The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-25
Machine Going at High
Speed When Supporting
Plane Snaps.
MAKES VAIN EFFORT
TO RIGHT THE CRAFT
Prince Albert Of Belgium ATTENDS
Aviation Contests at Rheims,
France.

RHEIMS, August Is. Henri
Fournier, a leading French aviator,
was seriously injured this afternoon
when his VolSin biplane fell from
a great height and was smashed.
The machine was going at great
speed when one of the wires sup
porting the planes snapped. The
machine turned a somersault and the
great crowd, which but a moment
before had cheered the daring work
of Fournier, was struck dumb with
terror, as the aeroplane dashed to-
ward the earth.
Aoses All Control.
Fournier made a desperate ef-
fort to right the machine and
eiutched wildly at the levers, but
the frail construction. minus its
ekisf support, collapsed and one
wing "buckled" badly.
The aviator was hurried to an
inprovised hospital where it was
said this. afternoon that Fournier's
injuries would likely prove fatal.
The aeroplane was broken beyond
sil possibility Of repair. It turned
over twice in its rapid descent.
Only yesterday Fournier offered
to take Nat Goodwin with him on
a fight, but the comedian refused.
1Es accident is the first that has
occurred during the week.
Bleriet Is Favorite.
T.nuis Bleriot Is today The favorite fca
the Csouse nationals, which is 20
De sailed Saturday. His feat tate last
evening in eircling the six and one-ifth-
mile course in s minutes. + % seconds,
or 81 seconds faster than Glenn H. Cur
tiss made the round in his Golden
Flyer the day before. has caused the
Frenehmen to pick him as
the winner in the big event.
The only thing to mar the happiness
OF Bierlot's friends is the quiet. deter
mined statement Of Curtiss just after
BIeriot had made his record, that he
'Curliss) would Yet circle the course IN
5 minutes or better. AS Curtiss Is not
given TO boasting. the Frenchmen fear
that his biplane mas not yet been put TO
It's limit
Large Crowd Promised.
Though todays program lacked the
Of President FaIlieres' pres
ance. the crowd was nearly as large as
on yesterday The second round Of
fights in the contest for the Prix de Ia
Champagn distznce-was among
The events scheduled for today.
Royalty was represented on the plain
Of Bethany today by Prince Albert OF
who took an active interest in
everything that was going on. Crown
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Of Germany
is expected to come this evening, and
as he is known to be a sport-loving
young man, it is probable that some OF
he aviators will take great chances TO
establish new records.
Curtiss continues to receive attractive
able that he viii return 10 America
without the machine. Many of those
who have seen the Golden Flyer" con-
sider il the best machine yet developed.
when speed and stability are 10th con
5idered
A high wind again interfered with
early nights, an r. =. p. machine being
the only one that ventured out It made
4 short flight The indications are that
.he wind viii die down in the late aft
.rnoon. as it did yesterday.
Aviators Are Cautioned.
The committee today cautioned the
iviators against taking such needless
,hances as NJ. Paulham did yesterd4y,
when be flew three times around the
course at a height varying from 200 10
80 feet, IN the face Of a heavy wind
7aulham admits that he took this
.hance Just 10 show or before Presi-
lent FallieTes. The committee < afraid
hat repetition OF such daredevil tao
les will result in tragic mishap
A noteworthy feature of the meeting
10 far has been that no one nas been
injured. though there have been as
many as seven machines flying around
he course at the same time.
Iahating Zeppelin III
BERLIN. Aug. 25.-The Zeppelin III
5 being inflated this afternoon as
test for the fight from
to start on Saturdss
Is driving power is the main difference
etween the new machine and Zeppelin
T. Each Of its two motors Is of 150-
Il viii carry twenty per-
ons besides its crew.
Louis Bleriot and Hubert Lathsm
igned contracts today TO appear I'm
s0n1on for a series of fights on Oct0-
a 90 It is probable that they will
nter the LOndon-tO-M Manchester contest
or the London Mail S prize.
Fver since Blerlot flew across the