Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-15
MARS FALLS IN
HIS AER0PLANE
Aviator Probably Fatally
Hurt at Erie, Pa.

Erie, Pa, July 15.-James G. C"Bud')
Mars, the American aviator, was In
jured, probably fatally, when he LOST
control of his biplane and crashed
from a height of a hundred feet to the
ground.
The biplane dropped on top of him
His chest was badly injured, he sus'
tanned conclusion of the brain and re-
ceived internal hurts, and the attend
ing physicians say there is little hope
of his recovery.
Mars leather helmet saved him from
instant death. A piece Of Jagged steel
projecting from the engine of the bt,
plane made a deep indentation In the
padding of the headgear, but failed to
penetrate it.
The accident was caused by the BIZ
plane hitting IN air pocket.
Mrs. Mars was sitting In the grand
stand and saw the biplane fall. When
the crowds saw that Mars was losing
control Of his biplane when he struck
the air pm. lei all jumped to their feet
and ran across the field and shouted
words Of encouragement to the daring
little birdman.
you'll get him excited by yelling at
himl" shouted Mrs. Mars, who was
cooler and more collected than any one
Of the more than 5000 present.
The crowd failed to hear her, how
ever, and the police ran OF to the field
and started to beat them back.
Despite the desperate battle he was
having 100 feet above, Mars recognized
that the crowd below was panic
stricken. He waved bis hand as II
reckoning to the people to keep cool.
When the police had forced the people
back to near the grand stand Mrs.
Mars coolly walked out over the field
and watched her husband. There was
not q sign of fear on her face.
For five minutes the aviator fought
desperately to extricate his biplane
from the treacherous air pocket. But
suddenly the biplnne dipped about IF
teen feet; then, turning on It's right
side, 1t began to fall slowly. 1t was
plainly seen that Mars had not lost bis
nerve.
When he saw that his biplane was
falling he tried to right 1t and guide
1t under a hundred or more telephone
and telegraph wires.
AS he did 30 one of the planes of his
machine collided with a wire. The BIZ
plane shot downward like a bullet,
lighting on the ground just outside the
canvas wall of the aviation field, a
mass of wreckage.
Three boys, unnoticed by the police,
were standing on the outside Of the
field. peering through a hole In the
canvas. The biplane fell on top of
them, but not one received a scratch.
A moan went up from the crowd.
Pandemonlum reigned, There was q
Mars had boon hurt
Mrs. Mars, though, was the first
person to reach her husbands side. A
second later five officials began to lift
the wrecked biplane to remove Mars.
1t was thought he had been caught
under the machinery.
He was still sitting in his seat, the
steering wheel forced against his chest
He was conscious. but was unable to
speak.
us he aliver" asked Mrs. Mars fear
fully.
He's not badly hurt" quickly came
back from a doctor who was trying to
pry the steering rod aside to release
Mars.
After considerable trouble Mars
was lifted from the seat. He opened
his eyes and tried to say something,
but could not.
He was quickly carried across the
field and an ambulance from the hos
pital was summoned. By the time it
had arrived Mars had relapsed into
semiconsciousness Mrs. Mars hurried
to the hospital and remained with her
husband.
The physicians say the internal hurts
sustained by Mars seem to be of a
serious nature, although they are un-
able to say definitely how badly he Is
hurt,