Birdman

FATAL FALL OF THE "FLYING MAN." - A very shocking disaster took place at Chelsea this evening. A Belgian named Vincent de Groof, while attempting to descend by a newly-invented parachute from Mr. Joseph Simmons’s balloon, soon after its ascent from Cremorne Gardens, fell suddenly to the ground from a height of 80 feet, and was instantly killed.

M. de Groof had been employed several years in constructing for himself an apparatus with which he believed it possible to imitate the flight of a bird. The general plan of this apparatus was an imitation of a bat’s wings, the framework being made of cane, and the intervening membrane of stout waterproof silk. The wings were altogether 37 ft. long, with an average breadth of 4 ft. The tail was 18 ft. by 3 ft. These wings were inserted into two hinged frames, attached to a wooden stand, upon which the aeronaut took his place. He had three levers, which he worked by hand, to give his machine propulsion or guidance, as might be required.

His theory was that, having started from a given height, he could manage his descent so as to reach the earth by a sort of inclined swooping motion, without risk of concussion. About a year ago M. de Groof made an attempt to descend from a great height on the Grande Place at Brussels. The effort was a failure, but the man was not hurt.

He came this summer to London, and on June 29 went up by the balloon from Cremorne with Mr. Simmons, having his machine attached to it. On that occasion he descended safely from a height of 300 ft. or 400 ft., in Epping Forest. A second attempt proved abortive, the machine not working properly, so that Mr. Simmons refused to take him up.

On the fatal evening of his last attempt it was intended to let the parachute descend in the Thames. M. de Groof was able to detach himself from the balloon when he pleased. He had arranged with Mr. Simmons to let the balloon be within a certain distance of the ground for this purpose, and it was accordingly lowered from 4,000 ft. to 300 ft. above the ground. The two men shouted to each other in German, as De Groof understood no English; but Mr. Simmons says that De Groof only called out the height at which he was.

A witness below, the porter of the Chelsea Infirmary, who watched the balloon and parachute, heard, or fancied that he heard, a voice in the air twice exclaiming, in English, “Drop into the church-yard! Look out!” They were drifting near St. Luke’s Church, not much above the height of the church tower. De Groof seems to have detached his machine from the balloon immediately after.wards, and Mr. Simmons thinks he overbalanced himself and fell forwards, clinging to his ropes. To the horror of the spectators, the apparatus, instead of inflating with the pressure of the air, collapsed, and, turning round and round in its descent, fell with great violence in Robert Street, a few yards from the kerbstone.

The unfortunate man was still breathing, though insensible; but the despatch with which he was extricated from the wreck and carried into the Infirmary proved in vain. He never recovered consciousness, 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. The balloon rose and went on, crossing London in a north-easterly direction. Mr. Simmons swooned in the car, and did not recover his senses till he was over Victoria Park. He travelled into Essex, and came down with his balloon on the railway, just in front of a train, which the engine-driver stopped in time to prevent another accident.

The verdict of the jury on the inquest amounted practically to one of death by misadventure, appended to which was an expression of opinion that exhibitions of a dangerous character claimed the attention of the Legislature.