The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-06-19
TWO 6IRDMEN ARE DEAD AS RE.
SUIT OF ACCIDENTS IN RACE
IN FRANCE.
MOTOR BURNS IN M|DA|R
Captain Prinotau, Capable and Espe.
rienced, Burns to Death Before Flam.
ing Machine Reaches Ground and L.
Martin Finds End Of Life in Fall
Fifty Machines in Contest.

Paris, June 1s.-Fifty aeroplanis,s
TOOK wing early today from the ayia-
'ioh tleid at Nincennes on the first
stage OF the European circuit race
which calls for a flight to London ana
return, with stops at various places
going and returning. Almost imme.
diately after the start two of the
aviators met tragic deaths and at least
one was gravely hurt The dead;
CAPTAIN PRINCTAIT, whose motor
exploded In midair, flooding him with
gasoline and burning him to death
Nj. LIE MARTIN. who dashed against
tree, the motor of his aeroplane
crushing his head.
The injured: NJ Gaubert. former
lieutenant I'm the army, who was en-
tered In the civilian race under the
name of "Dalger" He was found
lying senseless near his machine In n
wheat field four miles from yiilars
Coterets. His injuries are serious.
NJ. Bile; his aeroplane struck tho
earth within n mile of the start Blll.
was injured. but not seriously.
Three Others Fall.
Three other aviators fell. NJ ror
dian. near Charleville: Oscar Morrison.
close to Gagny. and NJ. NORM nj
Chevron, within 22 miles of Iiepa
Mhich Is the end of the first stage of
the race. None OF these men was
badly hurt. OF the so aviators who
started, SS were civilians and ~ Of
iicers assigned for military duty.
Hung up for the competitors are
prizes amounting to $4,000.
Dawn at yincennes saw n crowd
estimated at from 100000 to 900 900
persons massed around the military
exercise field TO witness the start
Six thousand soldiers and 1000 polic.
most of them mounted. were on hand
to keep the field clear.
a single gun fired at 5:45 O'clock
signalled the commencement OF the
preliminaries. The Able Lebourg was
Just finishing the mass at an impro
vised altar In one of the hangers for
some of the aviators who desired
spiritual preparation for the perils of
the day. NJ. lie Martin, who, within
, the hour was dying. was among those
who knelt for the blessing.
| The second gun sounded Mt
o'clock and Maurice Tabuteau, Vierre
Vedrine and NJ. Bathiat. who already
were In position. whirled away within
one minute OF each other. amid wild
cheering.
| The aviators started from three
parallelograms. from one to three min
utes apart. Last to leave was Emile
Train. whose machine recently killed
Minister of War Berteaux and wound
ed Premier Mons.
Among those who witnessed the
start from the official stand was
Premier Monis' son, Antonio, who also
was wounded when NJ. Berteaux was
killed. Others in the stand were
General Francis Goiran, minister OF
war, who succeeded Berteaux, NJ. Del
casse and NJ. Lepine. prefect of the
Paris police.
Wind and Death.
The wind was rising at the start
and lie Martin, who was one of the
most experienced ayiators in France.
rocked about good deal as his ma
chine cleared the ground and swept
away. His aeroplane had reached the
woods quarter OF mile beyond the
barriers when II was observed to pitch
swiftly downward and into the trees.
The bplane was broken badly as II
fell at the foot of an oak tree. A
corner of the motor struck lie Mar
tins head. crushing his skull, and his
right leg also was fractured in two
places.
The aviator was barely alive when
he was taken away by Red Cross sur
geons, and he expired a few minutes
after reaching u hospital.
Something was wrong with the
steering gear of lie Martins machine
1t had acted badly earlier In the
morning. and Roland Garros, who
helped adjust It, advised I.e Martin not
to go up.
Burned In Midair.
Disaster overlook Captain Princtau
almost at the start. He had scarcely
gotten we'll into the air when one OF
the planes of his machine caught
fire, Princtau was seen struggling to
undo strap that bound him firmly
in his seat, SO as to be free to jump
as he glided toward the earth. He
fore he could loosen the belt, however
the motor exploded and flaming benz
zine covered him. He did not utter
a cry, and when the wreekage fell
to the ground the captain was dead.
J His body was fearfully burned. Caps
tain Princtau probably had been as
! phyxiated by the first burst OF eh@
, benzine flames. He was one OF thu
most courageous and capable aviasoRs
; In the army sA