The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-05

NV S0Nuhb StatiOu, " no SuCttCTCu
for the Night, but He Put Out for the
Lights on the Mainland on o Course
Hopeless by Day without q Boat-Died
Apparently OF Exhaustion and Exposure
Balloon Blew in From Seward
The body OF Paul Nocquet, the Belgian
sculptor, who went up in his balloon from
The Bronx at 8 o'clock on Tuesday after
at Q O'Clock last night lying face
downward on a small island in the bay
between Jones Beach, on the south shore Of
Long Island, and Amityville. The island
is about two miles northeast Of the spot
where the balloon was found by the life
saving patrol at 10 O'Clock Tuesday night.
Either by good luck or by skilful manage
ment Nocquet, it appeared. had come
down safe and sound on dry SAND 200
feet from the sea. II he had walked
three-quarters of a mile along the beach
he would have found shelter in a life saving
btdllOn. II uo Ildu std yeu WH6T6 Ue was
the life patrol would have found him. But
apparently he knew nothing of the lay of
the land and he made Of northeast, skirting
the bay within the bar and seeking the
mainland. He swan many salt creeks
In the dark, and at last, reaching a little
island a hundred feet across, pulled himself
up and died there, presumably of exposure
and exhaustion. The fisherman who found
the body tied 1t to a stake and mad for
Amityville to notify q Coroner.
After landing Nocquet had apparently
thought of packing up his balloon, which
was found nearly Debated, and OF detaching
the car. But finally putting his life pre-
server on outside his overcoat, he started
forward in the direction Of the lights OF
the mainland shining family over the
stretch of water, swamp land and islands
to the northeast, He crossed at least
fifteen islands In the darkness.
FINDING OF THE BODY.
Capt. George Smith, a fisherman OF
Amityville, found the body. All day long
searching parties, composed OF life savers,
inhabitants Of the region and friends of
the sculptor from this city, had been
exploring the sand dunes and the creeks
and islands. 1t is fully five miles across
the bay. the eastern end Of which is filed
with these islands. The creeks between
the islands are shallow and the widest 10
not over thirty feet across.
Capt. Smith went out to Jones's Beach
early yesterday morning in his catboat.
On his way out he passed near Van Colts
Island and saw the body, but he says that
he thought then that it was a barrel. He
had been on the beach some tims befors
he heard about the finding of the balloon
and the search for the missing aeronaut.
Then he made up his mind that what he
had seen was the mans body, and he de-
cided to take a look at it when he went
back at night. He was not quite sure
Of the island, which is a mere patch OF dry
land a hundred feet across, but he found
it readily and found that what he had seen
earlier was the body Of the missing man.
Just as he had found the body Capt. Purdy,
another boatman, came along, and they
decided to leave it where they had found
it. They tied 1t to q small stake.
Nooquet was lying a few feet from ths
creek, which he had evidently crossed
just before his strength gave out. APP
parently he had just managed to climb
out of the watsr and then had fallen for
ward. His face lay on his folded arms.
On an island $50 yards southwest was his
o~verooat with an empty pint flask beside
it. He had thrown off this so den coat
for his last swim and had put the life pre-
server on again over his inside GOAT. The
life preserver was found near him, just
at the creeks edge. This creek is about
thirty feet wide. Apparently, even with
his overooat of, Nooquet had just barely
strength enough to take him across. With
out a boat he could not possibly lave
reached the mainland on the course he took.
A mile from where he was found the
bay opens out; and there is a long stretch
Of water flled with grass impossible to
wade or swim through.
Capt. Smith made for Amityville; and
upon reaching the shore caused notice to
be sent to DR.. Moore at Bay Shore. who
used to be Coroner. DR.. Moore referred
him to DR.. Savage Of East Islip, the present
Coroner for that territory, but DR., Savage
was in Brooklyn. Finally Arthur White,
an undertaken Of Amityville, got authority
and went out with Smith about 10 O'Clock
last night to get the body. An autopsy
will probably be made. Capt. Smith is Of
the opinion that Nooquet died of ex-
haustion- There were some bruises on his
face.
DR.. Julian P. Thomas and Israel Ludlow,
the aeroplane man, started for Amityville
from the Aero Club In an auto at 10 O'Clock
last night to make arrangements to bring
back Nocquet's body. DR.. Thomas said
that he had been waiting all day to hear
from Nocquet. ashe had expected that moth
ing would happen to him.
BALLOON oAMH IN FROM SEA. rWFN
| When Nooquet's balloon struck on the
sands it was swinging IN close to the ground,
for a clear mark left by the rope that trailed
from the basket runs along for over loO
yards toward the sea and there are the
two deeper and more distinct marks OF
the n under the car for a distances
OF nearly 100 yards. (
~ Jacob Baldwin Of the Jones Beech Ia