New-York tribune., 1911-01-01

struck. Mosint, however. landed Unity
sl,t feet from the seat of his machine, snh
II is my impression that he was instantly
killed, although facial refexes seemed 10
give an indication of life for some minutes.
I'm my opinion the accident was eansed
BY the combination of circumstances have
Just spoken of-the originally snarp IN
cline of descent, the early stoppaSe u tne
motor, followed by the gust of wind ana
especially the change In the equilibrium OIL
the machine and the lowering Of It's centre
of gravity by the addition Of the large
tank. half empty though 4 was
Fell on High Weeds.
The moment Moisant struck the earth
falling in high weeds 10 the right OF the
feld, farmers workmen who happened 10 %
near picked him up. While the newspaper
men and officials rushed to him. A special
train OF fat cars was standing near the
scene Of the accident, and the BODY was
hurriedly placed aboard and brought to the
city and taken ~ an undertaking estao-
lishment. The expression on Mosants race
was that of a sleeping man, not the slight
est trace Of fear or pain being apparent
Wind was the cause OF the accident. Mol
SAINT, guided by the white flags which lined
the course, rounded the circle twice IN an
effort TO find landing place. The third
time around the wind. which was blowing
sbcut fifteen miles an hour across the
course. drove the machine toward the earth.
Moigant in trying to get back over the
grounds swerved suddenly to the lett' then
attempted his famous right circle so dan
eerous that II is said only one other man
beside AIoisant ever attempted IL. AT TINS
instant the wind caught the planes OF the
machine, while. according TO other av!ators'
a downward draft must have caught the
propell.rs and front planes.
The AS chine tipped. pointed It's nose d.
rsctly at the ground and came down like
a fash, while Moisant was seen 10 be
hurled from the machine head first to the
earth.
Mossant was the first alrnlan 10 carry
passenger across the English Channel he
was noted for his daring, and while mere
had flown In much higher winds than that
which caused to-day'S accident.
Harahan. where Moisant fell, is a sta
tion on the Illinois Central Railroad, eleven
miles from the centre Of New Orleans. On
one side lies the Mississippi River and on
tire other q small strip Of dense swamp land
separates il from Loke Ponchartrain. The
air currents in that section are peculiar,
gales frequently sweeping westward along
Lake Ponchartrain and meeting q heavy
rush Of wind coming down the river, caus-
;rs vhirls in the air which have been
roted as dangerous by several aviators fly
,ns, in that section. Harahan Is accessible
70 New Orleans only by road which runs
along the top of the levee and communi-
cation with New Orleans Is bad
SPOT Selected by Paulhan.
PauIhan, the French aviator. In his ex-
hibition flights at New Orleans year ago
made a study OF the atmospheric conii'
tions in that section. and in his flights ap-
parently selected that portion of land
=, here the greatest width exists between
the lake and the river.
The report that NIoisant, who had en-
deared himself to thousands OF New Or
leans citizens, had met with a serious ac-
cident spread rapidly. and when the special
bearing his body arrived at the Union Sta
ton there was vast crowd surrounding
the train shed. An ambulance and several
surgeons were waiting, anu dS tLc t!oi1i
drew in several men leaped to the platform
and. running to the ambulance, told the
surgeons taht Moisant was unconscious, bul
still alive.
The first surgeon. however who reached
the fat car saw that Moisant was dead. A
hush fell over the throng as attendahtS
bore the body to an ambulance.
Mosant had a sister married, living II
San Francisco. Two sisters were with him
here. Besides his bro.ler. Alfred j
Moisant. president Of the InternatIona
Ayiators' Association. two other brothers
live in Salvador, all being interested in the
banking business.
Moisont was a widower, and leaves son
Stanley. fifteen years old, now student a.
the San Rafael Military Academy. in Cali
fornia. The boy was in the hotel on thS
summit OF Mount Wilson, near Los Angeles
to-day when Arch Hoxey was killed.
Services will be conducted at 10 O'CLOCK
tomorrow morning, and his body will b'
placed temporarily in a vault here. Th'
funeral will be conducted under the rites
of the Roman Catholic Church. Follow
ing the services, Alfred ]. Moisant ana MI
sisters will leave New Orleans for Ne"
York.