The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-07-20
FATALLY HURT
As A|RSH|P FALLS
Audience In a Panic, but Aviator
Keeps His Nerve.
STRUGGLE FOR FIVE MINUTES
Dirdmsn Tossed About by Treach-
erous Currents in Airho o and
Loses Control Of HIS
Roo Dsvil.

Erie, Pa.-Bud Mars, the plucky
aviator, was perhaps fatally hurt at
s.20 o'clock Friday afternoon when
his famous Red Devil" biplane fell
100 feet outside the aviation field in
upper Peach street, where he was
giving flights at the aviation meet
held under the auspices Of the Erie
Dispatch. Mars is ow confined to
Hamot Hospital, in this city. He is
In semiconscious condition, SUI
fsring from fractures OF three ribs
on the left side, internal hurts and
extensive body bruises and lacera-
tions.
A piece of Jagged steel projecting
from the engine of the biplane made
. deep indention into the padding OF
the head gear, but failed to pene-
trate its thickness. The accident
was caused by the biplane hitting an
air pocket. Mrs Mars was sitting
In the grandstand and saw the bi-
plane fall
When the crowds saw that Mars
was losing control OF his, bip!ane
when he struck the airhole, all
Jumped to their feet and ran across
the field and shouted words OF en-
couragement to the daring little
birdman.
you'll get him excited by yelling
At him." shouted Mrs. Mars, who
was cooler and more collected than
anyone OF the more than 5000 pres
snt. The crowd failed to hear her,
however. The police ran on to the
field and started to beat back tho
crowds.
Despite the desperate battle he
was having 100 feet above, Mars
recognized that the crowd below was
panic-stricken. He waved his hand
as II beckoning to the people to keep
cool When the police had forced
all the people back to near the
grandstand, Mrs. Mars coolly walked
out over the field and watched her
husband. There was not a sign Of
fear on her face.
For Ave minutes the aviator
fought desperately trying to extricate
his biplane from the treacherous air
pocket. But suddenly the biplane
dipped about Is feet. then turning
on its side began to fall slowly. II
was plainly seen, however, that Mars
did not lose his nerve.
When he saw that his biplane was
falling he tried to right 1t and guide
It under a hundred or more tele-
phone and telegraph wires AS he
did so one of the planes OF his ma
chine collided with a wire. 1t shot
downward like a bullet, alighting on
the ground just outside the canvas
wall OF the aviation field mass OF
wreckage. Three small boys, un-
noticed by the police, were stand
ing on the outside OF the field peer
ing through a hole in the canvas.
The biplane fell directly on top OF
them, but not one received a scratch
A moan went up from he crowd
Pandemonium reigned. There was
q mad scramble to find out how bad.
ly Mars had been hurt. Mrs. Mars,
though, was the first person to reach
her husbands side. A second later
i've officials began to lift up the
wrecked biplane to remove Mars II
was at first thought he had been
caught under the machine He was
still sitting in his seat, the steering
wheel forced against his chest. He
was conscious, but was unable tc
speak.
DR.. Broughton issued a statement
from the hospital to the effect that
the aviator's chest was badly injur
ed; that he had sustained conclusion
OF the brain and suffered internal in,
juries. while he is also bruised from
head to foot