MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 166, 16 July 1920, Page 6

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

M. DESCHANEL'S ACCIDENT.

FRENCH PRESIDENT'S FALL

FROM TRAIN

ADDITIONAL DETAILS BY MAIL

Details of tho extraordinary accident to M. Deschanel, the President of tho French Republic, reached Now Zealand by the hist English mail. Fifrm these it would, appear that tho accident was a. most peculiar one, and natur.tlly it occasioned much comjment. It was while travelling to Montbrison in the Loire, where he waa to have unveiled a monument to M. Raymond, a Senator killed in an ■aoroplaae accident at the beginning of tlvs war, he fell from the Presidential train.

He owes his life to two facts —first, that the train was travelling at only about 2b miles an hour, and secondly, that he felil not en the line, but on the slope Wide it. The President was far from well when he left Paris. Ho had developed a slight attack of influenza., and there was a suggestion that the ceremony at Montbrison should be postponed. Of this,, however, he would nolt hear, and he left. Paris at 9.20 p.m.

Those who accompanied him remarked that ho looked very tired, and no surprise was felt when at 10 o'clock he went to bed,: and gave instructions to his valet not to call him before .7 in the morning.

HEAD-FIRST THHOUH THE

WINDOW,

Tho night was very warm, and not being able to sleep, 31. Deshanel rose at 11 o'clock just as the train was approaching Montnrgis, and attempted to open the window of his sleeping carrfago. Apparently- the fresh air caused him to feel suddenly faint, with, the result that he staggered and fell through tho window head foremost.

Fortunately, tho window overlooked an embankment, where there was a considerable depth of sand ballast. The train, too, had slowed down before reaching some points—a few moments later it had increased, its &peed to 45 miles an hour. M. D'eschanel was stunned by the fall, but ho soon recovered and walked along the line far a distance of about a mile to the nearest level crossing. Theo crossing-keeper was atsonished to see a. man approaching in the moonlight clad in pyjamas and .sle-jiping socks. His first supposition was that the unlooked-for visitanr, was an escaped lunatic, and his filings may ( b& imagined when the President set &bout correcting that impression.

"I AM THE PRESIDENT."

"It is very simple," he said, with a smile. "It"is; only natural' that you should be surprised to see a man walking along the line in his pyjamas;, and doubtless you will b© more surprised when you know I am the President of the Republic. I have met with, an accident. 1 have fallen out of the Presidervti.il train."

The crossing-keeper had never seen M.'-D'eschanol before, but recognised him" from his photographs.^ He promptly got into communication with "Montargis; the Sub-Prefect was awakened, and his motor-car .was sent to the rescue. , In it the President, wearing ,a hat belonging to the SubPrefect and >a pair of trousers borrowed from the crossing-keeper, was conveyed -to the Sub-Prefecture at Montaii'gis, where he received medical attention front a woman delator, Mme. JDesbonis. He was found to he bruised about the face and legs, but not seriously injured, and ho made light of Ins hurts. His first thought was to tcik> graph to ths.Elysee and inform Mme. D'eschanel of what had occurred, .adding that he would return to Paris as soon as possible. ■ < ' It was the President's desire to start at once, but as a measure of precaution tho doctors decided to make an •njoctiorf of _■ anti-tetanus scrum, and ordered their patient to keep perfectly quiet. VAILET'S DISCOVERY. Me-.ui-vhile the special train had continued on its way, and it was not until it reached Roanne that the President was missed. 'His valet ! entered the sleeping compartment, ) and was astounded to find it empty. .Thonlarm was atcnce_ given, and urgent telephone inquiries were sent back along the line. When it iiad been ascertained that M. Deschanel had suffered no serious injury, tho Minister of the Interior;-, M. Stoeg,. who was travelling by the same train, decided to proceed to Montbrison, and there read the speech that the '.^resident should have delivered.

Moie. Deschanel, accompanied, by her eldest .son and M. Millerand, journeyed to Montargis by an afternoon exnress. She found her husband in excellent spirits, and he narrated hi* experiences to> her with muh amusement..

There were numerous callers at the EHysea, one of the first to sign the visitors' book being Dr. Mayer, the Gem.an Charge d'Affaires.