The Detroit times., 1911-05-22
EMOURNsFOR|
Statesman KILLED
BY AER0PLANE
Minister Of War Berteanx Meets Ter
rible Death When Airship Dashes
Down on Official Party at
Aviation Course.
Premier Monis, Dangernnaly Injured
at Same Time, Is Greatly
Improved Today.

PARIS, May 22.-Premier Antoine
Ernest Monis. dangerously injured In
yesterdays aeroplane accident at Is
sy-Les-Moulineux. which cost the life
Of Minister Of War Henri Maurice
Berteaux. was greatly improved today
The physicians now say that barring
complications the premier will re-
cover.
Monis passed good night and was
practically free of fever this morning
His injuries consist OF q compound
fracture OF the right leg. q broken
nose. severe scalp wound and alb
dominal bruises and decorations.
II will be weeks before the premier
will be able to resume his official
duties.
A state funeral will be held for War
Minister Berteaux, who was almost
instantly killed when the Bleriot mon
oplane OF M. Train, an entrant In the
Paris to Madrid race. under the
auspices Of the Petit Partisan. dashed
into the crowd In which Berteaux
stood.
Antoine Monis. son OF the premier,
and Henri Deutsch De La Meurthe.
one OF the best-known sporting char
acters In France. who were injured by
Trains machine, were reported Inn
proved today.
Considers Races Useless.
The public IL divided as to whether
such races as that In progress should
be abandoned. Gen. RoQues, director
OF the army aeronautics, told the
hnf hA afA Aa~u 81
races not only dangerous, but ab-
solutely useless.
Others. however. contend that the
accident was due altogether TO bad
management. that, had the starting
ground been properly patrolied and
the crowd held in check. M. Train
never would have been called upon 70
engage In wild maneuvers In an effort
TO escape by striking groups OF spec
tators
Henry Weymenn, the American en-
trant In the race. withdrew today. be-
cause his mechanician failed to show
up.
Pierre vedrine won the first LEI of
the race today when he flew from L.
sy to Angeloume. 2s1 miles In three
hours and forty-eight minutes, which
was at the rate OF nearly rs miles an
hour. vedrine was penalized thirty
minutes for his false start. yesterday.
but even with this handicap he II stu
In the lead. NJ. Gilbert restarted to-
day from Lont Levoy, q heavy fog OBJ
securing his machine.
Owing to the national mourning for
Berteaux, the visit OF King Peter OF
Servia, which was to mark his first
reception by any Of the great capitals
of Europe. has been indefinitely post
poned.
Premier Monis and Minister Ber-
teaux and their party arrived at the
aviation field about o'clock this
morning, shortly after Roland Garros.
NJ. Beaumont and M. Gilbert had
started In the race.
The great line OF spectators border
ing the flying field was being held
rigid by large force Of soldiery who.
however, permitted the ministerial
party and some half-hundred othG
persons OF distinction to walk acr0
the field to point where they COT
get better view down the course q
see the air men as they rose from a.
starting point and fiew In their dire
ton.
While the great assem- blaRe1
cheered madly the ministers saw
Pierre vsdrine, who had been picked
by many as the probable winner of
the race, mount easily from the
ground and head down the aerodromo.
only suddenly TO capsize and fall but
emerge unhurt from the wreckaRe or
his machine. Aviator Train, whose
monoplane caused the disaster. mean
while had taken his position at the
starting line, levers In hand and with /,
M. Bounier beside him.
Crowds Break Formation.
The breeze had been SO steadily
and the meteorological OBJ
server in the Eiffel tower telephoned
that his gauge showed a velocity OF
close to 80 miles an hour. Train.
however, left the ground. Ascending
swiftly he circied the great field. curv-
(centinued sa page 81