The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-08-20
BOTH WERE KILLED.
MIR. and Mrs. Charles Fair Meet
Narrowing Fate.
TWO WEALTHY AMERICANS
Were Driving an Automobile at
Rate of SiNty-Two Miles an
Hour. When il Became
Cnmanagablc.

Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Fair, Ameri-
cans. also related TO Mrs. W. X. Van
Gerbilt, Jr.. Miss Virginia Fair were
returning to Paris from Trouville
Thursday when their automobile
swerved and crashed into tree Is
miles from EvreuX, France. Both
were killed. The chauffeur became
insane as a consequence OF the shock.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fair had been staying
at Trouville during racing week. They
had a very fast horsepower autOmo-
bile which attracted considerable at
tention, and with which they were
highly pleased. Mr.. Fair had been
from Trouville to Paris and back again
in one day on the machine.
The bodies Of Mr.. and Mrs. Fair
were taken to the Chateau BriSson
Du Mai. The accident occurred at
half past , o'clock Thursday evening
and almost in front of the Chateau
Bison Du Mai. The Fairs intended
to dine and spend the night in Paris
and return to Trouville for lunch Fri
day.
The wife of the gatekeeper Of the
chateau was the only witness OF the
disaster. She says she noticed big
red automobile coming along the road
at a. tremendous pace. Suddenly
something happened and the heavy
machine slid sideways from the right
to the left side of the road, for about
60 yards. It then dashed up an en-
bankment, turned complete somer-
sault and crashed into big elm tree
in front of the gate of the chateau.
The auto was completely wrecked, the
front axle was broken and other parts
OF the machine were smashed, includ-
ing the steering gear. When the auto
turned over, the wife Of the gate
keeper says she saw Mr.. and Mrs. Fair
thrown high in the air and fall with
a heavy thud to the ground. The
chaffeur, who was sitting behind the
Fairs, was precipitated into ditch.
He staggered to his feet, calling for
help. The gatekeeper's wife rushed
to his assistance and aided him in ex-
Treating Mr.. and Mrs. Fair, who were
buried beneath the wrecked machine
and in the last throes of death. Both
had sustained ghastly injuries and
were almost unrecogniZable. Mr..
Fairs head had been chushed in, while
his wife's skull was split. The chat
feur was terribly affected at the
calamity and seemed bereft of his
senses. He threw himself into ditch
OF the opposite side Of the road and
rolled about crying. My poor mas
terS."
Mr.. BorSon, owner of the chateau
Bison 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 gatekeeper's lodge. Here they
now lie Gil mattresses and flowers have
been strewn over them. In the room
are three wax taperS burning dlmly.
The accident was evidently due to the
bursting CT a tire. At the time it
occurred the auto, which was capable
Of running Il miles an hour was going
at the rate Of 81 miles al hour.
A dispatch from Paris says the fatal
accident occurred at the village Of
Saint Aguilin. Mr.. Fair himself was
driving his automobile at high rate
of speed when one of the pneumatic
tires bIrSted. The machine swerved,
collided with tree with a terrible
crash and was overturned. Mr.. and
Mrs. Fair were killed outright and
their chauffeur was badly injured.
The Fairs have been living lately at
Paris at the hotel Ritz, and kept their
apartments there while they were
staying at Trouville. Thursday morn
ing Mr.. Fair sent a dispatch from
Trouville to the management OF the
Hotel Ritz saying he and his wife
would arrive there Thursday evening.
Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt, Jr., who
was Mr.. Fairs sister, returned from
Trouyille Sunday and sailed for New
York Wednesday on the North Ger
man Lloyd steamship kronprinz
Wilhelm.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Fair left San
Francisco in the latter part of May
last for trip to Europe. Charles
Fair was the son of and was one the
heirs to the immense estate of the
late Senator Fair. 1t is peculiar
that the son Of the late John W.
Mackay, one of Senator Fairs part
nerS, was also killed near Paris few
years ago by being thrown from his
horse.