FALL THROUGH A WINDOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 124, 25 May 1920, Page 5

FALL THROUGH A WINDOW.

UNBELIEVING EAILWAYMEN.

(Received 2 p.m.)

PARIS, May 24.

President Dcschanel has returned to the Elysee. He is not seriously hurt, though 'he had a very narrow escape. A number of pomic incidents were connected witli the accident. He went to his sleeping car, telling his valet not to call him until the morning. (Feeling the carriage stuffy, he attempted to open the window and fell out. Fortunately the train had slackened epeed going round a curve. The President fell on a eondy patch, and was temporarily stunned. When he lecovered he -walked barefooted and clad in his pyjamas, with his face bleeding, until he met a platelayer, who received the President's story with the frankest scepticism. This seemed justified when the stationmaster's telegram sent to the President's train inquiring if any accident ihad taken place was answered by an emphatic "no." No one thought it ! worth while to look into the- sleeping compartment. Five minutes later the valet found the 'bed empty, to the consternation of all on the train.

Meanwhile the railway officials wer* worrying the sub-prefect of Montargie regarding the unknown individual, scantily clad, suffering from the hallucination that he was the President of the Bepublic. The sirb-prefect accordingly motored to the platelayer's cottage, ■where he found that the injured man was really the head of the French Republic. He was quickly carried to the prefecture at Montargis, where his wounds were dressed and an anti-tetanus injection made. It is expected that M. Deschanel will completely recover in ten days.—(A. and NJS. Cable.)