A MOTOR SMASH.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8933, 25 September 1907, Page 4

A MOTOR SMASH.

A. fearful accident > occurred in ; France iu August, The Automobile \ ■ Club oi France promoted a great re- ■. i liability trial called the Oriterium | Ide France, iu which thirty-five cars took part. The trial was to last over six days, and all went well until Saturday, the third day. Thou, within an hour, two fatal accidents, involving the death of eight people, ! occurred on the road Lo Bordeaux ' from Olarmont-Ferrand, and the Minister of the Interior promptly put a stop to the contest. The first accident occurred at Camps, and was the outcome of a burst tyre. A Martini car, entered as No. 30, which was driven by M. SegesMaun, accompanied by a mechanist and two photographers, one of whom was M. Liquiu, sent out to take views for an illustrated review of Paris, collided with a tree while going at a speed of nearly sixty miles . per hour. M . Luqniu was picked ’< up with his skull fractured, and died soon afterwards, while the other three \ occupants escaped as by a mil mlo with only slight injuries, hews of this catastrophe speedily named Bordeaux, .and at once two journalists —M. Amigues and M. Reno Herbert—-requisitioned an aulomoh;le, and proceeded to the scene of the accident. They were accompanied by the owner of the car, H. Roullier, and a friend, M. Fauvcau, the former driving. M. Roullier and his party had gone a distance of jj-nne eight miles at a, fast pace, when a car name along iu the opposite direction at groat speed. He managed to ’get out of the way, but_ at the same time a waggon was driving | along the road, and a second car was ( naming immediately behind the first. Owing to the dust and confusion, M. Roullier failed to see the second car, driven by M. Blaisot, accompanied by three friends—M. Martin, H. Metayer, and M- Villamiu. The two oars ran into each other, with terrific force, and were smashed to pieces. M. Roullier was killed on the spot. Ho had his skull split open and his right arm crushed. M. Metayer’s face was out up beyond recognition, and M. Martin had several fractures cf the sknll and other injuries. Both died a few minutes after the accident. M. Villemiu also soon succumbed to internal injuries. M. Fauveau had been thrown a groat distance, and was picked up still breathing, but expired on the way to the hospital. The result was, therefore, five killed almost on the spot. One of the two journalists, M. Amigues, was almost mortally injured, and died after he had been conveyed? to the ■» hospital at Bordeaux, whilst M. Herbert died a few days later. Strange to say, M. Blaisot was only slightly Injured.