Norwich bulletin., 1911-05-22
French Minister OF War Killed and Three
Others Injured by Air Monster
DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF MACHINE
Prime Minister and Son Among the Victms-Arms of
Minister Of War Sheared Off by Rapidly Revolving
Propeller-Premier Suffers Broken Leg and Nose
Machine Wreck But Aviator Escapes Injury.

Paris, May 21.-Fsnce today paid
another and terrible toll. in her mag
nificent endeavor 10 attain supremacy
in the art of aviation. A monoplaIe,
the driver of which had lost control,
plunged into group of members of the
cabinet who had gathered to witness
the start Of race from Paris TO
Madrid. killed the minister of war and
injured the prime minister, his son and
a well known sportsman.
The Dead.
Henri Maurice Bertssux, minister Of
OF war.
The Injured.
Antoine Emmanuel Ernest Monis,
premier and minister Of interior.
Antoine Monis, son Of the premier.
fisnri Dsutseh De La Meurhte, the
elderly patron of aeronautios, auto
MODELLING and other sports.
Many Other Narrow Escapes.
\ large number of other persons of
note had narrow escapes from harm.
The accident occurred on the aviation
field at Issy Les Motineux and was
Witnessed by two hundred thousand
persons. NJ. Train was plotting the
monoplane. With him in the car was
~. Boqpier; a passenger. Neither was
injured. The machine was wrecked.
Berteaux Horribly MsnsIed.
Minister CT War Berteaux was horri-
propeller sf cared off his left arm.~hich
was found ten feet away from the spot
where he was struck: the back of his
head was crushed in, his throat was
aashed and the whole Of his left side
was cut and lacerated
Monis Buried Beneath Wreckage.
Premier Monis was burned beneath
the wreckage OF the monoplane. He
was taken out al quickly as possible
and examined by military surgeons,
who found that he had sustained COM
pound fractures Of two bones in the
right leg that his nose was broken. his
face badly cortused and that there
We're bruises on the breast and abdo-
men.
Not Seriously Hurt.
w. Deutsch and VI. Monis were not
seriously hurt. Among those who
barely escaped being struck was NJ.
Lepine. the prefect of police.
Party Arrived at A. M.
Premier Monis and Minister Ber-
te1ux and their party arrived at the
aviation field about o'clock this
morning shortly after Roland Garros,
NJ. Beaumont and NJ Gilbert had start
ed in the race which was headed in the
direction Of Angouleme capital of the
department of Charentc.
Admitted on Field by Soldiers.
The great crowd OF spectators bor-
de-Ing the flying field was being held
rigid by a large force OF soldiers, who,
however. permitted the ministerial par
~ and some fifty other persons of dis
tinctio1 to walk across the field to
point where they could get a better
view down the course and see the air.
men as they rose from the starting
point and Gy in their direction.
veerine Starts Off by capsizine.
While the great assemblage cheered
radly the ministers saw Pierre -Veer-
inc. who had been picked by many 8
tho proba ole winner of the race, mount
easily from the ground and head down
the aerodrOme. But suddenly his ma
chine carsized and he fell but emerged
unhurt from the debris. Aviator Train
whose nonoplane caused the disastt r,
had meanwhile taken his position at
the starting line. levers In hand, with
NJ. Bounier beside him.
Wind Blowing Thirty Miles an Hour.
The breeze had been steadily fresh
eninz and the meteorological observer
in the chief Eiffel tower telepfloned
that his gauge showed a velocity of
eight metres a second or close to thir-
ty miles IN hour The members of the
aviation committee were discussing the
adverse conditions as Train left the
ground Ascending swiftly he citcled
the great field. swooped around to, the
starting Inc. and then flew down the
course at a forty nlas an hour gat.
course at a forty miles an hour gait.
rusty wind.
Monerlane Driven Toward Earth.
At this moment il was observed by
.he cOnmandant of the troops that the
crowds were breaking the line forma-
ton on one side Of the field and he
despatched a troop of cuirassiers to
get them back in order. The cavalry
men zalloped across -ha field, breaking
into double lines az they went. Here
Trains monOplsne dived toward tire
earth under the impulse of an air fur
~ and IL appeared as though the avi-
at1r we're about to collide with the
horsernen. The pilot's attention SEEM
ed momentarily 10 have been diverted
from his course and he made a quick
turn to the left toward where the party
of officials were stan ding. Then he
los control Of the craft altogether and
n dashed violently into the ministerial
group.
Berteaux Knocked Ten Feet.
The impact knocked NJ. Berteaux ten
feet away. where ne lay in a pool of
blood. badly torn. Under the wreck
age Law Premier Mcnis. his son and NJ
Deutsch. Train and NJ. Bounie er
emerged from the remains of the ma
chine uniniured. scene of frightful
confusion followed the fall of the mo-
roplane. From all parts of the avia-
fion field arose cries of alarm and dis
may and tens of thousands OF persons
broke through the lines and rushed
toward the scene Of the accident
First Aid to the Injured.
The cavalry. however by repeated
chsrges managed to clear the field and
the injured men we're given first aid to
the injured by the field surgeons. From
the first IL was seen that NJ. Berteaux
was fatally hurt and that NJ. Monis
was seriously injured. After the min
fxters ned been cared for the surgeons
dressed the wounds of those who had
received minor bruises.
No Time to Escape.
There are various versions as to the
cause OF the accident. but everyone
seems to agree that 1t occurred with
smch terrible swiftness that there was
no time for VI. Perteaux. NJ. Mcns and
the others to escape. NJ. Hersand. a
nephew Of former Premier Dupuy,
whose newspaper, the Petit Parisien,
arranged the race. said:
Saw 6srtssux Lying in Pool Of Blood.
NJ. Bertesux was just asking me
who would be the next starter and
vas consulting my programme to an
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