Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-08-15
KILLED BY AN AUTOMOBILE
Charles Fair and Wife Of aaa Francisco
Meet Death in France
HUGE MACHINE CRASHES INTO A TREE
Car Is Very Heavy and Very swift
and HAD Been the Especial
Pride of It's UnfOrtu-
nate owners.

Mrs. Charles Fair, Americans, who were re-
lated to Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt, jr. miss
Virginia Fair, were returning to Paris
from Trouville today when their automo-
bile swerved and crashed into a tree fifteen
miles from here.
Both were killed. The chauffeur became
insane as a consequence Of the shock.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fair had been staying at
Trouvilie during racing week They had a
very fast forty-nve horse power automobile
which attracted considerable attention, and
with which they were highly pleased. Mr.
Fair had been from Trouville 70 Paris and
back again in one day on the machine.
The bodies Of Mr.. and Mrs. Fair were
taken to the Chateau Buisson du Mai.
Going TO Paris TO Dine.
The accident occurred ct 1850 O'Clock
almost In front Of Chateau Buisson Du Mai
The Fairs intended to dine and spend the
night in Paris and return to Trouville for
lunch tomorrow.
The wife Of the gate keeper Of the cha
teau was the only witness Of the disaster
She says she noticed a big red automo-
bile coming along the road at a tremen-
dous pace. Suddenly something happened
and the heavy machine slid sideways from
the right to the left side Of the road, for
shout sixty yards. II. then dashed up an
embankment, turned a complete somer-
sault and crashed into big elm tree in
front Of the gate of the chateau. The auto
mobile was completely wrecked. the front
axle was broken and other parts OF the
machine were smashed, including the steer
ing gear. When the automobile turned
over, the wife Of the gate keeper says she
saw Mr.. and Mrs. Fair high in the air
nd lal1 vnrfkk 4.
The chaffeur who was sitting behind the
Fairs was precipitated into a ditch. He
staggered to his feet calling for help, the
gate keepers wife rushed to him and as
sisted In extricating Mr.. and Mrs. Fair
who were buried beneath the wrecked ma
chine and in the last throes OF death.
Both had sustained ghastly injuries and
were almost unacceptable. Mr.. Fairs
head had been crushed in. while his wife'a
skull was split. The chaffeur. was terribly
affected and seemed bereft of his senses.
He threw himself into a ditch on the OPP
posite side Of the road and rolled about
crying. my poor masters"
M. Borson, owner OF the chateau Buisson
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 room are three wax tapers burning
Qtmly. = - -
GoiHE sixty-Fopr sEiass an Hours
The accident was evidently due to the
bursting of tire. At the time It occurred
the automobile which was capable Of run
ming seventy-four miles an hour. was 20
ing at the rate Of sixty-two miles an hour.
The local police authorities hold in their
possession and have sealed up valise
belonging to the Fairs, which contains
jewelry, two letters OF credit, q French
banknote worth 5000 and some gold coins.
PARIS, Aug. 1.-THE fatal accident to
Mr.. and Mrs. Fair occurred at the village
of SAINT Aguiiin. Mr.. Fair himself was
driving his automobile at a high rate OF
speed when one Of the pneumatic tires
bursted. The machine swerved, collided
with tree with q terrible crash and was
overturned. Mr.. and Mrs. Fair were killed
outright and their chauffeur was badly in
jured
The Fairs have been living lately In
Paris at the Hotel Ritz, and kept their
apartments there while they were staying
at Trouville. This morning Mr.. Fair sent
a dispatch SSom Trouville to the manage
ment Of the Hotel Ritz saying he and bis
wife would arrive there this evening.
Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt, ir., who was
Mr.. Fairs sister. returned from Trouvilie
Sunday and sailed for New York yesterday
on the North German Lloyd steamship
Kron Prinz wilhelm.
SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 14.-Mr and
Mrs. Charles Fair left San Francisco in the
latter part Of May last for trip to Eu-
ror he r. L. a.
Senator Fair and was one OF the heirs
to the immense estate OF the late Senator
Fair. Il Is peculiar that the son Of the
late John w. Mackay. one Of Senator Fair's
partners. was also killed near Paris a few
years ago by being thrown from his horse.
Brought Autos to Paciae Coast.
Charles Fair has been enthusiastic about
ever since the machines came
Into use abroad.
He was one of the hrst to bring automo-
biles TO this coast and he owned three or
four Of them. He had what was perhaps
the largest and swiftest automobile in Cali
tornia. II was a huge French racing ma
chine and capable. It is said. OF going AZ
speed Of seventy miles san hour He Inn
ported It from France and with il imported
4 chaffeur
Of San Francisco and In all the neighborlng
Many = time have toWnspeOple
and farmers in San Mateo, Marin and Ala
media counties rushed out of their houses
only to see the huge machine in the distance
and leaving q trail Of dust aud smoke be-
hind.
Fair was interested IN yachting and owned
the steam yacht Lncero.
Charles Fair and his wife left San Fran
cisco for Europe on May 80 to stay two or
three months.
Charles Fair was the third Of the four
children Of the late Mr.. and Mrs James
@. Fair. Teresa. who is now the wife OF
Herman oelrichs. is the eldeet Of the heirs.
Then came James. who died about ten years
ago. Charles was the third. and the young
est was Virginia. who is now the wife OF
W. X Vanderbilt.
In the spring OF 1894 Charles married
Aaude Nelson. The ceremony took place
IN Oakland and Il was almost a secret one.
Charles Fair was one Of three heirs TO an
Immense estate. estimated IN value At be-
tween SIS .0o0 900 and $50. .00o, 900. The other
two are his own sisters
oeIriehs' Predicted Result.
When informed OF the tragic end Of his
brother -in-law and his wife this afternoon,
Herman oelrichs said;
Il am terribly shocked. but not surprised.
said only 4 few days ago that II Charley
persisted in carrying on his experiments