Evening star., 1902-08-15
AUTOS TIRE BURST
DETAILS OF FATAL ACCIDENT TO
MR.. AND MRS. FAIR.
Machine Was Burning Over Sixty
Miles an Hour When Crash
Occurred.

A dispatch from Paris last night gives the
following details of the auto accident by
which MIR. and Mrs. c. L. Fair lost their
lives:
The fatal accident to Mr.. and Mrs. Fair
occurred at the village of st. Aguilon. Mr..
Fair himself was driving his automobile at
a high rate of speed when one of the pneu-
matte tires burst. The machine swerved,
coliided with a tree with terrible crash
and was overturned. Mr.. and Mrs. Fair
were killed outright and their chauffeur was
badly injured
The accident occurred at 2:3o o'clock
this afternoon, and almost in front of the
Chateau Busson du Mai. The wife of the
Gatekeeper of the chateau was the only
witness of the disaster She saws she no.
tlced big red automobile coming along
the road at tremendous pace. Suddenly
something happened and the heavy ma
chlne Slid sideways 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
big elm tree in front of the gate of the
chateau. The automobile was completely
wrecked. the front axle was broken and
other parts Of the machine were smashed
including the steering gear.
When the automobile turned over, the
Wl1e OF the gatekeeper says she saw Mr..
and Mrs. Fair thrown high in the air and
fali with a heavy thud to the ground The
chauffeuT, who was sitting behind the Fairs,
was precipitated into ditch He staggered
to his feet, calling for help. The gate
Keepers wife rushed to his assistance and
aided him in extricating Mr.. and Mrs. Fair,
who were buried beneath the wrecked ma
chlne ana In the last throes of death. Both
mad sustained CHASTITY injuries. and were
almost unrecognizable- Mr. Fairs head
had been crushed in. while hts wife's skull
was split. The chauffeur was terribly af-
fected at the calamity and seemed bereft
OF his threw him sol into
ditch on the opposite side of the road and
rolled about crying, my poor mastersi'
M. Borson, owner Of the Chateau Buis-
son du Mai, was summoned, and after ad-
vising the local authorities of the accident
he ordered the bodies of Mr.. and Mrs Fair
to be carried to the gatekeeper's lodge
Here they now lie on mattresses, and
flowers have been strewn over them. In
the room are three wax tapers burning
dimly.
AT the time the accident occurred the au-
tomobile, which was capable 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 a valise be-
longing to the Fairs, which contains jew
elry two letters of credit, French bank
note worth 5000, and some gold coins.
The Fairs have been living lately in Paris
at the Hotel Ritz, and kept their apart
ments there while they were staying at
Trouville. This morning Mr.. Fair sent a
dispatch from Trouville to the manage
ment of the Hotel Ritz saying he and his
wife would arrive there this evening.
Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt jr, who was
Mr.. Fairs sister, returned from Trouville
Sunday and sailed for New York yesterday
on the North German Lloyd steamship
Kronprinz Wilhelm. Mr.. Vanderbilt, who
made the automobile record for a kilometer
of % 20 seconds and the mile record of
AZ 2-5 seconds August 5, on the road car
Abb, is taking several automobiles with
him to the United States on board the
Kronprinz Wilhelm.