Portland, Maine – July 4, 1909
Updated June 15, 2017
As part of a July 4th celebration in Portland, Maine, Professor Joseph Laroux of Portland, and his assistant, James Corcoran, 28, of Lowell, Massachusetts, were scheduled to give an exhibition of a triple parachute jump from a hot-air balloon. The plan was to have Corcoran ascend in the balloon to an altitude of 6,000 feet while Laroux stayed on the ground. When the balloon had reached the required safe altitude, the Professor was to fire a series of gun shots as a signal for Corcoran to jump.
Shortly after 4 p.m., the balloon took off from the Eastern Promenade before a crowd of 5,000 spectators. When it had risen barely 500 feet, some members of the crowd began firing revolvers into the air which confused Corcoran into believing it was safe to jump. Corcoran hit the ground before the first parachute could open receiving fatal injuries.
Mr. Corcoran was survived by his wife and a child.
Sources:
New York Times, “Parachutist Leaps To Death”, July 6, 1909
Hartford Courant,(Conn.) , “Parachute Jumper Falls To His Death”, July 1909
Sanford Tribune, (Me.), “Aeronaut Is Dashed To Death”, July 9, 1909, page 6.
