The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-06-23
ONE rs COVERED WITH BURNING
GASOLINE AND OTHER CRASH.
Es AGAINST TREE.
TWOOTHfRS ARE INJURED
Trasedies.-seven Air Men
Reach Ledge, Belgium.
First Stop In Flight.

Parls, france. - FIFTY aerOplonf9to
took the wing from the aviation field
at vincenncs on the first stage Of the
European circuit race, which calls for
q flight to London and return, with
stops at various places going and re-
turning. Two Of the aviators almost
Immediately after the start met with
tragic deaths and at least one other
was gravely hurt.
The Daed.
Captain Princetau, whose motor ex.
ploded in midair, flooding him with
gasoline and burning him to death.
NJ. LeMartin, who dashed against a
tree. the motor of his aeroplane crush.
ing hts head.
The Injured.
NJ. Caubert. a former lieutenant in
the army. who was entered in the race
under the name "Dalger." He was
found lying senseless near his machine
IL a wheat field four miles from VIII
lare-C oteretJ. His injuries are grave.
NJ. Billie. whose aeroplane struck the
earth within a mile of the start and
was wrecked. Billie was injured, but
not seriously.
Three other birdmen fell. NJ. Lord.
ian. near Charleville: Oscar Morrison.
close to Gagny, and NJ. Norm at Chew.
ron, within 80 miles of Liege, which Is
the end Of the first stage of the race.
None of these men were badly hurt.
Prizes Amount to $4,000.
OF the so aviators who started the
race 80 were civilians and IL officers
assigned for military duty. Hung up
for the competition are prizes amount.
ing to $4,000.
Dawn at Vincennes saw a crowd es.
timated at from 100000 to 1000, 900
persons massed around the military ex.
ercise field to witness the start. Six
thousands soldiers and 1000 police,
most Of them mounted, were on hand
70 keep the field clear.
A single gun fired at 5:45 o'clock
signaled the commencement of the
Larebourg was just finishing the mass
at an improyised altar in one Of the
aeroplane hangers for some of the avi.
ators who desired spiritual prepare.
ton for the perils of the day. NJ. lie
Martin, who within the hour was dy.
ing. was among those who knelt for
the blessing.
The second gun sounded at 6 O'Clock
and Maurice Tabuteau. Pierre Vedrine,
and NJ. Bathiat. who already were in
position. whirled away within a min.
ute of each other amid wild cheering.
Start Three Minutes Apart.
The aviators started from three par
allelograms from one to three minutes
apart. Last to leave was Emile Train,
whose machine recently killed Minis.
ter of War Berteaux and wounded
Premier Monis.
Among those who witnessed the
start from the official stand was Pre-.
mier Monis' son, Antonio, who also
was injured when NJ. Berteaux was
killed. Others in the stand were Gen.
eral Francis CORA. minister of war,
who succeeded Berteaux; NJ. Delcasse
and NJ. Lepine. project Of the Paris
police.
The wind WIS rising at the start and
I lie Martin. who was one of the most
experienced aviators in France, rocked
about a good deal as his machine
| cleared the ground and swept away
His aeroplane had reached the woods
a quarter o: a mile beyond the bar.
rivers when II was observed to pitch
swiftly downward and into the trees.
The biplane was broken badly as II
| fell at the foot of an oak tree. A
corner of the motor struck lie Martins
head, crushing his skull and his RICH,
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 few minutes
after reaching a hospital.
Seven Reach liese.
Liege, Belgium. - At the closing OF
the registers seven of the aviators who
started from Vincennes on the first
stage of the European circuit race
had arrived here. a distance Of 800
kilometers (2l2 miles,. They were re
corded in the following order:
Vidart. hours. Is minutes; Vedrine
3 hours. 80 minutes; Weymann, !
hours, 55 minutes; Beaumont. 4 hours
2 minutes; Barra, 4 hours, 3 minutes
Duval, 4 hours. 81 minutes, and Garros
o hours and minutes.
Renaux. the only aviator to carry g
passenger. had had luck. He was
wind eddied. when within 200 yards Of
the aerodrome. He was not hult. but
the propeller Of his machine was spin
tered, obliging him to await the repair
automobile, within sight of the goal.