DEATH OF THE "FLYING MAN."

Evening Star, Issue 3607, 14 September 1874, Page 3

DEATH OF THE "FLYING MAN."

(From the London Daily Telegraph, July 3 ) It was announced yesterday that at half-past 7 p.m., M. de Groof, the “Flying Man,” would repeat at the Gremc/cne Gardens ‘‘his astounding performance of flying ■ tfirbugli tfle air a distance of 5,000 feet,” True to this announcement, the flying man did endeavor to repeat the exploit which he had accomplished in safety ten days before, and perished in the attempt. M. de Groof was a Belgian, who had expended years in constructing for himself an apparatus which he believed it possible to imitate the flight of a bird. The general outline of-this apparatus was in imitation of a bat’s wings, the framework being made of cane, and the intervening membranes of stout waterproof silk. The were in al| thirty-seven feet long, with rfki average breadth of four feet, while the tail was eighteen feet by three feet. These wings were inserted into two fringed frames that were attached to a

wooden stand upon which the aeronaut took his place. Here he had three levers which he worked by band to "ive his machine propulsion or guidance is might be required; his theory being di»t having started from a given height he could manage his descent so as to reach t In; earth by a sort of inclined swooping motion, without risk of con:n>sion. About a year ago M. de Gvoof made an attempt, of which our correspondent at the time telegraphed the particulars, to descend from a great height on the Grande Place at Brussels, The effort was a failure, but V Homme Volant , as he was then called, escaped unhurt, though his network was afterwards torn to pieces by the crowd. On Monday, the 29th ult., however, M. de Groof repeated his experiment at Cremorne Gardens, with success. Mr Baum, the proprietor of the gardens, had, it seems, after making an engagement withjj him, felt some uneasiness as to the result, and at first refused to allow the trial to be made. The “ flying man ” protested the absolute feasibility of his scheme, and insisted on the contract being carried out; and this was done. The wings and stand were attached to a baloon, guided by Mr Simmons, who, after drifting over London towards Brandon, in Essex, released his companion at a considerable height- 300 feet, or 400 feet it is said—and the flying apparatus was immediately set in motion. “ For a time,” it is stated, “it was a race between the aeronaut and the flyer, De Groof winning by two fields’ lengths, and attaining the ground in perfect safety.”

How the accident occqrerd last night cannot be ascertained. The apparatus, previous to the ascent, seemed in satisr factory order, and De Groof,—though, according to custom, he took an affectionate farewell of his wife—appeared fully confident of making a successful ascent. About a quarter to eight the baloon was out loose, and rose slowly in the air, bearing with it the flying man and his gear. There was hutdly a breath of air, a circumstance which might have been supposed to be favorable to the performance of an aoronauticle feat of the kind. Be this as it may, however, when the baloon had attained a height of three or four hundred feet the unfortunate performer seemed either to mistrust his own powers or the capability of his apparatus, for he was heard by the spectators below shouting to the man in the baloon to bring him nearer the earth. This request was complied with, and the baloon decended slowly towards Robert street, which lies a quarter of a mile or so to the north of Cremorne Gardens. On approaching St. Luke’s, Church, Mr Simmons, the baloonist, was heard to say, “ You must cutloose now, or you’ll come on thechurch roof.” The answer was, “ Yes, let me drop into the churchyard,” and these were, no aoubt, the last words that De Groof uttered. He cut the rope when about eighty feet from the’ground, but, to the horror of the spectators, who must have numbered many thousands, the apparatus, instead of inflating with the pressure of the air, collapsed, and turning rduud and round in its descent, fell with great violence in Robert street, a yard or twb from the kerbstone. Assistance to the unfortunate man was instantly forthcoming. Although still breathing, he was insensible ] but the despatch with which lie was extricated from the wreck of his apparatus and conveyed to Chelsea infirmary proved in vain. He never recovered consciouness, and on his arrival at the hospital, the surgeons pronounced him dead. Madame de Groof, who witnessed her husband’s fall, fainted at the sight, and a still more painful scene took place a short time later at the hospital, when she learned the whole sad frufch. The apparatus was parried off in shreds by the qrqwd before the police could secure it. It only remains to add that the baloon, on being freed from the weight of De Groof and his flyingmachine, soared away over the metropolis in a north-easterly direction, and at dark was seen at a great height above Victoria Park, where it was watched with much interest by large numbers of people, who were, of course, ignorant of the shocking tragedy in which it had played a part.