The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
Fac Smith
/. Company.
LOST ON TOSS OF COIN.
Noequet's Fate Recalls Donneson's
Last Balloon Ascension.

Last Balloon Ascension.
From the New York Sun.
After the funeral OF Paul Nocquet the
aeronaut who lost his life in the sands
OF Long Island, a stranger who attended
the burial service was asked what interest
he had In Nocquets fate
"I am interested in balloon ascensions
Whenever they occur" he replied. Il came
very near losing my life in this BUSH
ness
"A good many years ago when balloon
ascensions were used by the circus to
draw the crowds, l was on hand a one
that took place on the lake front in Chi
cAgo. The balloonist was Washington Dom
nelson. He asked me to be one of
party that was TO go up on the first day of
the circus.
"A half dozen reporters were there as
Volunteers. Donnelson said the basket
would hold but four besides himself.
Three climbed into the car. A fourth
backed out That left another and my
self
HE wanted to go and so did ]. Don
nelson said we had better toss up for the
night. We did so and / won. The under
Standing was that the loser was to have
a place in the car on the next day.
THE young man who lost took 1t very
much to heart. He begged me TO let him
take my place. I refused. He said he
was new man in town and that 1t was
his first day on the paper. He had a
sweetheart in the central part OF the
state and he wanted her to know that
the first day he was on his paper he had
done something extraordinary.
81 was almost on the point Of yield
ing He was young, handsome and an en-
thuslast I think / would have yielded
had not Donnelson, who was Just getting
into the car taken me by the arm and
said: Get I'M times up. He can go to-
morrow
- 'T had barely made the climb when
the ropes were loosed. and two min
tltes later we were waving our hats to the
multitude that shouted as the great bag
shot over the buildings and went straight
toward cloudless sky
After we had gone up about three
thousand feet the balloon drifted out
over the lake Donnelson ordered us to
let down the drag rope, and at the same
time he opened the valve Which let out
the gas. What strange noise 1t was!
AS recall 1t. it sounded like the sud-
den ripping of paper cambria.
I'VE made the descent gracefully and
quietly. The car touched the water of
shore to save us. This pleased the fear
less Donnelson. He enjoyed it,
They think we are going to be lostr
he shouted. Throw out all of your bal
last
we heayed the few remaining bags of
sand into the water and the airship shot
UP with the ease of an arrow. Mean
while the tug had come almost immedi-
ately beneath us One end of the drag
rope was trailing in the water
"Donnelson shouted to the captain of
The tug to catch up the drag rope and
tow us in. This was done. and we made
The landing in safety, leaving the car a
few blocks from the spot from which
we had made the ascension
The first man i met was the youngster
who had begged me to let him take my
place. He was curious to know what the
sensation was, and I told him a great
story. lie made for Donnelson and remind
ed him that he fas to go up the next
day.
The next day. Wen, there was a storm
IN the sky The circus management want
cd Donnelson to postpone the ascension,
hut he was too brave to fear a storm. He
had faced them before,
The young reporter who had lost the
toss the day before was on hand. DON
nelson tried to persuade him to wait. but
he climbed into the as nimbly as an
athlete. He said he had been euchered
the day before.
The balloon went up again; with only
theSe Two IN the basket. 1t was caught
by the gathering storm and carried over
the lake. 1t was soon out Of sight.
THE night came on and the fury of the
storm swept over the city. No tidings
came during the night of that ascension
nor the next day. nor the next.
"A week went by and still no tidings
The great woods of Michigan were
searched The beach as far up as Mack
tnae straits was examined No trace of
the balloon.
Several weeks-I think it was more
than month, maybe longer--pas sed and
never trace of the airship One day the
fragments of something thought to be a
balloon were found buried in the sand
Not far away was part of a human
body. On the bone OF what had been a
finger there was found a plain gold
ring.
1T was sent to the city 1t contained an
engraving which removed the mystery
r Grimwood, the young reporter who this
day before his ascension had lost his life
on the toss of coin. IT was his engage
ment ring.
From that day TO this no tdngs ever
came of the fate of intrepid Donnelson,
who was the handsomest man ! ever saw.
IL had wavered moment longer when
Grimwood begged to go up In my stead
would not be here to tell this story.
Bit strange that l am interested IN the
fate of Paul Nocquet?"
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