The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-07
Nine. Didicr Mason Didn't
Know Aviator Was Put to
Death in Mexico.
SHOT BY HUERTA'S TROOPS
Made Flights Over Federal
Army in West and Dropped
Bombs in Camps.

PRINT or an article by Arnold krucknuu.
aviation expert. which appeared in the
Sunday magazine section Of TIE SuH OF
December 81 telling of the execution Of
Didier Mason a French aviator by the
Federals in Mexico in September last
That woman was Mime. Mason. vino
until she CHANGED on the article which for
more than four months gave the first
news Of the aerial scout did not know
she had been widowed. For months she
had not heard from her husband Daily
she had waited for "A letter from him
Daily she had looked for news concern
ing him IN the dispatches from Mexico
for she knew he had been employed a. a
scout by the Cons,itutionalists last
spiing.
Not word did she get until she read
the reprint from THE SrN. Frantically
she read on and learned the details OF
the shooting Of her husband because he
had given the Constitutionaiists such
splendid aid in informing them OF the
movements of the Federal forces She
read how the code between nations to
treat a scout when captured as pris-
oner Of war had been violated. She
learned her husband had been put 10
death as a spy.
Appeals 10 ''The SUM-"
Nine. Mason hurried to IN. Office OF
on Blds. where she made inquiries re-
garding the source of information AZ to
her husbands death. II seemed that the
Sunday article had preceded. by some
odd chance any news story telling OF
tho death OF tine air scout The WIDOW
" al al IN h. nyi. off ,,f I'm
SuN, whence her inquiry was cabed to
New York She begged official coniirna-
ton Of h-r husbands death
Search was made FOR Mr. kruckman 10
obtain from him the source OF his i'm
| forma don. At his home in Arlington.
y. J., II was said that he had started for
California on Friday and was due in Los
Angeles last night or this morning His
cousin. Mrs Margaret Callahan. with
whom Mr. Kiuckman boards thought
that he obtained the Information from
the War Deps rtment IN Washington.
Mr. Kruckman and VI Mason" she
explained were warm friends when NJ.
Mason was at Hampstead. AS Mr..
kruckmsn has made specially OF avia-
ton ne seeks 10 keep in touch with all
ested in Mason. After NJ Mason went
to Mexico Mr.. Eruckman watched the
newspapers carefully. and when finally
no news whatever appeared OF him Mr..
kruckmau began TO make inquiries. Fl
nally he learned that Mason had been
executed. lie was much ericv.d. but ne
did not write anything until he had con
frmed it.
sought Combination Of Report.
II do not know exactly what he did en-
cept that he carried on correspondence for
several days, and finally. I believe, got
word from the War Department in Wash
ington giving details OF NJ. Msssons
death. l am sure from the way Mr..
Kruckman talked that he was convinced
OF the avia,ors death. for he spoke OF
the many splendid qualities of Mason
and Of the horrible death he mad met
The details which Kruckman obtained
OF Masson's death show that at sunrise
one morning in last September the avia-
tor was bound and led to the baked clay
shores OF Las Guaymas In the state of
Sonora. whore a grave was dug. Soldiers
took aim at the aviator and in second
tho Frenchman tumLled dead into the
grave that had been prepared for him
That was the revenge OF the Federals fer
the service which he had rendered the
Constituencies.
Paulhan Married Hts Sister.
Mason at one time was soldier o.
France in Africa, serving in the same
u.itb u.I, ha,,
aviator and won wealth and fame by his I
daring in handling an aerop,ane When |
Paulhan learned to ny he took Mason |
as his mechanic and shortly afterward he |
married Masson's sister. When Paulhan |
come to this country he brought his |
brother-in-law with him
Mason remained here, and, eager to !
become an aviator. Joined the aviation |
community at Hampstead Plains He got |
commissions to fly and began to tour the |
country. he had Il smashup in Kansas |
once and suffered the fracture Of a leg. |
which kept him in a hospital for several |
weeks
Mason was hired by the Constitu- |
tionalists last March to drive a military
biplane, MS compensation being $500 |,
Mexican month. For that salary no |
agreed to fly at least four times a week |
over the enemys Notifications or encamn-
ments and obtain information concerninp
them for the Constitutonalists
Mason had difficulty at first In maldp, !
a Night because he did not have enough
aeroplane surface for the altitude. For
several days he was derided by the SOL |
diers and was spurred to greater ACTIVITY
by the points OF bayonets tickling his |
ribs.
Made Flights over FedersIs.
He finally enlarged his aeroplane sur
face and began his flights lie circled
over the Federal stronghold at Las Quay
mas and dropped bombs on the Federals
as sort OF daily amusement.
Mason carried Capt. Manuel b. Alcado
as a passenger to hurl bombs at the Fed
erals, He helped drive the enemy out OF
the confines OF Las Guaymas. lie directed
the fire of the batteries at the Federals So
accurately that much damage was done
and victories were won lie kept the Con.
stitutionallsts constantly Informed as 10
the movements OF the enemy and showed
the rebels way to outflank the Fedcrals, |
One day In September. however. he es- |
sayed an unusually long flight over the |
Federals entertainments and when high I'm |
the air his engine stopped. He tried TO |
volplanc back to tho encampment of the |
Constitutionalists, but he did not succeed. |
His aeroplane. the object of many rifles