Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-03
DARING AVIATOR DROPS ONE
HUNDRED FEET WHEN MACHINE
TURNS OVER DURING FLIGHT
NEAR NEW oRLEANS.
DIED AS He WAS
RUSHED TOHOSPI7AL
MolsANT HAS BEEN SOLDIER OF
FORTUNE AND SINCE TAKING
UP AVIATION HAS HAD SPEC
TABULAR CAREER.

new Orleans, DEC. 3l.-JOhn b. MOI
SAINT the aviator, was killed this morn
ING while trying to make a landing at
Harahan, three miles above New
Orleans, when the machine turned
hsad down at an altitude OF 100 feet,
throwing Moisant out head first. The
machine was wrecked.
Moisant, In his fifty horse power
Blefiot monop1ane with q special
thirty-hve gallon gasoline tank aboard,
left the aviation field In this city at
10:0s and Aew to Harahan where
special grounds had been laid out over
which the aviator was to try for the
MicheHn cup. Meisant circled the
field twice trying to find landing place.
This was difficult, the field being on
the edge OF the Mississippi river and
with swamps on all other sides.
Suddenly the Moisant monoplane
turned head downward. The Mortified
watchers saw Moisant pitch clear over
the head OF the machine and fall like q
pIummet fully a hundred feet. He
landed on his head.
The machine, with the propellers
still working, turned side wise and
fell. complete wreck ~.
Ne Sign Of Fear Shown on Face
Moisant was thrown from his mono
plane and landed on his head, thirty
six feet from where the machine struck
the ground. His neck was broken by
the fall and death resulted almost
instantly. Otherwise there was no
bruises on his body. The moment
Moisart struck the earth, falling in the
weeds, some workmen who happened
to be near, picked him up, while news
paper men and ofieials rushed to him.
A special train Of fat cars was
standing mar the scene OF the taeci-
dent and the body was placed aboard.
brought to the city, and taken to an
undertaking establishment. The ex-
preston on Moisant's face was that of
4 sleeping man, not the slightest trace
OF fear or pain being apparent The
wind was the cause of the accident
Moisant was attempting dangerous
feat guided by white flag which lined
the coure. He rounded the circle
twice in an effort to fnd landing
place. The third time around tho
wind, which was blowing about fifteen
miles, across the course drove the ma.
chine to the earth. Moisant in try
ing to get back over the grounds
swerved suddenly to the left and then
attempted his famous right circle,
considered 80 dangerous that 1t is
said, but one other man beside the
edad aviator ever attempted it. At
this instant the wind caught the planes
Of the machine. 1t tipped and pointed
It's nose directly at the ground and
came down like fash, while Moisant.
hurled from his machine, dove head
hrBt to tho earth.
Moisant was born in Chicago in 1870.
When ia. he drifted to Central
America, became soldier Of fortune
and trader and finally was driven from
San Salvador when the general under
whom he was fighting met defeat.
Moisant at that time was wealthy,
but his property was coniscated by the
government. Soon afterwards he
went to Spain and later turned up at
Paris when the Wright brothers were
there exhibiting their machines.
He soon became an enthusiastic
aviator and his career was marked
with daring exploits. Last August he
made flight from Paris to London
with q passenger, being the first to
accomplish this feat. The trip was
nrsAA, Il, fhA face ~ storm