skirting close TO the group OF
islands stretching TO the shore. when
he happened to see dark object on Cott
Island. Steering to the low-lying mass
Of mud and salt marsh grass. he saw
as he came nearer that the object was
the body Of Nocquet-
Examination showed that the aeronaut
must have been dead for several hours
Estimating that il took Nocquet two
hours TO reach the spot where the body
was found. he must have died about
midnight Tuesday. The body lay with
the face downward.