Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-06-19
Nearly a Million People Gather
At VinceneS to Witness Start
of Great European Circuit
Race,
PRlNCTAU AND LIE MARTIN
MEET DEATH QUICKLY
Mass Had Been Said By Able
larebourg Before the Bird
men Began Their Daring
Flight,
tsy Morning sournal special Ls...s w,,.,

THSIlh
fBy Morning Journal special Lcssss wissI
Paris. June iS.--Fifty aeroplanists
took wing early today from the avia-
tion field at Vincenes on the first
stage of the European circuit race
which calls for flight TO London and
return, with stops at various places.
going and coming. Almost Immediate
ly after the start, two of the aviators
met with tragic deaths and at least
one was grayely hurt.
The Dead.
CAPTAIN PRINCTAT1, W h ose
motor exploded In mid-air. flooding
him with gasoline and burning him to
death.
NJ. LIZ MARTIN, who was dashed
against "A tree, the motor of his acres
plane crushing his head.
The Injured.
NJ. Gaubert, former lieutenant in
the army, who was entered in the
civilian race under the name of "Dal-
ger He was found lying senseless
near his machine In wheat field -four
miles from Villars-Coterets. His in
juries are serious.
NJ Billie. his aeroplane struck the
earth within a mile OF the start. NJ.
Bite was injured. but not serioas
Three olher avlators fell, NJ. Ior-
ulan near Charlevllle, Oscar Morrison
close 20 Gagny. and NJ. Murin at
Chevron, within twenty-five miles of
Lelghe. which is the end OF this fisst
stage Of the race. None OF these men
were badly hurt. OF the fifty ayla-
tors who started thirty eight were
civilians and twelve officers assigned
for military duty. Hung up for the
competitors are prizes amounting to
$g4, 600.
10000 To i.000.O00 View Start.
Dawn at Vincennes saw crowd es-
timated at from 100000 to 100000
persons massed around the military
exercise field to witness the start.
Six thousand soldiers and 1000 police,
most of them mounted were on hand
to keep the field clear.
A single gun fired at 5:45 o'clock
signalled the commencement of the
preiminaries to the race. The Abbe
Larebourg was Just finishing the mass
at an improysed altar in one of the
ueroplane hangers for some of the
aviators who desired spiritual prep
aration for the perils of the day. M.
lie Martin. who within the hour was
dying, was among those who knelt for
the blessing.
The second gun sounded at 6 o'clock
and Maurice Tabuteau, Pierre We'd
rine, and NJ. Bathiat who already
We're In position. whirlcd away within
IA # ~ har xtil
cheering
The aviators started from three
pafallelograms from one to three
minutes apart. Last to leave was
Emile Train. whose machine recently
killed Minister of War Berteaux and
wounded Premier Monis.
Among those who witnessed the
start from the official stand were
Premier Monis son. Antonio, who also
was wounded when NJ. Berteaux was
killed. Others in the stand We're Gen.
Francis Goiran, minister of war, who
succeeded BerteauX. NJ. del Casse and
NJ. Lepine perfect of the Paris police.
The Fatalities Begin Quickly.
The wind was rising az the start
and lie Martin, who was one of the
most experienced oyaitors In France.
rocked about a good deal as his ma
chine cleared the ground aud swept
away. His aeroplane had reached the
woods quarter OF q mile beyond The
barriers when II was observed to
pitch swiftly downward into the trees.
fhe bipane was broken badly as IL fell
at the foot of an oak tree. A corner
OF the motor struck lie Martins head.
crushing his skull, aud his right leg
also was fractured IN two places.
The aviator was barely alive when
he was taken away by Rod Cross sur
geons ana expired a few minutes after
reaching a hospital.
Something was wrong with the
gear OF lie Martins machine,
1t acted badly earlier in the morning
and Roland Garos, who helped nd-
Just It, advised lie Martin not to go
up
Disaster overlook Captain Prnctau
almost at the start fIe had scarcely
got we'll into the air when one of the
planes OF his machine caught fire.
princtau was seen struggling to undo
p strap that bound him firmly In his
seat so as To be free to jump as he
guided toward the earth. Before he
could loosen the belt, however, the
motor exploded He did not utter a
'ry and when the wreckage fell to the
ground the captain was dead. His
body was fearfuly burned. Captain
Princtau probably had been asphyxi-
lted by the first burst OF the benzine
flames. He was one Of the most cour-
igeous and capable ayiators In the
army
Other Birtlmen Killed There.
\ tragic coincidence of Princtau's
leath was that the exact spot where
he fen, Laffort. the French aviator.
md pola, a passenger. were killed last
December In the competition for the
clubs prize for flight
from Paris TO Brussels, and only n few