The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-22
French Minister of War Killed
by an AeropIane.
Prime Minister and His Son Are
Badly Injured.
MACHINE Is WRECKED
The Aviator and His COMPANION
Escape Unharmed.
Accident Is Witnessed by Crowd
of 100000 People.

Paris, May 22.-France paid a terrible
toll Sunday for her magnificent endea-
vor to attain supremacy of the air when
a monoplane, the driver of which had
lost control, plunged into a group of
cabinet members who had gathered to
witness the start of the race from
Paris to Madrid. killing the minister
ter, his son and a well known sports
man.
The Dead.
HENRI MAURICE BERTEAUx.
minister of war.
The Injured.
Antoine Emmanuel Ernest Monis,
premier and minister of interior.
Antoine Monis, son of the premier.
Henri Deutsch de la Mourthe, aged
patron of aeronauticS, automobling and
other sports.
Many others of note had narrow es-
capes.
The accident occurred on the aviation
field of Issy-Les-Molienux, where 100000
persons had gathered to see the start Of
the race
M. Train was plotting the monoplane.
With him in the car was M. Bounier,
passenger.
Neither was injured. The machine
Minister of War Berteaux was Lhor-
ribly mangled. The swiftly revolving
propeller cut off his left arm which
was found ten feet from the spot where
he was struck: the back of his head
was crushed in, his throat was gashed
and the whole of his left side was
lacerated-
Premier Monis was buried beneath
the Wreckage of the monoplane. He
was taken out as quickly as possible
and examined by surgeons, who found
he had sustained compound fractures
of two bones in the right leg, that his
nose was broken, his face badly bruis-
ed and that there were bruises on the
breast and abdomen.
NJ. Deutsch and M. Monis were not
seriously hurt.
Among those who had narrow es-
capes from injury was M. Lepine, pre-
feet of police.
Story of the Accident.
Premier Monis and Minister Bertaux
and party arrived at the aviation field
about o'clock in the morning, shortly
after Roland Garros, M. Beaumont and
M Gilbert had started in the race.
The line of spectators bordering the
flying field was being held rigid by SOL
diers, who, however, permitted the min
isterial party and about so other per-
sons of distinction to walk across the
field to where they could get q. better
view down the course and see the air
men as they rose from the starting
point.
While the great assemblage cheered
madly, the ministers saw Pierre We'd
rine, who had been picked by many as
the probable winner of the race, mount
easily from the ground and head down
the aerodrome, only suddenly to capsize
and fall but emerge unhurt from the
wreckage of his machine.
Aviator Train, meanwhile, had taken
his position at the starting line, levers
in hand and with NJ. Bounier beside
him.
The breeze had been steadily freshen-
ing and the meteorological observer in
the Eiffel tower telephoned that his
gauge showed a velocity of close to 80
miles an hour.
Train, however, left the ground. As
cending swiftly, he circled the field,
curving round to the startling line and
then flying down the course in the
wind. At this moment it was observed
by the commandant of the troops THAI
the crowds were breaking the line for
nation on one side of the field, and he
dispatched a troop of cuirassiers to get
them back in order. The cuirassiers
galloped across the field, breaking into
double lines as they went.
Trains monoplane here swooped to-
ward the earth under the impulse of an
air furry and it appeared as though
the aviator was about to dash into the
cavalry. The pilots attention seemed
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