The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-31
"PHiL" is DEAD
Continued rom pae. one.


spins and spectacular air stunts. Kan
sas had seen the professional airmen.
But she waived them aside to suspend
ali business, and even Travelled many
miles to watch the Topeka daredevil
He flew as he drove his big car-for
pleasure and excitement. And in his
hunts for thrills he qualified Tor top
rank place among the birdmen.
Long before many allied airmen
now wearing shoulder straps and
bravery medals dreamed of flying or
were fitted for an army uniform. Bill
lard had perfected flying methods AMI
originated new ideas. Even before
the outbreak of the war. Billiard had
Topped the state house dome and
swooped down Kansas avenue. He
had tried and perfected the new and
most daring stunts of the air devils
in France long before he was given a
chance SO much as to train recruits.
He Wanted to Fight.
Billiards. entrance in the allied air
service came only after he had made
frequent attempts to go to the front.
Billiard spent large sums of his own
money seeking commission that
would merely permit him to offer his
life 10 the service of his country.
Some fate always seemed to hold him
back. He organized an aerial company
in Topeka. Its personnel included
Kenneth Sutherland. but recently
killed in service in France. Just
when 1t seemed that the popular flyer
would lead a unit of birds to France,
the company was disbanded. Then
BILLIARD went to California. He trained
recruits. But always he was held
back from overseas service In des-
peration the Topekan went to an east
ern aviation camp and finally received
! transport.
In the war zone the same fate
seemed to tug and pull and Billiard
never received word to go over the line
after the Hun. To be sure he daz-
zled the observation officers in dem
onstrations with overhauled machines.
But Billiard wanted to fight. Recently
he wrote home to the effect that he
| was testing rebuilt planes.
This dangerous and important
| work" he wrote. Then in sadness,
but I long for real service where I
can meet the eneiny''
The same letter told of a demon
| stration before an awed French COM
| mand. Taking a machine from the
French hangar, Billiard made ninety-
eight loops in rapid succession. Then
! he climbed into a second machine and
did forty-three loops, after which he
| entered two scatter and flying at
| low altitude changed seats with his
| companion in full view of the COM
| mand1ng officers.
Injured in Italy.
Last spring Billiard had presumably
tbeen sent into Italy, where he suf-
| fered a broken arm and other in
Juries as the result of fall. Details
| or the accident never reached Topeka.
| II Billiard really wrote of his expert
ence, the letter was lost. Some weeks
| ago, however, he was returned to
| France. The date of his death is
| given as July rs.
Before entering war service Billiard
MADE many flights in Kansas. On
j numerous occasions he flew over To-
peka and demonstrated the latest loops
and spins and dives. No flyer ever
! staged show in this section of the
j country equal to the exhibitions of the
Iopekan when he sought a trip above
the clouds. One of his longest flights
was from Russell to Topeka in 1916,
when he covered the airline distance
of SO miles in two hours and eighteen
minutes. an average flying speed of Sc
miles an hour.
In spite of the irony of a fate that
kept him from a clash with the boche
alrmen, Billiards. patriotism and loyal
/ ty to the government never wavered
He never shirked or lodged the as
| signments which he drew, even tho
men much younger in experience were
advanced to chances for medals and
fame. An evidence of the patriotism
of the Topekan was frequent remit
tances of sums of money, which he di-
, rected his brother to invest in liberty
bonds. He also deposited several
I thousand dollars in local ranks and
insisted thai he be represented on the
list of subscribers to support every
war activity.
Billiard was the youngest son of ]. p.
Billiard. prominent North Topeka mil
Ter. twice mayor of Topeka. indepen-
dent candidate for governor in 1914
and at present Democrat candidate for
the state legislature. Billiard was of
French blood and from the outbreak
of the war was a staunch champion of
the allied cause.