A THRILLING SCENE.

AN AERONAUT FALLS FROM A BURNING BALLOON AND IS CRUSHED TO DEATH.

CHARLESTON, W. Va., June 19.—Among the other attractions at the circus here to-day was a balloon ascension, and just as the ropes holding the balloon cast off a hot air stove used in inflating the balloon was overturned, causing it to catch fire. The burning balloon shot up into the air at a very rapid rate with William Patterson, an aeronaut, in the basket. When a short distance up the crowd yelled "jump," but he did not heed the advice, and after going several hundred feet up the balloon collapsed and Patterson fell to the earth a lifeless mass of humanity. It was his first ascension. The balloon was totally consumed by fire.