The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-19
DEATH SILENTLY FLUTTERS AMONG DARING AVATORS An Enormous Crowd Sees Three Killed and Many
 Injured
  IS GREATEST RACE IN AVIATION HISTORY Ayiators Leave Paris and Fly Over Four Countries on Way to Lon- con and Back-The Prizes
 Amount to S94,000

at Vincennes on the first stage of the European circuit race which calls for flight to London and return with stops at various places going and returning. Three of the aviators soon after the start were killed and at least one was gravey hurt.
 The dead:
 Captain Princetau, whose motors e&- nloded in mid-air. flooding him with gaso- line and burning him to death.
 NJ. LeMartin, who dashed against tree the motor of his aeroplane crushing his head.
 Lendron was killed near Chateau Thlef- ry. Benzine in the reservoir exploded and the aviator was burned to death and the machine consumed.
 The injured:
 NJ Gaubert, a former lieutenant in the army, who was entered in the civilian race under the name "Dalger.' He was found lying senseless near his machine in A wheat field four miles from Nillars Coterets. His injuries are serious.
 M. Bille.s aeroplahe struck the earth within a mile of the start and was wreck ed Billie was injured. but not seriously
 Three other aviators fel-M. Lordian near Charleville; Oscar Morrison, close to Gagny, and M. Morin. at chevron, within % miles of Liege, which is the end of the first stage of the race. None of these men were badly hurt.
 Of the 50 aviators who started the race, ss were civilians and 12 officers assigned for military duty. Hung up for the com petitors are prizes amounting to- $94ooo. Dawn at Vincennes saw crowd estimat- ed at from 5oo,0O0 to 1,0OoOO6 persons massed around the military exercise field to witness the start. Six thousand sol diers and four thousand police, most or them mounted, kept the field clear. single gun tired at 5:45 o'clock signal- led the commeneement of the- prcliniil- K aries to the races. The Abbe Larebours was just finishing the mass at an im- .provised altar in one of the aeroplane hangars for some of the aviators who de- sired spiritual preparation for the perils of the day. M. LeMartin, who, within an hour was dying, was among those who kneh for the blessing.
 The second gun sounded at o'clock and Maurice Tabuteau. Pierre Vedrine and M. Bathiat, who already were in po- stion, whirled away within minute Of each other amid wild cheering.
 Train in Race
 The aviators started from three paral- kilograms, from one to three minutes apart. Last to leave was Emile Train, whose machine recently killed Minister of apd IF Monis.
 Among those who witnessed the start from the official stand was Premier Monis' son. Antonio, who also was in- jured when M. Berteaux was killed. 9th CTS in the stand were General Francis Goran, minister of war, Who succeeded Berteaux: NJ. Delcasse and M. Lepne prefect of police of Paris
 The wind was rising at the start and JeMartin, who was one of the most ex- ,perienced aviators In France, rocked about good deal as his machine cleared the ground and swept away. His aero plane had reached the woods, quarter of mile beyond the barriers when it was observed to pitch swiftly downwards and into the trees. The biplane fell at Iue lOOt bl du Odk tree. A corner or tile motor struck I4eMartin's head, crushing his skull, and his right leg also was frac- tured in two places. The aviator was barely alive when he was taken away by Red Cross surgeons and expired a few minutes after reaching a hospital Something was wrong with the steering gear of IeMartin matchne. It had act- ed badly earlier in the morning and Ro- land Garros, who helped adjust it, ad- yised LeMartin not to go up.
 Disaster overlook Captain Prncetau af- most at the start. He had scarcely got well into the air when one of the planes of his machine caught fire. Princetau was seen struggling to undo a strap that bound him firmly in his seat, so as to De free to jump as he glided toward the earth. Before he .could loosen the belt, however. rotor exploded and fam ing benzine covered him. He did not ut ter a cry and when the wreckage fell to the ground the captain was dead. His body was fearfully burned Captain Princetau probably had been asphy xiated by the first burst of the benzine flames. He was one of the most courageous ana capable aviators in the army. M Princetau had been a lieutenant since 1900 and was gazetted a captain in the official gazette this morning flor excep- \ tional services rendered to military avia- | tion.'
 A tragic coincidence of Princetau' s death was that at the exact spot where A he fell Laffort, the French aviator. and Pola, a passenger. were killed last De- cember in the competition for the Auto mobile clubs prize for a flight from Paris to Brussels, and only few yards away the French minister of war met death four weeks ago.
 Ten of the competitors, Tetard, Gaget, Duval Contenet, Charlix, La Douret, Gi- bert, Romance, Iandron and Euplin al though they started officially, never got beyond the limits of the field. Either ow- ing to the gusts of wind or because their machines developed eccentricities, they all came down and gave up their. chances for winning the contest.
 Sixteen different styles of monoplanes N and biplanes were used.
 Worlds Greatest Airship Race 1ba 0raa fest race in the history of aVia-