New-York tribune., 1906-04-05
NOCQUETS BODY FOUND.
BALLOON VOY4GE FATAL.
Met Death in Scamp after Making
Successful Descent.
rRr Telegraph 70 ne Tribune. J

,.b,lon Long Island. April 4-The body
p.nl Nocouet. who made an ascension in his
,.roon from 1Ssth street and Walnut avenue IN
~. Pronx. Yesterday. was found late this after
7, WAS discovered by Captain George
,i,b 81 Amityvine on the fat known as Ned's
,e,a,5 in Boss Creek. an arm OF the Great South
Bay.
,,,Ioe from, the part OF the beach where the
,ol,oon was discovered.
An dav searching parties had been securing
-, hoach in quest Of the missing aeronaut. but
- avail. Many held the theory that the miss
=, man was alive. having been taken ashore by
-. spck shooters. who are numerous in the
,ris season but the afternoon ad-
,-a,,ood and no tidngs Of NocQuet were found. 1t
-. ,,osrlv evident that he must be dead.
l-a,+a,n smith. typical South Bay skipper.
..,.as !, the search and followed the tracks.
-, s+o-+s5 from the balloon. over marsh and
-. ms sbaal stream until he came upon the
-, ,r,rg face downward on the little island
,..,..,s hands were folded under him, and
,. t,5ica-iors seemed 10 point to his dying
from exhaustion
The island where the body was found contains
,rl, a Few acres. but II IS separated from the
,t, beach BY a narrow channel II Is generally
.bonrht that Nocquet. after landing, supposins
.s an fbe mainland. started in the direction
14frlf or
-. ,re news Of his safe descent. Becoming
bsu-ldered he stumbled across the meadows ana
s,,c5es ,ntl he fell exhausted the little island
where ne died.
DEATH STRUGGLE IN SWAMPS-
The wandering man had traversed about two
s,,bs NJ the distance from Jones's Beach. where
his balloon fell. 70 Amtyvilbe. He had crossed
+birteen or fourteen different Islands, and swan
~ va5ed through the runlets between them.
r, ~ almost the last he wore his overcoat.
which must have been water soaked a1ter ne
sv.sr,. the first channel. lie stopped on the next
. ~. last island he reached and removed the
10. r-assryar and the overcoat and then put
=. ,-ssa~,-er on again. He must have felt that
.,s s,rsnrtb was giving out, and the lights or
A,o,+,yire probably seemed almost as iar away
As when he started
The oyercoat still sodden. was fouho ~ near 0.
ssga ~ the island just where he had cast II OH
before making the last swim
-.sas he r,,nlet and climbed 10 the oogsy'
hsu,,V mass of mud, sand and oeau us,,sS
,,u-, as Neds Island He traVerseo il "a u,7
-, @ hundred feet and, apparently
as ne reached the near hank he stuinOleo an
=, 7. 3s thought he may have been attacked
,..,..t,, or heart disease before falling.
~. Nocouet travelled as far as he dld Is
.tss-ss wonderful by those who know the
-. Es must have struggled the last mile
-. ,-,o ne travelled under fearful difhculues.
re essaved a trip that few strong men could
eomplete in daylight After leaving nus Oaiioo,,
~ .,srtes on a tourney which could not Wen
end in anything but death
TIED BODY TO STAKE
Captain smith on finding the body tied rope
IN one Of the legs. made II fast 10 a stake ana
a. once started for Amityville where ne an
nounced the discovery. owing TO the absence
o. Coroner Savage the matter Of holding the IN
quest devoves upon Justice Wells, and he. with
Captain Smith and Captain Alonson B. Han.
started across the bay at 1890 o'clock tonight
tor the island. 70 get the body. The inquest viii
probably he held tomorrow al AmityViiie-
r IS thought possible that Nocquet was hurt
IN making the descent and was not accountable
for his movements. Others advance the theory
that he Jumped from the balloon as IT was pass
tng the island and died from the injuries he sus-
tained. Nothing definite viii be learned until
the body is brought 10 the mainland and the
inquest held.
Had Nocauet alighted uninjured and in fun
possession Of his faculties il seems strange that
ne did not remain near the balloon until day
light when he could have made his way TO the
Joness Beach Life Saving station. Where ne
would have received aid
BALLOON FOUND JNDAMAGED.
The balloon from which Paul Nocquet wan
oered to his death found last night by the
beach patrol Of the Jones's Beach life saving sta
ton u was apparently undamaged The spot
where il was found is mile east OF the sta
ton There were many footprints around the
balloon. as il the aeronaut had alighted ana
was trying 10 get his bearings.
The balloon was discovered AT 10 o'clock. II
was stiu partly inflated and was dry, showing
that IT had not been washed ashore, but had de-
sosnded 10 the beach
Al 10 O'Clock this morning the balloon was still
where IL was found and still partly inflated
Some sandbags were found in the car Of the bal
loon but not as many Nocquet had when he
started. Il IS said however. that he was seen
10 throw out several bags shortly after he
ascended in The Bronx.
Count de Ia Naulx and the members Of the
Aero club who were down to-day ana visited
the stranded balloon said that Aocquet was in
II up 70 the last, and that he probably caused Il
TO descend. The valve cord had been used They
believe that when the balloon was well up In the
air. but st'u well inland. Nocquet saw that he
was approaching the ocean. The light at Fire
Island or perhaps the lights Of some passing
steamship may have warned him. and he USED
Inc cord.
he sank slowly they think, owing TO the
parachute formation Of the top or the eINeloIe'
which IS usually 81 rope netting. IheH' as iie
crossed the bay, he prepared 10 ahSit allu ~ ~
successfully. They believe he then DuIueIieSS
himself with what he wished to save ana sta''eu