The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-09-18
AVIATOR FRANCIS
RISKS LIFE FOR
DOUGH, He SAYS
In Letter TO Mum Man Who
Will be at Fair Describes
{ easatiOIs
WANTS SPUNDULlX AND
NOT FAME, HE SAYS
Likes to Fly Over Awe-Stricken
Crowds, But He Thinks Only
of the Money

Roy Francis, master DlroIAan' WIN
is going to fly at the Cape Fair, pos
sesses two entirely different person
alities. One is the scientific am
bilious, non-mercenary, careful Dr.
Jekyll Francis. The other is the
other is the danger-calloused, money
loving, death-inviting and scientihc.
hating Francis, the characteristics OF
the Mr.. Hyde Francis. .
Here is what the DIR. Jekyll SIDE
has to say in a letter to Joe L. Num-
Jr.: "The cling of gold never sent
me into the sky. Ambition to become
the worlds most scientific and most
famed airman causes me to devote my
time and money to producing the
strong aeroplanes and devising feats
that prove the real value OF the heaV-
ier-than-air machine.
81 am striving for niche in the
aviation Hall of Fame, to have Iaur-
ell wreath pressed on my brow and be
placed along with Wilbur Wright,
Glenn Curtiss, and Bleriot. | want the
people to remember not Francis the
daredevil, but Francis the scientist
"When | fly before an immense
crowd figure that each one in the
throng is a a contributor to science
through aiding me TO carry out my
Hfe's work. 1t is only such spirit
that enables one to achieve the aerial
evolutions we are now performing
with such success. No Charlitan could
succeed with it for a moment"
Now turn the spotlight on Mr.
HYDE Francis for he is almost frantic
in gaining the eye of the reader
cart and Science? Forget all about
that kind of talk. 1t is the dull THUG
of dollars that lures me to the sky
What poor fool do you suppose woulc
90 through the soul-tefrifying stunt:
null off for laurel wreath OF
place in the hall of fame? When
look down on a huge crowd, awe
struck, gazing up at me looping tn
loop and upside down flying, they rep
resent Just so many silver pieces t.
stow away in my hoard, that day whel
thew turn me out of the hospital ant
saw that l will never be able to H.
again. .,
"The Gaspard of the sky. That
what l want them to call me. And Tn
bigger the pile of silver, the NOR
loops l give them. Get me right
Pm no scientific fool. ! am simpl
Francis the man who digs gold out c
the sky"
Rain, shine or cyclone is the sloga
Row Francis has nailed to the mat
head of his aeroplane. The great avi;
tor no longer fears the weather. II
nowerful motor sends him through u
air far faster than, any wind bio"
and so powerful is the impG'se OF h
craft that in starting, landing or H.
ing at a two mile high altitude II
sent along by the master h1r" Oh u
Worlds greatest aviator.
"The public has been buncoed
aviators for many years. is Franc
comment, and has grown accuston'
to the belief that man cannot fly u
less the wind is right. There are
such things as Swiss cheese atm'
pheres,' 'air pockets, 'vortexe
down trends or other of the alibis
dear to the heart of the timd
comnetent of inexperienced aviato
A man who can fly we'll enough to
Maid for exhibition flying should
able to fiy in any kind of wealth
even if a cyclone is blowing.
"There is just as much ditterei
between straight aging and fancy
ing as there is between ordinary
cycle riding and the fancy riding
one sees upon the vaudeville sta
But a lot of aviators are going arot
the country, buncoeing the public i
believing that they can really n.y.
so aviation gets a black eye. II
MANY times do we hear supposedly
telligent persons remark that the 3
onlane is but a toy. That man
never master air. want all III
neople to come out and see men
They will go away quite Of a diff
ent mind.
zone reason, and l might say
chief reason, why members OF
press and senate refuse to vote foi
appropriation for an adequate ae
army and navy, is because they DO
know what man can really do
an aeroplane. But they will soon k
because | am going to Washing
and give them a private exhtbitio
my flying" Co.
Roy Francis says that
against high speed automobile Is