The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-05-22
Aeroplane Plunges Into Crowd and
French OFFICIAL is Killed by
the Crash of the
Machine.
ONE ARM CUT OFF
Several Others Were Injured and
France is Horrlfied by the
Disaster OF
Sunday.

PARIS, May 22-Henn Maurice Ber
teaux, minister of war, was killed and |
Antoine Emmanuel Ernest Monis, pre-
mier and minister of the interior, is in I
a critical condition as the result of the |
start OF the Paris to-Madrid aviation
race at the drill ground at Issy Les
Molineaux at dawn Sunday morning.
Antoine Monis, son Of the premier, |
and Henri Deutsch de la Mourthe, the
aged patron of aeronautics, AUTOMOBILE |
ing and other sports, also were injur
ed A large number of other persons
of note had narrow escapes from in
jury.
This terrible toll Of French endeav-
Or to attain supremacy of the air was
due to the plunge of a monoplane, Of
which the driver had lost control, into
4 a crowd of ministers and well-know
| Parisians.
/ Minister of War Berteaux was hor-
rihly mangled. The swiftly revolving
propeller cut off his left arm, which
1 was found ten feet away from the
spot where he was struck; the back
of his head was crushed in, his throat
gashed and the whole OF his left side
cut and lacerated.
Premier Buried Under Wreckaee.
Premier Monis was buried beneath
| the wreckage of the monoplane. He
was taken out as quickly as possible
and examined by military surgeons,
who found he had sustained compound
fractures of two bones in the right
leg; that his nose was broken. his
face badly confused and there were
bruises on the breast and abdomen.
4 M. Deutsch and NJ. Monis were not
seriously hurt.
Among those that had narrow es-
capes from injury was NJ. Lepine, the
prefect of police.
In the cold of the early May morn
ing 100000 French. with the holiday
spirit and in holiday attire, awaited
the start.
The first away was Naval Lieuten-
ant Conneau, flying under the pseud-
onym of Andre Beaumont, because he
is on leave of absence. He ascended
at $40. He was followed by Roland
| G. Garras, who has just returned from
7 flying in the United States. Garros in
, turn was followed by Gilbert All were
using Bleriot machines.
i The crowd was cheering the men
who had got away, when In the clear
ing morning light NJ. Train, the avia-
tor, was seen approaching the drill
! ground with a passenger, NJ. BONNER
, in his machine He was flying a steel
+ monoplane, built and patented by
himself, and as he circled to try his
i motor it was seen that something was
: wrong
> Soldiers obstruct Aviator's View.
, AS Train maneuvered, the premier
the minister of war and other nota
; bles not being able to see from the
D stand of honor, moved nearer to the
e starting line The crowd followed
0 The crush was tremendous, and it was
d necessary to call for another squadron
t of cuirassiers to ride upon the fielc
and keep back the throng.
Train was shutting off his motor
and preparing to alight directly owe
the horsemen as they rode upon the
field In order to avoid striking the
!, cuirassiers, Train shot into the al
again. He was unable to see tht
a group of notables just on the othel
side of the horsemen.
Having cleared the cuirassiers
Train slanted toward the earth agail
and dashed headlong into the GROVE
= beyond.
. Minister of War Berteaux was jus
ahead of the machine, The propelle
: caught his right arm, which he ha'
raised to ward off the blow, and in
second had torn the member from tn
body. Berteaux was killed instantly
Premier Monis was buried beneat
l. the machine and was unconsciou
n when lifted from the ground. He wa
d carried at once to his home.
y The body OF the dead war ministe
e was taken to the ministry. The tor
Il arm was sewn on and the body wa
embalmed late in the afternoon.