The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-05-17
Stiff Gale Was Blowing and
Friends Tried to Restrain
Him But He Refused to Be
Held Back.
WON $4,000 PURSE
OFFERED FOR FEAT
Another Aviator Threatened
to Kill Himself If He Were
Not Permitted to Make the
Attempt.
CNational News Association)

KEY WEST, Fla, May 17.-The first
successful aeroplane flight over the
Gulf of Mexico to Cuba was made to-
day by Domingo Rosilli. a young Gu
ban aviator, who won prize of ten
thousand dollars offered by the munich
pal council of Havana for accomplish
ing the feat.
Leaving the terminal of the East
Coast railroad in gale of wind at
5:35 o'clock in a Moissant machine,
Rosillo skinned across the interven-
ing stretch of turbulent water without
any mishap.
stated that Rosillo was flying over
Havana at I'll o'clock.
A Dramatic Incident.
A sensational and dramatic incl
dent, which almost cost a human life,
attended the start of the flight.
Augustine Parla, another aviator,
| who was to race across the gulf with
Rosillo, attempted to have the daring
little Cuban abandon the flight for to-
day because of the high wind apd
roughness of the water. When Parla
start he began to overhaul his Cur
tiss bi-plane. Friends intervened, say
ing: "It would be sure death to start
in this gale, and if you should fall into
the water the waves are so high you
would be drowned"
Parla persister, and finally friends
had to restrain him forcibly. Parla,
in his desperation pulled pistol from
| his pocket, and placing the weapon
against his forehead, threatened to
kill himself unless he was allowed to
start. Friends took the weapon from
| him.
Foiled In Attempt.
| The aviator then entered his ma
chine, which had been equipped with
pontoons, and which rested on the
surface of the water. The wind was
| so high, however, that the aeroplane
would not rise, and the wires holding
the pontoons snapped. Waves then
began splashing over the machine, and
all hopes of starting the flight were
| lost
| Meanwhile, Rosi1lo, who had got a
flying start, had disappeared in a
southwesterly direction, bucking a
stiff wind that threatened to send his
aeroplane crashing upon the water.
| A great crowd gathered to see the
aviator start, but on account of the
wind and the choppy sea it was be-
lieved neither man would attempt the
flight At 5 o'clock Rosillo sent a
radio telegram to Moro castle, asking
| 0f ha off III.
ban coast. The reply came back that
flying conditions there were ideal
THAT settles it," exclaimed Rosillo
Il will start, for I promised to make
the fight before Sunday, and I'm go.
ing to do it or die trying"
| For time the Cuban tinkered with
| his machine, testing stays and seeing
i that all was durable for the wind test
it was soon to go through. When he
clambered into the machine and gave
the word to his mechanician that he
was ready to start, a great cheer went
up from the crowd.
Makes Graceful Ascent.
The machine arose through the all
at the height of about one hundred
feet, and then with the grace of a
swallow darted southwark. Rosillc
waved his hand, then gave his full
attention to the aeroplane, above, the
sky was gray with storm Clouds below
him the sea tossed and tumbled.
Sand Key light flashed word at "a;
o'clock that Rosillo had just passed
their flying high and swiftly. SAND
Key light is seven miles from thi:
city.
At 6:55 O'Clock the wireless flashed
the word that Rosillo was thirty-fivs
miles off Havana and that he wa:
dashing through the air at terrific
speed. while the Cuban gunboat Pat
ria, with smoke pouring from her fun
nels, was racing in his wake vainll
trying to overtake him.
At that time the Patria reported b!
wireless that Rosillo had risen to {;
height of nearly one thousand feet
evidently to avoid the low wind cur
rents.
At I O'Clock another wireless from
Moro castle that Havana Bay and th'
housetops of the Cuban capital wer'
black with people awaiting for th'
first glimpse of the daring aviator.
/ At 1880 O'Clock Rosillo was reported
fiying over the city. He landed a
isis O'Clock. and was was mobbed b,
the populace.
In addition to the ten thousand do
liar prize offered by the Havana cour
ell. Rosillo will receive a persona
trophy from President GobeZ, of Cuba