Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-05
AER0NAUT KILLED
IN DARING FLIGHT
PAUL NOQUET'S BODY FOUND
IN CREEK
Lands Safely, but Loses Life on Long
Island in Struggle to Make
His Way to Dry
Land
BY Associated Press.

by Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 4-Death in the
waters of Bass creek, a small stream
winding through the meadows to the
shore of Long Island, between Jones'
Beach and Amityville, ended the dar-
ing balloon ascent yesterday after
noon of Paul Noquet, a French scultp-
tor of note and an enthusiastic anna
teur aeronaut. The body was found
tonight On the muddy shores of the
creek where the tide had left it and
not a great distance from where No
quets collapsed balloon was discov-
cred late last night by the life savers
of Jones Beach.
The discovery of the body put an
end to search which had included
ocean, land and marshes and which
had been begun under the direction of
Noquet's associates of the Aero club
of New York as soon as word was
received early today that the balloon
had been found with no trace of its
missing occupant.
Noquet apparently landed safely
with his car and in fighting his way
out of the meadows in the darkness
had traversed about tWo-fifths of the
distance from Jones' Beach to Ami
tyville, several miles, when he died.
He had crossed thirteen or fourteen
different islands and had swan or
Waded through the runlets between
them.
Fearful Struggle
That Noquet travelled as far as he
did is considered wonderful. He must
Gt tI-,1cr ro1 ha 10 CT Of q
two he Travelled under fearful diff
culties. IIe essayed a trip that few
men could possibly complete in day
light.
The valve controlling the ropes of
the balloon when found indicated that
the descent had been started by No
quet's action and that it must have
been gradual.
When No1uet started on. his flight
yesterday afternoon the wind was
blowing out to sea. This meant that
unless he should come down after be-
in up but short time, having started
from the Bronx, he would surely be
blown across Long Island and out over
the ocean. A life preserver was
strapped inside the basket and the
word to let go was given.
The balloon in its fight passed over
Jamaica, Garden City, Westbury,
Jericho and Cold Springs harbor; then
darkness came and shut it from view
Dragged Along Sand
What its course was after passing
over Huntington at about S:i5 p. m,
there is no means of knowing. Nothing
further was heard of it until it's dis
covery on James Beach was announced
today. Captain Austin of the Jones'
Beach life saving station, who found
the balloon, reported this morning that
it apparently had been dragged along
some distance in the sand. Tracks
about the balloon seemed to indicate
that the aeronaut had survived his
flight. This fact gave the searchers
courage throughout the day.
Captain George Smith of Amityville |
who joined in the search early in the
day. located the body tonight on the
muddy bank of Bass creek and made it
fast to a stake. 1t will be taken to
Amityville tomorrow after having been
viewed by the coroner
Many Successful Attempts
Paul Noquet has made many daring
ly successful attempts at aerial navi- |
cation. 1t is not as an aernaut alone |
that he has attained distinction, how |
ever. He is almost equally we'll known |
as an author sculptor and artist. Wide |
attention recently was attracted to his |
work as a sculptor by bronze figure |
of President Roosevelt, entitled "A |
Presidential Vacation" This figure |
represents the president dragging |
bear by the ear, while in his right hand |
he holds aloft a cub. Comment upon !
the figure was diversified, but the eff
forts of the artist pleased the president, |
who sent him complimentary letter.
Wins Grand Prize
Noquet was born in Brussels in 1877,
and at the age of fourteen studied |
painting under Jean Portaels. Soon |
afterward he turned to sculpture and |
at the age of twenty won the grand |
prize of Belgium, which gave him a |
three years fellowship in Paris. In
Paris he also became interested in |
aernautics and before he came to this
country had come to be considered one
of the most daring members of the
Aero club of France. Two years ago
he planned to attempt to cross the At
lantic ocean in balloon but was de-
tered by friends.
Among Noquet's we'll known works
in sculpture are Effort" and Foot
ball Players" which have been pre-
sented to Columbia university. He was
awarded third prize for a bronze door
for the naval academy at Annapolis.