Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-07-20
Bud Mars, Well-Known Aviator,
Fatally Injured in Spectacular
Drop from Sky.
LOST CONTROL OF MACHINE
His Wife, Who Witnessed Acct
dent, Says Mars Knew Atmos-
pheric Conditions Were
Unfavorable.

aviator, was probably fatally injured in
Mis- city shortly after five o'clock this
afternoon when he lost control of his
air machine during a flight, and crash
ed from II height of several hundred feet
to the ground. The heavy biplane drop
ped on top of him. His injuries are of
such nature that there is practically
no hope for his recovery The avlator's
wife witnessed the accident and tonight
her condition Is serious from the shock.
Mars had made one successful fight
earlier in the afternoon lie was in the
air for the second time when the acct
dent occurred. Several thousand specta-
tors were watching him. He circled the
Held number Of times at height of
several hundred feet. Suddenly the ma
chine made a dip downward, and Mars
was seen to Jerk at something in an ef-
tort to regain control of the machine
II was futile attempt, however and
an instant later the biplane struck the
ground The machine was completely
wrecked and Mrs Mars lay etaoinnn
wrecked and Mars lay under it, He was
covered with blood, and at first it was
believed hc was dead.
AVIATORS CHEST INJURED
DpCtolS IouRHtOn ana GlEllOtti, who
were present as spectators. were soon at
the side of the injured man. Willing
hands soon cleared away tho wreckage
and Mars was carried to an improvlsed
REID hospital. The serious nature of
Mars's injuries was evident and he was
rushed to Il hospital. Tonight DR.. Bough-
ton issued a statement to the effect that
the aviator's chest was badly injured
that he had sustained conclusion of the
/ rain and suffered internal injuries, while
he is also bruised from head to foot. The
Causc Of the accident Is not known.
Mrs. Charles II. Strong. whose husband
owns the paper that was giving the avia-
ton meet and her daughter, Mrs Thora
Strong Ronalds of New York, turned over
their automobile to the physicians in
order to get the injured man to the hos
pital as soon possible. The automo-
bile was Just leaving the field when the
ambulance arrived and Mars was trans
ferred to it. IIysterical and sobbing,
Mrs. Mars also was placed in the amhu-
lance and taken to the hospital with her
husband.
Captain Thomas Baldwin, the veteran
birdman, who was directing the meet to-
day. did not attempt a flight. He had
witnessed the accident and was too much
shaken to risk flight
KNEW CONDITIONS WERE BAD.
That Mars knew atmospheric conditions
We're unfavorable before he started on
the fatal second flight was asserted to-
night by the aviator's wife at the iIamet
hospital where she is attending over her
injured husband.
Before starting on the second flight"
said Mrs. Mars, Bud came to me and
said that something was wrong with the
atmosphere at the lower end of the field
He said it almost gave him serious
trouble during the first flight.
The day was ideal and did not have
any fear for him. ! was surprised, how
ever, to notice that after he assembled the
second time he flew directly to the lower
end of the field, where he had found
conditions unfavorable l never took my
eyes off him, He began to descend and
I was relieved for thought the danger
was all over then.
THE newt moment I saw him working
desperately with the controlled but IT
would not respond apparently and the
machine darted toward the earth I
started forward. shut my eyes and
pened next"
MARS HAS UNIQUE RECORD.
New York, July 14.-James c. CBudl
Mars has many daring feats Of the
air to his credit and in one respect
his record is unique, He was the first
American aviator, If not the only one
Of any nationality, to make what was
practically globe cncircling tour as
an aeroplanist. Mars left San Fran
cisco in December and returned to
New York last month laden with tro-
pixies and a log book Of over $50 sue
cessful flights in the Orient. lie flew
In Honolulu, Manila, Sumatra. Japan
Java, Korea, Siberia. Russia and other
out of the way places, and on one &C.
casion had a royal passenger-the
King Of Siam-on a 12-mile flight
Mars is as we'll known in his native
country, for he has appeared at times
In every aviation center from coast to
coast, He has had a most varied car
eer, At the age of Is years he Learned
parachute jumping as a pupil of Cap
tain Thomas Baldwin, with whom he
has been closely associated since he
began to fly. And that was only re-
Gently, for while he Is still n young
man, his career includes circus riding
lion tanning, high diving and balloon.
ing.
FACED DEATH MANY TIMES
He first learned to fly with Curtiss, and
on his second days lesson he made q
flights. Since then he has appeared ir
many places, especially in the West, anc
has had many narrow escapes from