New-York tribune., 1909-09-26
FOUR OFFICERS KILLED
psTTOON REPUBLIQUE
RTPSTS IND FALLS.
Board Crushed to Death
tf,or EoU of 800 Feet
Near MOHiinS.

AFouIins France Sept. 25--The French Oh
hle balloon Republique. while passing al
81 between five hundred and six hundred ie''
oyer the national road which leads from a
Antilles. exploded this morning and zen 10 'i
,round The four men on board were killed
Tbcv were Captain AIarchal Lieutenant PhauIe
and -Lieutenants Vincenot and ReuX'
II was the intention Of Captain Marchai' VINO
mas in charge OF the airship to stop at NeVers'
and an automobile containing mechaniciahs Was
following the balloon II was almost beneath it
when the accident occurred The car zen
straight down, carrying the fluttering remnants
of the envelope and the occupants were buried
beneath the u-reckage All were dead except
Tse,tenant Phaure but he lived only few
minutes after being removed. The bodies were
taken 10 the Chateau d'AYrilly the properly OF
the Marquis de Chavannes.
Lieutenant TiXier, who was IN command OF
the automobile says that the balloon suddenly
hurst and collapsed. II seemed 70 oscillate Vio-
lentlv ? moment prior TO this, as II il had been
struck and II fell with the rapidly OF a stone.
when he reached the Wreckage the car was
c,Tnn)etelv covered with the envelope. and not
q sound came from beneath. With the aid OF
ibe MARQUIS de Chavannes and peasants who
hurried from the surrounding fields the en-
veiope was removed The spectacle was ap-
mailing. The car had been crushed and amid
The mass OF tangled steel and wire every man
except Lieutenant PhaUre could be seen at his
post Captain Marchal was in sitting posture.
his body thrown back and his eyes wide open.
The bodies OF the sub-neutenants lay mangled
under the cylinder OF the motor Lieutenant
iPhaures body was lying half outside indicating
that he rad tried 90 jump during the descent
iApparently death IN the case OF the three men
ihad been instantaneous from the weight OF the
heavy rigging above ana the shock when they
struck the earth. Captain MaTchaIs skull was
crushed.
An examination OF the airship disclosed the
cause OF the accident. The axle Of the right
propeller had broken and the propeller had
passed through the envelope. falling in a field
about one hundred and fifty yards away.
The correspondent Of one OF the Paris papers
who was following the dirigible in automo-
bile says:
The balloon Was sailing along majestically
when. without the slightest warning. the acci-
dent occurred. The blade Of the propeller had
become detached and ploughed through the en-
Nelope, Immediately the balloon collapsed and
a great rent. Before II had fallen fifty
feet the car was completely enyeloped, and the
shapeless thing dropped down TO earth. There
a terrific crunching sound when il struck.
and when we reached the spot the envelope car
y
still very hot, and a strong Odor OF gas
warned wait. but stream OF blood how-
ing out beneath the wreckage made w forget
The danger We rushed in and extricated the
mangled and bleeding officers"
The correspondent says that he saw no fame
and heard no detonation. Nevertheless at the
Ministry OF War it was impossible to account
\ Tor the rapid fall Of the balloon except on the
h theory that il HAD exploded after being struck.
There is some disposition to attribute the acci-
dent 10 the hurried repairs recently made in
order that the Republique might take part in
tho man9uvres.
Premier BRAND arrived here this evening and
has arranged for imposing military funeral
for the victims at Versailles probably On Mon
day.
A careful investigation OF the accident Will be
held but the fact that the broken propeller
which was found. enwTapIed with twisted
silk is accepted confirmation that the blade
hew off and cut the balloon
The Republique left La Palisse where she had
been engaged in the recent army manRuyres. at
o'clock this morning She WAS in charge Of
Captain Marchal. She passed over Moulins at
S:4o O'Clock, at an altitude Of four hundred feet
She was going at high rate Of speed and ap-
parentiy was under perfect control The four
officers in the car waved their hands in response
10 the enthusiastic cheers from the people
The dirigibe balloon Repubque belone5np IN ,be
French War Department. made her first flight a,
Soissons on June - 1905 on this occasion tb4
dirigible carried cargo OF $50 pounds Including
The crew, and remained in the air FOR thir,y-a,,e
minutes.
In the early part Of this month the Repuf,ons
Was seriously damaged in a windstorrn at Nevers
France on her way 10 Meudon. 10 take part IN the
autumn military maneuvres. Repairs were made
later by the military engineers and the rnacbin.