TOO MUCH REALISM.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8832, 7 June 1907, Page 4

TOO MUCH REALISM.

On tho railway at Stoats Nest, near Parley, some few miles south of Loudon, a man named William Zeits, aged 48, met with an accident in curious circumstances. It jiwas bad enough for him, as his injuries included a scalp wound, broken ribs, and shock. Zeitz possessed a docile dog—a big brindled Danish hound—which ran about his homo at Croydon, and advantage was taken of this fact by a firm of cinematograph film maufacturers to arrange a thrilling train-wrecking scene, and the frustration of villainy by means of the faithful animal. This was the programmeTwo ruffians (represented by the firm’s men) were to place sleepers on the metals with the idea of wrecking the Brighton express. From his box a signalman notes the tactics of the would-be train-wreckers, and dashes out to remove the obstruction. But the ruffians overcome him, bind him to the? rails, and decamp. Enter the canine hero, with the signalman’s dinner in a basket. Tho modern Dog of Montargis immediately grasps the position of affairs, and trots off for help. With a rattle and a roar the express dashes up, hut just as a terrible catastrophe appears unavoidable the signalman’s wife arrives, stops the train, and saves her husband. So far, so good. But accidents will happen, and one occurred iu this case. -At tho crucial moment there was a slight error. Tho train failed to stop as arranged, wont plump into the sleepers, and sent one of them flying against Mr Zoitz, with tho unfortunate results mentioned. In an interview-, Mrs Zeitz said: “It is quite true wo arranged to wreck a train for some cinematograph people, hut we did not intend to do any damage. It was all make-believe. I was the signalman’s wife, and my husband was to be bound and then saved by me. Everything worked well until the train came up; but it did not stop, and only just in time my husband got clear, and the sleepers were hurled about, one of them striking him. He did not get the consent of the railway people. Never again will I do such a thing. ”