Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-06-23
THREE AV|ATORS
KILLED IN FRANCE
Tragedy Marks Opening of Big
European Flight.
FIVE BIRDMEN ARE INJURED
Two Hundred Spectators Hurt ir
Crush at Great Cross Country
Event-Ten Competitors
Abandon Contest.

Paris = The beginning at Vim
cennes Of the greatest race through
the air ever witnessed was tragicaIly
marked by the death of three aviators
and the injury to five others, one prob
ably fatally. Over 200 spectators were
also more or less injured.
Sixty airmen mad been entered In
this contest, of whom fifty took wing,
in spite of the catastrophes with which
this, the greatest of European cross
country flights, was inaugurated.
Ten of the competitors were obliged
to abandon the contest for one reason
or another before they flew beyond the
confines of the park.
The dead are:
Captain Princeteau, one of the most
distinguished French military avia-
tors. The motor of his monoplane,
which had been acting balky before
the start, exploded in midair within a
few minutes after his craft left the
ground. The benzine poured over the
unfortunate aviator, burning him to
death.
M LIE Martin. Bleriots favorite and
most skillful pilot. 1t was known that
the steering gear of his craft was net
in order when he started. Getting be-
yond control almost as soon as he
rose, the monoplane collided with a
great oak tree. The motor fell on the
aviator's head, crushing his skull.
NJ. Lendron, one of the most popular
airmen of France He had flown 70
miles when the fuel of the reservoir of
his monopIane exploded The machine
was entirely consumed and the avia-
tor was burned to death.
The injured are:
NJ Gaubert, who entered the race
under the name of Dalgar He had
been an officer in the French army.
The aviator was found senseless under
his machine in wheat field near Vii
ars-Coterets His injury will probably
be fatal.
NJ Billie, whose monoplane crashed
to the ground a mile from the start
and was entirely wrecked The aviator
was painfully but not seriously in
iured
NJ. Morrison fell near Gagny: M. Nor
in near Chevron, and NJ Jordan near
Charleville. Their craft were wrecked
and the aviators were badly shaken
Up but their injuries are not serious.
The scene of the start was the same
park in Vincennes where the late
French minister of war met death in
the Paris-Madrid flight start four
weeks ago. Here, also, Laffort and
AntOinette monOplane last December
In spite of these warning tragedies
the mob OF spectators, numbering l.
100000 persons, surged on the field be-
fore the start. 1t was while driving
back the throng that the spectators
were injured more or less
The European race is for a purse
totaling $4,000 The course leads
over France, Belgium, Holland and
England with two crossings of the
English channel. The end, as the be-
ginning, is at Vincennes The total
distance is about $50 miles On &C.
count of the favorable topography OF
lhV SouiIllJ was III SutCtSu IudI ILLS
would be the most successful as we'll
as the least dangerous of all cross.
country European races
Nearly all the famous aviators of
Europe were entered and made their
starts. For America especial interest
centers in little Roland Garros, the
hero of the Paris-Rome flight, who
started in spite of the contrary &C
tons of his monoplane