Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-08-23
AUTOMOBILE !.
ACCIDENT FATAL
American millionaire and wife
Meet Shocking Death
in France.
SON OF SENATOR FAIR
While Running at a High Rate of Speed
Their Machine Swerved and Struck
a Tree-Chauffeur Crazed
by Shock.

Evreux, France, Aug. 16.-Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Fair, Americans, related
to Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt, jr. Miss
Virginia Fair), were returning to Paris
from Trouville yesterday, when their
automobile swerved and crashed into a
:ree fifteen miles from here. Both were
killed. The chauffeur became insane as
q of the shock.
Paris, Aug. 1.-THE fatal accident to
Mr.. and Mrs. Fair occurred at the VII
age of st. Agulin. Mr.. Fair himself
was driving his automobile at a high
rate of speed, when one of the pneu-
matte tires burst. The machine
swerved, collided with a tree with a ter
fble crash, and was overturned. Mr..
md Mrs. Fair were killed outright and
their chauffeur was badly injured.
The Fairs have been living lately In
Paris at the Hotel Ritz, n kept their
apartments there while they were stay
ing at Trouville. Yesterday morning
MIR. Fair sent a dispatch from
to the anagement of the Hotel Ritz
saying he and his wife would arrive
there in the evening.
The accident occurred at 2:30 o'clock
yesterday afternoon, n almost IN
front of the chateau Buisson du Mai.
The Fairs intended to dine and spend
the night in Paris and return to Trou-
vile for lunch today.
Eye Witness to Disaster.
The wife of the gatekeeper of the
chateau was the only witness OF the
disaster. She says she noticed a big
automobile coming along the road at a
tremendous pace. Suddenly something
happened and the heavy machine slid
aidewise from the right to the left side
of the road for about sixty yards. 1t
then dashed up an embankment,
turned a complete somersault and
crashed into a big elm tree in front of
the gate of the chateau. The auto
mobile was completely wrecked, the
front axle broken and other parts Of
the machine were smashed, including
the steering gear. When the auto
mobile turned over, the wife Of the
gatekeeper says, she saw Mr.. and Mrs.
Fair thrown high into the air n fall
with a heavy thud on the ground.
The chauffeur, who was sitting be-
hind the Fairs, was precipitated into a
ditch. He staggered to his feet, calling
for help. The gatekeeper's wife
rushed to his assistance and aided him
In e~Xtricating Mr.. and Mrs. Fair, who
were buried beneath the wrecked ma
chine and in the last throe of death.
Mr.. Fairs head had been crushed in,
while his wife's skull was split. The
chauffeur was terribly affected at the
calamity, and seemed bereft of his
senses. He threw himself into a ditch
on the opposite side of the o and
rolled about, crying, MY poor mas
ters."
Caro- of the Bodies.
NJ. Borson, owner of the chateau Buis-
son du Mai, was summoned, and after
advising the local authorities of the
accident he ordered the bodies of Mr..
and Mrs. Fair TO be carried to the gate
keepers lodge. Here they now lie on
mattresses, and flowers have been
strewn over them. In the are
three wax tapers burning dimly.
The accident was evidently due to the
bursting of a tire. At the time it oc-
CURED the automobile, which was ca
pable of running seventy-four miles an
hour, was going at the rate of sixty
two miles an hour.
The local police authorities hold in
their possession, and have sealed up, q
valise belonging to the Fairs, which
contains jewelry, two letters of credit,
French banknotes worth 5000, and
some gold coins.
gold coins.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fair had been staying
at Trouville during racing week. They
had a very fast 45-horse power auto
mobile, which attracted considerable
attention. Mr.. Fair had been from
Trouville to Paris and back again in
one day on the machine.
Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, jr., who
was Mrs. Fairs sister, returned from
Trouville Sunday and sailed for New
York Wednesday on the North German
| Lloyd steamship Kron Prinz Wilhelm.
San Francisco, Aug. 15.-Charles
Fair vas n son of the late Senator
Fair, and n Of the heirs to the i'm
mense estate Of the late senator.