Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-22
FRENCH PREMIER
STRUCK BY AERO
MUCH IMP PROvED
Army MOurns Thirty Days for
War Minister, Instant
ly Killed.
ONLY ONE AVIATOR
CONTINUES FLIGHT
Other Airmen Unnerved by Ac-
eident Upon Military
Field.

PARIS. May 22-Antoine E. Monis.
the French premier and minister of
the interior who was seriously injured
yesterday when an aeroplane piloted
by M. Train, dashed into a group of
/ government officials on the military
field at Issy-les Moulineaux, to witness
the start of the Paris to Madrid race.
killing Henri M Berteaux. the French
minister Of war, and injuring two other
men, passed quiet night.
| Although Premier Monis, who was
buried beneath the wreekage of the
monoplane, sustained compound frac-
lures of two bones in the right leg, had
his nose broken, his face badly con-
fused and received bruises on the breast
and abdomen, his condition at noon
today, according to statement given
out by the physicians attending him,
Is satisfactory and much improved
The disaster yesterday at the COM
mencement of an international contest
which promised to be one of the prln-
cipal aviation events of the season has
plunged the whole French nation into
grief, and the death of Minister of
War Berteaux is mourned, without po-
litical distinctions, throughout the re-
public as a national loss.
Today the body of the minister is
lying in state at the ministry of war.
The funeral, which is expected to take
place on Friday. will be conducted
with full national honors The army
will go into mourning for thirty days.
Aviator Continues Race.
Pierre Vedrine. undismayed by his
own accident yesterday, when, just
prior to the disaster in which the
French minister of war was killed, his
machine suddenly capsized and. was
wrecked, again started in the Paris-to-
Madrid race early this morning.
A thick haze covered the 1ssy-les-
Moulineaux aviation field, and COM
paratively few spectators were on hand
to witness the resumption of the race.
M. Train, who, in trying to avoid
crashing into squadron of cuirassiers
galloping across the military field,
caused yesterdays lamentable tragedy
and who was entitled, under the con-
ditions of the race, to make another
start in the international flight contest,
announced that he had no heart to do
so, because of his terrible mishap of
yesterday.
Four other aviators, NM. Weymann,
Frey, GARNER and Ferrept, also retired
from the race.
No Cheers for Starter.
Vedrine at $3.50 O'clock this morning
took a preliminary flight around the
field for the purpose OF testing his
motor. and then at All arose high in
the air and disappeared swiftly in the
fog toward Angouleme, the first stage
of the race. There were no cheers
when the aviator started on his
fight, the people seemingly being
stunned by the accident attending the
opening of the event. The crowd and
the judges, however, remained on the
aviation field throughout the morning
and received telegrams from the Of
fetal time keepers along the route OF
the flight.
Vedrine arrived at Angouleme at 100
O'Clock, having covered the 279 miles in
IS nOuIS anu 90 iiilllulCS' 1 ii1 running
time of the Southern express betwsen
Paris and Angouleme is hours and
Is minutes.
The judges announced Vedrine had
broken the record for the long dis
tance, cross-country flight His time
was all the more extraordinary when
1t was considered that the airman had
made a stop at Etampes 80 miles from
Paris, to regulate his motor. The
aviator arrived at Angouleme in good
condition, though he suffered eonsid-
erably from the cold.
NJ. Gsrros Gives Up Race.
NJ. Garros was the only contestant
out of yesterdays four starter to
reach Angouleme. Gilbert reached Pom
tlevoy, but, learning of the catastrophe
on the Issy field decided to procsed
no further. lie Lasseur landed near
Cosne, having lost his way In fog.
Beaumont descended at Azay- -Sur-lm-
bre, and on attempting to resume his
flight damaged the left wing OF his
aeroplane by dashing against tree.
ANGOULEME, France, May Pm.
Gilbert arrived here at 1854 o'clock this
morning from Pontlevoy, having decid-
ed to resume his fight in the Paris TO
Madrid aviation race. After leaving
Pontlevoy NJ. Gilbert lost his way and TO
get his bearings was obliged to land at
,oar fI,a LELAND Of Tloupha r0