April 8, 1918 - Don Martin takes a break in Paris, learns of Commodore Bennett's serious illness

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, April 8, 1918:

Came to Paris today. Left Neufchateau in auto with [Henri] Bazin [Philadelphia Public Ledger] at 8 and took a train at Gondrecourt at 10:30. Train late arriving. So heavy movement of troops. Went to Crillon Hotel – got my hair cut and went to dinner with [Burn]Price [Paris Herald Manager] at the Chatham Grill. Got about a dozen letters including a note from the President [Wilson]. Stayed in the Paris office until 10:30 reading the papers.

The Commodore [Bennett] has been very ill with pneumonia which explains why I haven’t heard from him.

Weather rainy but mild.

Regrettably that note from President Woodrow Wilson to Don Martin has not survived. One can only wonder what it was about.

This is the first record of Don Martin learning that James Gordon Bennett, the owner of the New York and Paris Herald, was very seriously ill, at his villa in Beaulieu sur Mer. He would live just two more months.

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