New-York tribune., 1906-04-06
A TRAGIC SEQUEL

Most Of the mystery surrounding the fate of
the amateur aeronaut Nocquet was dispelIed
within twenty-four hours of his departure from
the city Tuesday evening. When his aban-
doned balloon was found on one Of the sand
bars which skirt the south shore Of Long Island
fears regarding his safety were excited. These
were eventually confirmed by the discovery Of
his lifeless body on a small island situated be-
tween Jones Beach and Amityville. Yet in re-
gard to the moral and physical influences which
brought about his death there was at first,
and perhaps always will be, much diversity
of opinion.
One of the conjectures to which the mans
unhappy fate has given rise is that it was
Intentional. In support of that theory it is
urged that Nocquet had been respondent over
his lack Of professional success, and that be-
fore embarking on his last voyage he had pre-
pared a will. 1t is possible, however, that the
significance Of both of these facts has been ex-
aggerated. To any disappointment which he
might have experienced it would not be wise to
attach much Importance unless he had given
very recent evidence of it. As for the will,
that merely shows that in two years he had
become less sangulne about the safety Of bal
looming than when he wrote his enthusiastic
article about it for The Cosmopolitan Be
sides. If he had really contemplated sulcGe'
whv should he have made persistent enorl'
in the face of great Obstacles 10 re"ch <A1i''
Vile?
Somewhat more credible is the suggestion
that he fell from his balloon. The bruises Oh
his face and the alleged loss of a few buttons
from his clothing furnish a basis for that
r,vno+besis On the other hand, IL the footprints
on Jopes Beach were his. il will be necessary
to assume that he neither tumbled out OF MS
car nor Jumped at the spot where the Douy
was found. Besides, there was no good reason
Uhv he should have jumped. Ihe waive Oy
which his balloon could be Debated mas Oeeh
examined by experts. and they declare that II
,ros an nerfect working order. Even If it be
true as has been asserted, that his parachute
was defective. he was probably unaware OF the
fact for he evidently made no attempt TO use
81 There is A strong probability that Nocquet
had his balloon under control, and delloerateiy
deferred landing until the moment when II De
came absolutely necessary. lie was an ehInu-
siast about moonlight Journeys, and every thhG
was conducive 10 indulgence in his 1aVorlue
snort on Tuesday evening, for the moon was
little Dast its first quarter the SKY was eAcep-
tionally clear and, in spite Of some exuaVagahC
statements 10 the contrary, there was little
wind. What more natural than to prolong lhe
trim until he was close TO the ocean!
Whether Nocquets subsequent procedure was
sansibIa or not is a point on which there Is
likely 10 be some disagreement 1t is hasuiy
assumed that failure TO remain near his balloon
until dawn was extremely foolish, If not an aO-
solutely insane performance From that view
we dissent. If NOcquet considered the probable
effect of a rising tide, and if he took II for
granted-as we'll he might-that the tides nave
ANYTHING ike the range on American shores
that they have on the other side of the Atlantic
no might reasonably have concluded that bold
,,,sb for the vicinity of Amityvile was dictated
p ,,,oon prudence He would also have
| hean encouraged by a glance at the heavens,
Sor there remained at 10 o'clock at least four
| hours more Of moonlight. There are pathetic
indications that he was ignorant Of the difficult
ties ahead Of him, and that he underestimated
the distance of the lights which gave him an
| assurance of safety. When darkness and ex-
bsustion overlook him 1t was too late to retrieve
the error Up to that moment he showed ooth
| common sense and cOmmendable pluck